UK ARCTIC RESEARCH STATION 2015

SNOW.WAKE: Impact of Snow Coverage and Snow Melt on Development of Soil and Ice Communities. RiS Birgit Sattler, University of Innsbruk 4 – 18 May 2015 Definition and quantification of atmospheric deposition such as microbes and inorganic material on the snow cover – installation of air samplers to collect airborne organisms Mider Lovenbreen Forefield

Remote sensing space weather events: the AARDDVARK network. RiS 5977 Dr Mark Clilverd Dr Peter Kirsh (British Antarctic Survey) 4 – 11 May 2015 The Antarctic-Arctic Radiation-belt ( Dynamic) Deposition-VLF Atmospheric Research Konsortium (AARDDVARK) provides a network of continuous long-range observations of the lower ionosphere in polar regions

Frozen Oceans Live RiS Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop, Digital Explorer 4 – 15 May 2015 Engage school students in the Arctic environment and Arctic science Conduct live video Skype lessons, in partnership with Skype in the classroom with 50+ schools around the world Create a real-time live expedition experience through a series of social media updates, blog posts, science expedition videos and supporting photography

Arctic mycothalli and sampling of REMUS experiment. RiS 6921 Dr Kevin Newsham, British Antarctic Survey 22 July – 7 July 2015 The primary objective of the fieldwork in is to sample liverworts from a range of locations in Kings Bay. The secondary objective is to visit the REMUS experiment at Kvadehuken, to which water will be applied, and from which soils will be sampled.

Fertilisation and carbon sequestration on tundra heath RiS ID 6598 Nora Mielke 27 – 31 August 2015 This project will investigate the impacts of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisation on carbon storage and nitrogen fixation in tundra heath by revisiting a long term experiment established at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, in 1991

REMUS: responses of microbes in upper soil horizons to environmental manipulations. RiS 6921 Dr Kevin Newsham, British Antarctic Survey 31 August – 10 September 2015 The main objective of the fieldwork in September 2015 is to take soil samples from an existing field experiment, to examine microbial responses in Arctic soil to environmental manipulations (elevated temperature, substrates and water availability).

NERC Advanced Training: Short Courses. Dr Alistair Crame, British Antarctic Survey, This course is designed to train a group of 16 postgraduate students in all aspects of the planning and execution of an Arctic field season. It is split into two component parts: three days of interactive course and practical work based at the new NERC Aurora Innovation Centre (AIC)*, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, followed by three days practical work on the Svalbard archipelago (78°N, 12°E) In order to make continued progress in the study of Arctic global change it is essential that we train next-generation scientists in a variety of key polar fieldwork skills.

The course is timed to make maximum use of the field and laboratory facilities at Ny Alesund towards the end of the Arctic summer season, The first transfer of eight students and staff to Svalbard will commence on Saturday 29 August, and the second on Tuesday 1 September; cross-over between the two groups will occur in Lonyearben on 3 September. Ny Alesund field programme. On both legs of the trip we are planning for one day at UNIS, Longyearben and two at Ny Alesund. The field programme at the latter will be split into two interchangeable parts:

Part 1, led by Dr A. Smith, will concentrate on atmospheric, geophysical and glaciological techniques at Midleovenbreen. Equipment and procedures to be demonstrated in the field will include GPS, field radar, magnetometer, power systems and grid surveys. Part 2 will be led by Prof P. Convey and demonstrate ecological survey techniques at a fjell field site. Small boat survey work will also be included in this day. The fieldwork will be led by Nick Cox, Station Manager, and a fully trained BAS field assistant.