UNIS /News

News

KHO – at the centre of global auroral research

Professor Dehong Huang from the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) has a long and unique connection to Svalbard, and the UNIS owned Kjell Henriksen Observatory (KHO). PRIC began collecting data in Ny-Ålesund in 2003, and since opening its station in 2004, it has conducted continuous observations in the high Arctic.

Did you know that aurora is not just green, red and blue? It can also be white!

Have the white auroral “GHOSTs” always been there – and why haven’t we seen them before? Traces exist in older data, but past instruments and methods overlooked them. Traditional auroral studies focused on narrow wavelengths, while GHOSTs appear as a broadband glow that can look white, gray, or faintly colored. Only now, with the right combination of instruments, can we confirm them as true GHOST aurora.

Check out the Weather in Svea!

Svea has a new weather station

SolarMaX: Astronauts Team Up with UNIS Space Physicists and Citizen Scientists

Fram2 will be the first human space mission to travel around the Earth’s polar regions. Named after the historical ship Fram, which went on groundbreaking expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica, this mission will pioneer to be the first ever human space mission in polar orbit. Onboard Fram2 are four commercial astronauts, Chun Wang of Malta, Jannicke Mikkelsen of Norway, Rabea Rogge of Germany and Eric Philips of Australia.

Taught by the glaciers

Twilight effect from a rocket?

Watch the video here

CanSats, Drones, and Spectacular Views

Lisa Baddeley is a professor in Space physics – radar applications at UNIS, and for many years, she led the field work AGF-223 at Breinosa. Now, she wants to say hello to her colleagues taking over the lecturing, and I and Walter, the dog, are lucky to tag along.

Scientists and local community explore new mystery aurora together

In a new project supported by the Research Council of Norway, aurora scientists and enthusiasts come together to join forces.

Apply for spring courses 2024

The deadline for spring semester courses is approaching. For 30 years we have been educating the next Arctic experts. Are you one of them? Apply by October 15, 2023.

Arctic technology joins a new project for renewable energy

Last week, Anna Sjöblom and the Arctic Technology department hosted two days kick-off meeting for the new ZEESA project, funded for four years by the Research Council of Norway and industrial partners such as Store Norske and Statkraft.

Apply for autumn courses 2023

Apply now for UNIS autumn semester courses! The application deadline is 15 April 2023.

The ColdCast – podcast launch

UNIS is launching the northernmost podcast in the world, The ColdCast. Get familiar with the science and research that goes on in the Arctic.

Extended application deadline for spring courses

Would you like to study in Svalbard in the spring? We have extended application deadline for some courses in Arctic Geophysicsand Arctic Geology. Apply now – first come, first serve!

Prestigious award to Arctic permafrost project led by UNIS

On October 14, Marius Jonassen and Hanne H. Christiansen from UNIS became the second recipients of the Frederik Paulsen Arctic Academic Action Award (FP Award). The award is both a high-level recognition and a 100,000-euro grant given to a project that transforms knowledge into action to help address the impacts of climate change in the Arctic.

The ocean’s role in a warming Arctic 

When meteorologists report fine weather on Svalbard, it is the air temperature that is being talked about. But when it comes to global warming, ocean temperature is the big joker.

Extended application deadline for spring courses

Would you like to study in Svalbard in the spring? We have extended application deadline for some courses. Apply now – first come, first serve!

NASA Rocket to Measure Earth’s Life-Supporting Secret: A Weak Electric Field

Why does Earth support life, while Venus and Mars – and for all we know, any other planet in the universe – do not?

Student blogs – study in Svalbard

From August to December 2018, Daan van den Broek studied geophysics at UNIS. He's written three blogs where he explains how he went about applying for a semester at UNIS, and how it all went down.

Jump straight into it – a year at UNIS

Apply for autumn courses 2022

Night at the Observatory

New FRAM initiative: Research in the Arctic, for those who live there

The Fram Centre has launched five new research programs with a total budget of 250 million NOK over five years. UNIS is involved in three of the new research programs.

New UNIS weather station at Fritham

Apply for spring courses 2022

Successful summer course

Have you checked Yr.no?

It is one of the most common phrases in the Norwegian language, nevertheless, also a common source of frustration. Because who has not looked at a promising weather forecast, and made big plans for a visit to the beach, a summer party, or an outdoor gathering? Then only to wake up the next morning to overcast, rain in the air and cancelled plans?

Super local weather forecast in Longyearbyen

Pulsating aurora can lead to depletion of the ozone layer

UNIS Annual Report 2020

Pulsating aurora: A possible threat to ozone

Apply for autumn courses 2021

A Space Hurricane Observed for the First Time

The perfect front

Women in Science: Investigating the Barents Sea

Winter darkness: Revealing the secrets of the sea

Where is the sea ice?

Summer courses 2021 open for application

Fast Flow Channels in the Polar Cap Ionosphere

Svalbard’s special northern lights

Permafrost climate change observation system with local and Arctic importance

Tides and weather affect transport of warm water to the Arctic

Warm Atlantic water wants in, but is prevented from entering Isfjorden

Apply for spring courses 2021

Improving weather forecasts in the Arctic

2020 – A good sea ice year in Svalbard?

World Oceans Day: The Nansen Legacy

UNIS Annual Report 2019

Changing low pressure tracks in the high Arctic in winter

Apply for autumn courses 2020

Summer/autumn courses 2020 open for application

Ice in sight!

We measure the temperature of Isfjorden