Exploring ice caves is fun and mostly safe, but some places can be dangerous. On Monday March 9, professor in glaciology Doug Benn will talk about possible dangers in ice caves and how to recognize them.

Text: Eva Therese Jenssen

Around Longyearbyen there are a few glaciers where ice caves have formed and that people can go exploring. The most popular ones are the ice caves in Longyearbreen and in Scott Turner breen.

However, last week professor Benn discovered cracks in the walls of the Scott Turner ice cave and subsequently parts of the cave have been closed off to visitors due to safety concerns.

Due to this incident, professor Benn will give an introduction to how to recognize danger signs when you are exploring ice caves.

Illustrated with pictures of ice caves in Svalbard and the Himalayas, this lecture will discuss how ice caves form and change through time. Professor Benn will explain how walls can sometimes become unstable and collapse, and why deep water can sometimes be hidden beneath thin skins of ice on the cave floor. These dangers are not random, but can be predicted if you know which signs to look for.

So come along and find out more about ice caves, so you can enjoy their wonders in greater safety.

The lecture is free and open to all. The lecture will be in English.

Time: Monday March 9 at 19:00
Place: Møysalen, UNIS

Professor Doug Benn will give a talk on ice cave safety on Monday. (Photo: Jason Gulley). .