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SfM technique used: a) the location of individual film frames to the landform against the background of the point cloud, b) scaled point cloud of the kettle hole with land cover, c) a digital terrain model in 3D view, resolution 0.1 m × 0.1 m, vertical exaggeration 1.5, kettle hole diameter 12 m; author: J. Szafraniec

Examples of a kettle holes on Skeiðarársandur with different age and varying degrees of vegetation coverage (Photo: J. Szafraniec)

As part of the individual scientific activity of Dr Joanna E. Szafraniec and thanks to the support of the Center for Polar Studies, a research trip to Iceland took place at the end of June 2021, to the forefield of the Skeiðarárjökull glacier. The expedition aimed to set up a network of measuring points located in kettle holes. The local outwash plain is dotted with these landforms. They were formed after catastrophic glacial floods (jökulhlaup).

The results of the observations will be used to calculate the sedimentation rate and the role of plant succession in this process. Moreover, the research results will be used in the analysis of similar forms occurring in the Polish Lowlands. The established morphometric relations and the calculated sedimentation rate will allow us to determine the Polish landforms’ age and to present the scenario of Poland’s deglaciation at the end of the Pleistocene, i.e. under conditions of significant climate changes. The photogrammetric Structure from Motion (SfM) technique was also tested during the field studies to obtain a high-resolution digital elevation model of the tested landforms.

Filming permission courtesy of Vatnajökull National Park.

International Environmental Doctoral School associated with the Centre for Polar Studies at the University of Silesia in Katowice (IEDS) announces a call for candidates. Registration of candidates in the IRK system is available to 18 August 2021!
The IEDS educates young scientific staff at the highest standards in cooperation with the renowned scientific and academic centres.
The IEDS is a joint unit of the University of Silesia in Katowice and Institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences: the Institute of Geophysics, the Institute of Mathematics and the Institute of Oceanology.
The doctoral studies are carried out in three academic disciplines: Mathematics, Earth & related Environmental Sciences, and Materials Engineering.

For details on the IEDS and the admission process, please visit: https://www.mssd.us.edu.pl/en

We also invite you to the IEDS webinar on IEDS, PhD programme and application process. Registration is required, available on the website: https://www.mssd.us.edu.pl/en/ieds_webinar/ (Jul 7, 2021, 3 PM UTC+2)

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Have a glimpse at Doctoral School: https://youtu.be/iXeEPkPgYvs

On January 11, 2021, during the virtual event: Polar Night Week https://sios-svalbard.org/PolarNightWeek the promotion of the third State of Environmental Science in Svalbard (SESS) report took place.

SESS reports summarize the current state of knowledge on the Arctic environment’s key parameters and their interdependence. They are an essential source of information on the state of the natural environment of Svalbard, also serving as a platform of knowledge available to the entire community, necessary for the sustainable development and protection of the Arctic environment.

International and multidisciplinary teams work on the reports, chaired by scientists from SIOS (Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System) member institutions. The third report’s preparation has also been attended by the University of Silesia in Katowice employees –Elżbieta Łepkowska from the Centre for Polar Studies and Michał Laska from the Institute of Earth Sciences.

Elżbieta Łepkowska is the co-author of the article entitled “From land to fjords: The review of Svalbard hydrology from 1970 to 2019 (SvalHydro)”, about the evolution of Svalbard hydrology in connection with recent climate change.

The article entitled “Scientific Applications of Unmanned Vehicles in Svalbard (UAV Svalbard)”, co-authored by Michał Laska, focuses on the examples of the use of unmanned vehicles (aerial, land and underwater) for detailed research of the natural environment of this part of the Arctic.

The above and other articles of this report can be found here: https://sios-svalbard.org/SESS_Issue3

University of Silesia in Katowice and Centre for Polar Studies would like to cordially invite to the public PhD defense of:
M.Sc. Krzysztof Senderak – PhD candidate of the Interdisciplinary Polar Studies.
PhD dissertation, entitled: “Structure and evolution of talus slopes on southern Spitsbergen”.

The defense will take place on 18th December 2020, at 8:00, in the confrence room (without audience),
More details: http://bip.us.edu.pl/mgr-krzysztof-senderak15

on-line access (Firefox or Chrome):
https://jitsi.iopan.pl/Obrona_doktoratu_202010137T1000_Magdalena_Krajewska

Supervisors: prof. dr hab. inż. Grażyna Kowalewska – Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot
dr hab. inż. Małgorzata Szymczak-Żyła – Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot

Join IEDS Webinar for a chat about PhD projects, IEDS education programme and application process! Registration is required, available at the website: https://www.mssd.us.edu.pl/en/ieds_webinar/ (Aug, 13, 2020, 2 PM UTC+2)

For details on the IEDS – International Environmental Doctoral School please visit: https://www.mssd.us.edu.pl/en

We kindly ask you to read offer and invite you to apply to the International Environmental Doctoral School associated with the Centre for Polar Studies at the University of Silesia in Katowice (IEDS) . Registration of candidates in the IRK system is available to 27 August 2020!
The IEDS educates young scientific staff at the highest standards in cooperation with the renowned scientific and academic centres.
The IEDS is a joint unit of the University of Silesia and Institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences: the Institute of Geophysics, the Institute of Mathematics and the Institute of Oceanology.

The doctoral studies are carried out in three academic disciplines: Mathematics, Earth & related Environmental Sciences, and Materials Engineering.
For details on the IEDS and the admission process please visit: https://www.mssd.us.edu.pl/en

The ongoing pandemic has limited research activities in Svalbard, including the possibility of organizing the fieldwork campaign 2020 as part of the project „Hindcasting and projections of hydro-climatic conditions of Southern Spitsbergen” (RiS 11198) in the Werenskiold Glacier area (Wedel Jarlsberg Land, Spitsbergen).

The SIOS Logistics Sharing Notice Board platform proved to be a helpful solution! more about this form of cooperation -> https://sios-svalbard.org/logistic-notice-board and about fruitful fieldwork: https://sios-svalbard.org/News_20200703

as well as in the short movie:

Many thanks to
SIOS  – Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System and UNIS – the University Centre in Svalbard
for excellent contribution and logistic & financial support!