SCANNET

Contact Details

Ny-Ålesund LSF Secretariat
Norwegian Polar Institute Svalbard
P.O. Box 505
N-9171 Longyearbyen
Norway
Phone: +47 79 02 26 23
Fax: +47 79 02 26 04
Email:
Programme secretary: Marit R. Pettersen
Programme co-ordinator: Jon Børre Ørbæk
Webpage: www.npolar.no/nyaa-lsf

Location

Ny-Ålesund International Arctic Research and Monitoring Facility is located on the west coast of Spitsbergen, which is the largest of the Svalbard islands (78º55'N, 11º56'E). It is situated on the shore of Kongsfjorden.

Climate

Annaul mean temperature (1961-1990): -6.3 ºC
Mean temperature of the coldest month (February 1961-1990): -14.6 ºC
Mean temperature of the warmest month (July 1961-1990): 4.9 ºC
Annual precipitation (1975-1989): 370 mm

Biodiversity

The Ny-Ålesund area consists of typical high-Arctic ecosystems; a variety of Arctic fjord environments, from calving glacier fronts to sandy beaches, terrestrial environments rich in wildlife (for instance, bird cliffs, islands with breeding geese and eider, waders, Svalbard ptarmigan, Svalbard reindeer, Arctic fox, polar bear) and, due to local climate gradients and a diverse geology, a vegetation varying from bleak 'Arctic desert' to lush tundra and grassland communities (Northern Arctic Tundra Zone).

Human Dimension

Ny-Ålesund is the world's northernmost permanent settlement. The Norwegian Government has designated Ny-Ålesund to be the centre for environmental research at Svalbard. All other activities, i.e., mainly tourism, in Ny-Ålesund must pay due consideration to the needs and demands of the research activities.

Species Performance

Field work on vegetation, birds and reindeer by researchers who use the facility for field work. Permanent plots (reindeer grazing exclosure). Soil microbiology. Plant light adaptation (greenhouse).

General Research

Currently, the Ny-Ålesund LSF is handling projects in terrestrial and marine biology, terrestrial and marine geology, glaciology, solid earth, atmospheric and ionospheric geophysics, meteorology and oceanography, environmental monitoring, year-round air sampling (including air composition, Arctic Haze components, methane and other gases influencing the Earth?s radiation ballance, and organic pollutants), stratospheric ozone measurements, geodesic research (continental drift, post-glacial rebound of the earth surface, sea-level fluctuations, applications in navigation and geodesy), meteorological records, soil microclimate, permafrost, glacier mass ballance.

Existing Data Bases

The various national stations based at Ny Alesund cover a very wide range of subjects. Data belong to the nations but a meta-database is accessible. The Norwegian Polar Institute holds data on climate from 1916, snow depth and glacier mass balance

History and Facilities

The Ny-Ålesund settlement was founded due to coal mining from 1901-1929 and 1945-1963. The Norwegian Polar Institute established a research station in Ny Ålesund in 1968. In order to draw new European polar research activities to Ny-Ålesund, a European Large-Scale Facility funded by EU, the Ny-Ålesund International Arctic Environmental Research and Monitoring Facility (Ny-Ålesund LSF), has been established to give access to scientists wishing to do environmental research in the Ny-Ålesund area. Members of the Ny-Ålesund LSF consortium are (permanently manned, except the NERC station):

• The Norwegian Polar Institute (NP) is the main Norwegian institution concerned with mapping and scientific and environmental investigation of the Norwegian polar regions. NP runs the Norwegian research station and offers services for national and foreign research institutions. In 1999, NP opened the new Sverdrup research station (~500 m2). This station serves as a research and monitoring station for short and long term research programs, as well as a field base that offers logistical support (boats, snow-scooters, field and security equipment) for field campaigns. The facility comprises laboratories for terrestrial and marine biological research like a marine laboratory with salt water pumps, several dry and wet laboratories, a greenhouse facility and an environmental effect laboratory.
• The geodetic institute of the Norwegian Mapping Authority (NMA) runs a high precision space geodesy observatory in Ny-Ålesund. The facility includes a radiotelescope (VLBI antenna) for geodetic research.
• The German facility, Koldewey Station, run by Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), is a comprehensive base for a large spectrum of polar research with a special emphasis on atmospheric sciences. The station consists of ground-based remote sensing instruments and balloon launching equipment.
• The Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) runs year-round air sampling programmes from NP's Air Monitoring Station at the Zeppelinfjellet mountain (470 m a.s.l.). NILU's research programmes concentrate on the composition and the chemical processes of the troposphere and stratosphere. NILU has a close collaboration with NP and a group from the Meteorological Institute at the University of Stockholm (MISU).
• Great Britain's research station, the Harland House, run by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), supports research focusing on life and earth science programmes related to global change, especially in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Visiting scientists have access to a good field laboratory with basic facilities for processing samples and data, access to local field sites and boat transport.

In 1994, the Ny-Ålesund Science Managers Committee (NySMAC) was established to promote co-operation and co-ordination amongst research activities in the Ny-Ålesund area, in order to achieve more effective research and avoid negative impacts on research programmes and the environment. NySMAC includes representatives from all institutions which have permanent research activities in Ny-Ålesund. In addition to the Ny-Ålesund LSF consortium, institutions with bases or running projects in Ny-Ålesund are (manned parts of the year):

• The Italian Consiglio Nationale delle Ricerce (CNR) facility supports research within a wide range of scientific disciplines, including atmospheric sciences and biological investigations related to global change.
• The station of the French Polar Institute (Institut Francais pour la Recherche et la Technologie, IFRTP) houses laboratories, offices and logistic facilities. Some field activities in Kongsfjord are carried out from the present French field station.
• The Norwegian Space Centre/ Andøya Rocket Range operates the SvalRak facility for scientific exploration of the dayside aurora and processes in the magnetospheric boundary layer.
• The Japan Station for glaciology and climatic research , the National Institute for Polar Research (NIPR), maintains an Arctic field laboratory in Ny-Ålesund.

Kings Bay AS (KB) runs the infrastructure in Ny-Ålesund, and also provides food and lodging. Research institutions may rent houses and services on long-term contracts with KB. The services provided by KB are:

• Power generation and water supply.
• Accommodation for up to 150 persons.
• Modern telecommunications.
• Maintenance of buildings and construction of laboratories, dedicated research and field stations for Norwegian and foreign institutions.
• A full status Norwegian post office.
• A shop offering a wide selection of everyday items.
• An airport. Aeroplanes and helicopters may be chartered.
• A modern harbour facility with a 110 m long quay and with a water depth of 9 m, capable of handling cargo up to 50 tonnes, accessibility from May to October under normal ice conditions.

Transportation

During summer season there are several flights each week between Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund while during the winter there are two flights per week. Boat transport during the ice-free season (ca. May-October).