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Ny-Ålesund Research Station Newsletter
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It is high season in Ny-Ålesund. At the moment of writing, all research institutes are manned and have scientists working out in the field, the observatories and the laboratories.
Time has been eventful since the last Newsletter in mid-March. Out March, a large permafrost drilling campaign was successfully executed and there were fruitful meetings at the ASSW and NySMAC in Aarhus. April was a challenging month, as a double heatwave (in both the air and the sea) hit Svalbard, partially impairing fieldwork possibilities that were depending on the snow conditions. In May, we celebrated the 100 year anniversary of the "Norge" flight over the North Pole, just after a team from Germany flew a remotely operatable airship over Ny-Ålesund. Alongside the ornithologists arriving to Ny-Ålesund in early June, the bears entered the fjord too.
Amidst the busy fieldwork times or your summer holidays, we hope you can find a calm moment to learn about new developments in Ny-Ålesund and research projects from the last months.
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If you wish to receive future newsletters, please remember to sign up.
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All local leaders and colleagues were invited to the Amundsen villa to celebrate those special few weeks in the year where all institutes are simultaneously present in Ny-Ålesund.
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News from Ny-Ålesund Research Station
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Ny-Ålesund Research website restructured
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The Ny-Ålesund Research website has been newly restructured. If you have any questions, please write to research.nya@npolar.no
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Gruvebadet maintenance
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In June, Kings Bay worked hard on improving the HSE standards of Gruvebadet. This included adding and improving railings and stairs on the roof, staircases on the emergency exists and the filling of ground in front of the main entrance. In case of any questions, please write to research@kingsbay.no.
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RIS (Research in Svalbard) upgrades
The Research in Svalbard portal underwent several upgrades in the last months:
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- Lab facilities and equipment are now easier visualized, creating a better overview
- The booking form for the research vessel "Teisten" is now integrated in RIS. Sending a separate form to Kings Bay is not needed anymore. Any questions can be send to laboratories@kingsbay.no (the address "teisten@kingsbay.no" will be disabled)
- The NPI owned boat "Nora" can now be booked under "Facilities" instead of "Equipment". In case of questions, please send an e-mail to materialforvalter@npolar.no
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News on RV Teisten
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The Kings Bay owned research vessel "Teisten" will go to dry dock on October the 1st. There will not be any winter operations for 2026/2027. Normal operations will start again from April 1st, 2027.
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100 year anniversary of the airship Norge crossing the North Pole
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On the 11th of May 2026, we celebrated the 100 year anniversary of the airship Norge crossing the North Pole. The expedition, which took place in 1926, was carried out through cooperation between Norwegian, Italian, and American partners, and stands as a powerful and early symbol of international collaboration in the Arctic.
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New placenames in Kongsfjorden
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In the mountain area Brikkene, three peaks have been given bird‑inspired names, in line with an established tradition where local species leave their mark on the map.
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Access call 2026: SIOS seeks proposals for access to SIOS research infrastructure
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Application form opens: 1st June 2026 08:00 CEST
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Deadline to submit a proposal: 17th August 2026 23:59 CEST
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Announcement of successful projects: 30th November 2026
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Projects must be conducted between 1st March 2027 and 1st November 2027.
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Special offer for SIOS members: Free transport between Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund
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The Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences is offering SIOS members free transport of cargo and people every year between Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund (Research/Survey Vessel HORYZONT II). This offer is subject to application, with a deadline of August, 5th 2026.
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Publications
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A new study on fungi and their role in the marine carbon cycle of Kongsfjorden has been published. It is based on fieldwork at Ny-Ålesund Research Station in 2023 and 2024, led by Professor William Orsi from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Muenchen. Congratulations!
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Recent fieldwork
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March: New borehole at the Bayelva permafrost site
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Since March 2026, researchers have gained a new insight into the deeper layers of the permafrost. A team of eleven scientists and technicians from the Alfred-Wegener-Institute drilled and cored a new borehole at the Bayelva permafrost site at Leirhaugen.
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April: Wet glaciology fieldwork
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Unusually mild weather with rain and above‑freezing temperatures created major challenges for researchers in Ny‑Ålesund on Svalbard this spring.
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May: Research Zeppelin flying over the Arctic
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As part of the LUKAS research project at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, a team led by Prof. Adam is investigating the concentration of aerosols in the Arctic atmosphere and their influence on the climate.
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June: Record number of polar bear visits to Eider nests
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This June, researchers have recorded an unusually high number of polar bear visits in Kongsfjorden, where one of Svalbard’s most important common eider breeding populations nests.
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Scientists deploy innovative plastics experiment
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Scientists from Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) hosted by NERC are examining how plastics and plant-based plastic alternatives break down in one of the planet’s most extreme environments.
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Events
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Arendalsuka 2026
The Norwegian "Arendalsuka", taking place in week 33 between the 10th and 14th of August, will host several talks and discussions considering the Arctic. Some in Norwegian, some in English:
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- "Climate Talks: Can a Photograph Do What a Policy Paper Cannot?"
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"Polhavet åpner seg – er vi klare for konsekvensene?" August 11 - 09:00–10:30h
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- "Polarforskning – en investering i samfunnsøkonomi" - August 11, 14:30 –15:30h
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NySMAC meeting in Cambridge
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The 65th NySMAC meeting will take place in Cambridge on the 6th and 7th of October this year.
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