An overview of the extent of research in Greenland funded by the U.S. and Greenland

Greenland

The Greenland Research Council, a national and independent organization, promotes and strengthens research that is rooted in and benefits Greenland. In Greenland, over 100 projects since 2016 have been conducted by Greenland institutions such as Asiaq, Pinngortitaleriffik, and Ilisimatusarfik (Table A1). Most of these projects are location along the coastal areas (Figure A1). Danish agencies and institutions have supported a similar amount of research projects in Greenland.

Pinngortitaleriffik, Greenland’s Institute of Natural Resources, has office and laboratory facilities in Nuuk that are home to the Department of Fish and Shellfish, the Department of Birds and Mammals, and the Department of Environment and Mineral Resources. The Greenland Climate Research Centre is embedded in Pinngortitaleriffik and conducts research about the effects of climate change on the Arctic environment and Greenlandic society. Pinngortitaleriffik also has an established field station in Niaqornat. Greenland also maintains the Kobbefjord Research Station outside of Nuuk and the Zackenberg Research Station, which is owned by the Government of Greenland but run by Aarhus University (Denmark). The Arctic Station in Qeqertarssuaq is maintained by the University of Copenhagen. The Government of Greenland maintains and runs the Kangerlussuaq International Science Support (KISS) building in Kangerlussuaq, which provides accommodations and laboratory space for international scientists.

United States

In any given year, 250-300 U.S. researchers travel to Greenland as part of approximately 50 different projects. There are about 100 project locations (Figure A2), however, many are semi-autonomous instruments. The U.S. National Science Foundation’s Research Support and Logistics (RSL) program coordinates support of NSF-funded research as well as research funded by other government agencies. RSL, whenever possible, relies on local Greenland infrastructure and resources (e.g., Air Greenland, Royal Arctic Shipping, Mittarfeqarfiit, KISS). The U.S. built and maintains Summit Station, the only high altitude, high latitude, inland, year-round observing station in the Arctic.

U.S. research in Greenland is funded by government agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO). These entities fund projects that are led by principal investigators at public and private universities and non-governmental organizations (far too many to list here). The research spans many disciplines and covers many remote parts of Greenland (Figure A2). The NSF RSL works work the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Air National Guard to provide transportation to/from and around Greenland research sites. A logistics contractor, currently CH2MHill Polar Services, helps cover the unique logistics needs for each project.