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Arctic Snow School

April 1 to 8, 2023 – Canadian High-Arctic Research Station (CHARS), Iqaluktuuttiaq (Cambridge Bay), Nunavut, Canada

 

Snow plays a critical role in Arctic and worldwide climates. However, Arctic snow cover challenges most sophisticated models, as those were initially developed to describe snow in temperate and alpine regions. Formation, accumulation, and metamorphism processes of Arctic snow are specific to polar regions and our knowledge on spatial and temporal variability of those processes is limited by a lack of data. This limits our empirical understanding of the physical processes governing the evolution of Arctic snowpacks and the surface energy balance of polar regions.

Hosted at the Canadian High Arctic Research Station in Iqaluktuuttiaq (Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada), this field school aims to provide an advanced hands-on training to improve each participant's knowledge of dynamic and thermodynamic processes controlling snow cover and their relation to climate using state-of-the-art instruments and models. Exchange and roundtable discussions with Inuit community members will allow students to acknowledge the richness of traditional knowledge while acquiring a better understanding of the Inuit perspective on snow and how northern communities are confronted to issues arising from climate variability and change.

This school is a joint initiative of the Sentinel North program at Université Laval and the GRIMP laboratory at Université de Sherbrooke.

 

The importance of arctic snow

To better understand the importance of snow to the way of life of Canadian Arctic communities, a workshop held during the School identified the main snow-related concerns of members from these regions. The results were illustrated by artist Élise Imbeau.

importance de la neige arctique sentinelle nord GRIMP


Photos and testimonials

Click to enlarge

école doctorale sur la neige arctique sentinelle nord

école doctorale sur la neige arctique sentinelle nord

école doctorale sur la neige arctique sentinelle nord

école doctorale sur la neige arctique sentinelle nord

école doctorale sur la neige arctique sentinelle nord

école doctorale sur la neige arctique sentinelle nord

école doctorale sur la neige arctique sentinelle nord

école doctorale sur la neige arctique sentinelle nord

école doctorale sur la neige arctique sentinelle nord

école doctorale sur la neige arctique sentinelle nord

Crédits photo : Marie-Audrey Spain Tassitano
 

I was able to learn about rain-on-snow events in the Arctic and how they differ from those of my doctoral project. On a personal standpoint, I was made aware of the issues and customs of the Inuit people on a level that would never have been possible without visiting the Arctic. I'm grateful to have been able to take part in this training and to have had the opportunity to explore an extreme environment, whose scientific challenges will be important to overcome.

Alexis Bédard-Therrien, Ph.D. in Water Engineering,
Université Laval


This project definitely made me a more well-rounded scientist, as I gained more knowledge about snow, the interactions between snow and the environment, and the Arctic in general. It also made me more culturally aware. I got taught how to ethically work together with indigenous people when it comes to science and I got a feeling of working in these extreme conditions.

Daan van den Broek, Master's in Atmospheric Sciences,
University of Helsinki


It was great to meet and work with many new people. I hope to cross paths with them again sometime soon.

Ian McDonald, Environmental Technology Program,
Nunavut Arctic College


My experience was very impactful. I met many wonderful people with whom I share common interests, and we got to bond over our shared research goals and love for the outdoors. I feel very grateful that the community members were willing to share their knowledge and stories with us, and I'll keep what I learned in the front of my mind during my future research in Northern communities.

Katherine Robinson, Master's in Earth Sciences,
Simon Fraser University


  • Program

    The school favors a multifaceted approach that includes lectures, discussions, and a strong hands-on component supervised by experts from various disciplines. The program will cover five main topics:

    1. Snow physics (basics on snowpack formation, physical properties of Arctic snow and measurement methods)
    2. Climate interactions (snow texture and roughness, albedo, etc.)
    3. Landscape processes (impact of shrubification on snow structure and ground thermal regime, snow redistribution and mass balance)
    4. Remote sensing (microwave and optical sensors, UAVs and new technologies)
    5. Indigenous knowledge (snow from an Inuit perspective)

    It is expected that every participant completes all preparatory readings prior to attend the school.

