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Department of Geography

Researching in the Wild

The Faculty of Science operates research stations in far-flung places all over the world. Some of them are featured in the current UZH Magazine, including the one in southern Greenland, where GIUZ researchers are investigating the interaction between glaciers and fjords.

Researching in the Wild

Crumbling glaciers - GreenFjord project

Weathering the harsh conditions of Southern Greenland, UZH glaciologist Andreas Vieli and his team conduct their research on the Eqalorutsit Kangillit Sermiat glacier. The glacier flows into a fjord, with chunks of ice, or growlers, of various shapes and sizes constantly breaking off and dropping into the open water, where they draft off as sheets of ice or icebergs in a process known as “calving”. Using sophisticated measuring equipment, including a fiber-optic cable spanning eight kilometers along the front of the glacier that can record acoustic vibrations, the researchers are investigating the interplay between the glacier and the fjord, and how climate change is affecting it. The research conducted by Andreas Vieli and his team is part of the interdisciplinary GreenFjord project of the Swiss Polar Institute, which aims to analyze the influence of climate change on the ecosystem in Greenland’s fjords. The project brings together multiple Swiss research institutions and international partners.

Researching in the Wild
UZH News, 04.03.2024