Ny-Ålesund Flagships

The combination of extensive research infrastructure, a northern location, a coastal setting, a heterogenous landscape, and relatively easy access makes Ny-Ålesund a unique location for high Arctic research and for building and maintaining long time-series.

The research and monitoring activity in Ny-Ålesund is organized in four broad and dynamic flagship programmes, with extensive cross-disciplinary and cross-flagship collaboration. The flagship programmes have regular meetings and are open to all scientists who are either actively engaged in studies in the area, or who wish to develop new insights based on monitoring and research in the area. Furthermore, the flagship programmes are arenas for contact, coordination and cooperation in science, and they are key arenas for discussions of research priorities and research infrastructure development.

For additional information about the four flagships, please follow the links below.

Atmosphere

Glaciology

Kongsfjorden system

Terrestrial ecosystems

Cross-cutting flagship activities

To understand changes in one ecosystem or sphere one cannot exclude to study the relationship with the other spheres. This is valid in particular in Arctic regions where the changes, as well as effects of changes, are so drastic. The flagships have identified the nutrient cycle to be a critical link between the atmosphere, biosphere and cryosphere, and this theme was chosen as the first theme to increase the multidisciplinary research and cross-flagship activities in Ny-Ålesund.

Resources, tools and infrastructure

One of the unique qualities of Ny-Ålesund Research Station is the access that all actors have to common resources, common tools and common infrastructure – ranging from the possibility to use laboratories, via access to detailed information on where instruments and research projects are located in the Ny-Ålesund area, to the utilisation of data that contribute to international programmes and networks.