     

    Fieldwork operations

    A considerable portion of the school will be dedicated to fieldwork. Here is a preliminary list of scientific operations that the participants will experience:

    • Snow pit observations: impact of vegetation and topography
    • Measurement of snow physical variables: albedo, thermal conductivity, density, specific surface area, hardness, etc.
    • Demonstration of state-of-the-art instrumentation in snow measurement, including drones, sensors, etc.
    • Discussion and observation of snow in the field with Inuit community members

     

    Participants will also team-up to conduct one small field project investigating snow physical variables with various sensors of their choice.

    In addition to the scientific training program, the school will promote knowledge transfer through activities within the community of Cambridge Bay.

  • List of experts

    Neige Calonne, research scientist at the National Centre for Meteorological Research (CNRM), Snow Research Center (CEN), Grenoble, France

    Marie Dumont, head of Snow Research Center (CEN) and research scientist at the National Centre for Meteorological Research (CNRM), Grenoble, France

    Florent Domine, Takuvik Joint International Research Unit, CNRS/ Université Laval, Canada

    Cheryl Ann Johnson, researcher in wildlife ecology, National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada

    Alexandre Langlois, professor, department of Applied Geomatics, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada

    Alexandre R. Roy, professor, department of Environmental Sciences, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada

    Scott Williamson, PhD., research scientist, Ecosystem and Cryosphere Research, Polar Knowledge Canada, Canadian High Arctic Research Station 

     

    Scientific support staff

    Caroline Dolant, postdoctoral fellow, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada

    Marie-France Gévry, Sentinel North program manager, Université Laval, Canada

    Dan Kramer, postdoctoral fellow, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada

    Josée-Anne Langlois, PhD candidate, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada

    Mathilde Poirier, PhD candidate, Centre d’Études Nordiques & Takuvik Joint International Research Unit, CNRS/Université Laval

  • Participants

    • Alexis Bédard-Therrien, Ph.D. student in Water Engineering, Université Laval
    • Érika Boisvert-Vigneault, Master's student in Applied Geomatics and Remote Sensing, Université de Sherbrooke
    • Léna Bureau, PhD student, McGill University
    • Rose-Marie Cardinal, Master's student in Geography, Université Laval
    • Hannah Chapman-Dutton, Master's student in Geosciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks
    • Alex Gélinas, Ph.D. student in Environmental Sciences, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
    • Élise Groulx-Maurer, Master's student in Applied Geomatics and Remote Sensing, Université de Sherbrooke
    • Franziska Hasenburg, Master's student in Physics, University of Innsbruck
    • Kendal Kuodluak, Student, Nunavut Arctic College
    • Kristofer Mäkinen, Master's student in Geoinformatics, Aalto University
    • Ian McDonald, Student, Nunavut Arctic College
    • Louis-Charles Michaud, Ph.D. student in Physics, Université Laval
    • Carmen Nab, Ph.D. student in Polar Climate Modeling, University College London
    • Juliette Ortet, Ph.D. student in Sciences of the Universe, Environment and Space, Université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier
    • Dmitry Pershin, Ph.D. student in Water Engineering, Université Laval
    • Alicia Pouw, Ph.D. student in Geography, Wilfrid Laurier University
    • Bastian Raulier, Master's student in Biophotonics, Université Laval
    • Ben Redmond Roche, Ph.D. student in Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London
    • Katherine Robinson, Master's student in Earth Science, Université Laval
    • Benjamin Sullender, Ph.D. student in Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington
    • Sharlyne Umphrey, student, Nunavut Arctic College
    • Daan van den Broek, Master's student in Atmospheric Science, University of Helsinki
    • Annelise Waling, Master's student in Hydrology, University of New Hampshire

Partners

 

université de sherbrook sentinelle nord

uqtr sentinelle nord logo

Sentinel North - Centre d'études nordiques CEN Logo
umi takuvik sentinelle nord

CNRM sentinelle nord

gouvernement du canada logo sentinelle nord


 

For further information, please contact:

formation@sn.ulaval.ca

 

École doctorale internationale sur la neige arctique sentinelle nord