Successful Arctic expedition establishes new instrument for monitoring climate change
University of Leicester researchers have returned from an expedition to the Arctic Circle where they have set up vital equipment to help monitor how it is being affected by climate change.
The team from the Surface Temperature Group, part of the National Centre for Earth Observation at Space Park Leicester, travelled to the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard to set up a validation station with a thermal radiometer in the northern-most town region in the world. This equipment will collect precise, on-the-spot temperature data across different surface conditions to help the scientists validate the measurements taken by orbiting satellites and to improve their performance.
PhD researcher and polar climate expert Abigail Waring joined group leader Dr Darren Ghent and validation scientist Dr Jasdeep Anand on the six-day trip. The group research the skin temperature of the Earth using satellites in space and produce climate data records. Surface temperatures help researchers to determine the Earth’s energy budget and are considered an essential climate variable which is important for understanding the Earth’s climate system.
Abigail Waring, who is studying in the School of Physics and Astronomy, said: “This trip has highlighted the value of satellite data and the need for easy access to it. Being able to monitor changes both regionally and globally by combining satellite observations with in-situ measurements on the ground is essential for understanding and responding to the rapid transformations happening in the Arctic and beyond.
“Our surface temperature team successfully set up another validation station, one of the first of its kind in the Arctic, which will greatly improve the accuracy of satellite datasets. A Heitronics infrared radiometer will measure up-welling infrared radiation, the heat emitted from the surface back to the atmosphere. At the same time, a smaller instrument called an Apogee will capture downwelling radiation from the atmosphere. Together, these give us a detailed picture of the surface energy exchange, which is crucial for validating satellite-derived surface temperatures and better understanding how heat is absorbed, stored and emitted.”
The researchers also had the chance to witness the impact of climate on the breathtaking landscape first-hand. Guided by station lead Dr Iain Rudkin, they learned that the Kongsbreen glacier receded about 800m in just six weeks and hasn’t recovered, while the Austre Brøggerbreen has been shown to have lost more ice than other glaciers in Svalbard. Summer sea ice is almost completely gone by the end of June now. Many glaciers that used to reach the sea year-round have shrunk so much from surface mass loss and frontal ablation, that they’re now considered land-terminating.
In summer 2024, Svalbard experienced record-breaking heat, with August temperatures so far above normal they exceeded historical trends, driven by unusual atmospheric patterns and exceptionally warm seas. This is not an isolated event in the Arctic, but Svalbard in particular has been experiencing rapid changes over the past few decades.
Abigail added: “For me, seeing it all in person really hit home. Even as a scientist who studies these changes every day, experiencing the Arctic first-hand made the reality of global warming feel much more urgent and real and I believe this research is incredibly important in helping show that awareness, and advance science to help scientists identify and mitigate these changes.”
Dr Darren Ghent, from the University of Leicester’s Surface Temperature Group, added: “The Arctic is warming faster than anywhere else on Earth so it is critical that we can measure these changes in temperature from space with confidence. The validation of surface temperature from satellite is key to achieving this. The data we are collecting represent the first trusted ground-based measurements of land surface temperature for any of the polar regions.”
Abigail is looking forward to returning when the instruments will need re-calibrating and swapping, but the trip was not without its dangers.Abigail said: “While the town sits in a designated polar bear ‘safe zone’, vigilance was still the name of the game. By law, no one can leave town without being accompanied by someone trained to carry a rifle, a sobering reminder that, up here, you’re never too far from the realities of Arctic life.”