The Arctic is warming at a much faster rate than the rest of the planet, leading to an unprecedented rate in environmental change in the region. The rising temperatures and rapid decline in sea ice are expected to result in an intensified water cycle throughout the 21st century.
For example, Arctic precipitation is estimated to increase by up to 60 % by 2100. At the same time, there is recent observational evidence that Arctic precipitation will transition from a snowfall-dominated to a more rainfall-dominated regime. Any increase in rainfall-dominated precipitation could have pronounced impacts on the Arctic sea ice, Greenland ice sheet, global sea level, and the Arctic flora and fauna.
However, observations of Arctic precipitation are often limited to single observation sites that are sparsely distributed, and often modelling is needed to track changes over a larger area. This is especially true for the Central Arctic, as satellite observations of precipitation are limited to latitudes below 82°N, leaving scientists with a blind spot.
Therefore, the Polhavet EBT2026 research cruise with the RV Kronprins Haakon in Summer 2026 provides an excellent opportunity to shed light on precipitation formation at high latitudes all the way to the North Pole.
How you can crack the puzzle of the current state of Arctic clouds and precipitation
Within this project you will use measurements with our Skypallet (ceilometer and micro-rain radar), which are complemented by precipitation measurements and routine radiosonde profiles to investigate how variable the amount of liquid and ice in the clouds is. Ultimately, you will explore any relationships between the cloud phase and precipitation type and amount in the Central Arctic, thus filling an essential gap in our understanding of the Arctic climate.
What you bring:
- Basic programming skills
- High motivation and fun with clouds
What you get:
- Hands-on experience with real atmospheric observations
- Potentially go on 2027 cruise
- Skills in big data analysis, visualization and advanced computing
- Become a cloud expert
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