Overview of the field, in front of the Zeppelin mountain. Photo: Hjalti Þór Hreinsson.The primary PAGE21 site in Svalbard is consisting of two separate fieldsites (Ny Ålesund and Adventdalen), which together provide a complete coverage of the environmental gradient from very maritime to less maritime conditions and the necessary PAGE21 field measurements. 

On 26 March 2012 a large PAGE21 permafrost drilling campaign was conducted in Adventdalen, led by the University Centre in Svalbard: "During 10 days we aim to collect between 60 and 100 metres of permafrost cores from ice-wedge polygons, pingos and solifluction sheets in Adventdalen.

 

In Svalbard, we have so far only been able to obtain hand drilled permafrost cores down typically 2 metres into the permafrost top. However, with the combination of funding from PAGE21 and from a collaboration project with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, called SVALASKA, we have been able to buy a specially designed hydraulic drill rig, which is able to collect cores from the permafrost in both sediments and bedrock down to potentially 50 metres depth.", says Hanne Christiansen, Professor in physical geography and leader at the project partner UNIS for the PAGE21 project.

PAGE21 summer expedition to Svalbard took place in April – May 2013. Story of the research expedition is available here in English.