Monitoring at Ny-Ålesund Research Station

A significant number of institutions are engaged in environmental monitoring in Ny-Ålesund. These activities provids essential data for various national and international monitoring programs, but they have not been set into system locally in Ny-Ålesund. The Research Strategy for Ny-Ålesund Research Station points to the potential to develop an integrated monitoring program for Ny-Ålesund with focus on data accessibility and the use of collected data in research. The Ny-Ålesund Science Managers Committee (NySMAC) also recognized this potential, and points in their strategy plan that NySMAC shall contribute to the joint development of the Ny-Ålesund monitoring programme as a cooperation between institutions with monitoring activities in Ny-Ålesund.

As responsible for implementing the Research Strategy for Ny-Ålesund Research Station, the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) has since 2023 initiating work leading towards establishing such a program. The focus has till now been to highlight ongoing monitoring activities in Ny-Ålesund and enhance the availability of shared data among participating institutions.

Collecting information in a GIS-system: Ny-Ålesund Research Objects

The research community in Ny-Ålesund keep an open overview of the various measurements and activities in Ny-Ålesund within a dedicated layer in the online interactive themed atlas of Svalbard, known as Svalbardkartet. This layer “Research Ny-Ålesund” provides an overview of research objects—instruments, installations, and study sites— in Ny-Ålesund. The information in the layer is collected from the various NySMAC institutions.

The metadata for each object include information on observed variable and where data is available. The observed variable is based on GCMD (Global Change Master Directorys) keywords, ensuring consistency and alignment with international standards for categorizing research activities.

While the information in the GIS system offers accessible information about objects, and hence activities in Ny-Ålesund, it does not include information that distinguish between what is monitoring activities and what is short term project activities.

What is monitoring?

The NySMAC members have been asked to identify which of the research objects and observed variables that are considered to be part of their institutional monitroing activities in Ny-Ålesund. To help with the assessment, NySMAC have agreed on a set of three key criteria to determine what qualifies as monitoring:

1. Time Series Length
   Monitoring typically involves time series extending beyond five years. However, exceptions may be made for shorter time series if the data is deemed particularly significant. Institutions should also express their commitment to maintaining these measurements over time.
2. Quality and Standards
   The data must adhere to high-quality standards, follow consistent methodologies, and ideally be internationally comparable. A clear protocol for data collection is essential to ensure reliability.
3. Open Access
   Data should be openly accessible in common formats, with timely availability to facilitate its use by the broader research community.

The Ny-Ålesund monitoring activites overview

A report with overview of monitoring activitie in Ny-Ålesund has now been created. This overview combine the basic information from the Ny-Ålesund GIS system, on which earth system observed variable is collected, from where, since when, owned by who, with the information if this is monitoring and if it contributes to international programs or network. The complete report can be downloaded from this page.

Report: Overview of monitoring in Ny-Ålesund Research Station

In summary, the report provides an overview of the totalt number of observed variables, and which of those who where considered to be part of a long term monitoring.

OBSERVED VARIABLES = OV

• ATMOSPHERE: 322 OV (243 OV PART OF MONITORING)
• BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION: 12 OV (6 OV PART OF MONITORING)
• BIOSPHERE: 174 OV (133 OV PART OF MONITORING)
• CLIMATE INDICATORS: 43 OV (40 OV PART OF MONITORING)
• CRYOSPHERE: 153 OV (137 OV PART OF MONITORING)
• LAND SURFACE: 43 OV (24 OV PART OF MONITORING)
• OCEANS: 134 OV (127 OV PART OF MONITORING)
• SOLID EARTH: 32 OV (30 OV PART OF MONITORING)
• SPECTRAL/ENGINEERING: 36 OV (3 OV PART OF MONITORING)
• SUN-EARTH INERACTIONS: 9 OV (7 OV PART OF MONITORING)
• TERRESTERIAL HYDROSPHERE: 17 OV (10 OV PART OF MONITORING)

The next step will be to develop an online digital version, but for now, the PDF report contains all the essential information needed to navigate the extensive overview of monitoring activities in Ny-Ålesund.