Month: April 2026

Prof. Aftab Khan and Dr. Syed Najam Hassan from Karakoram International University in Gilgit, Pakistan, are visiting our institute end of April 2026. The visit is embedded in the Erasmus program.

We cordially invite you to join their guest lectures, taking place at our institute on Thursday, 30. April 2026, at 15:00:

Monitoring Glacier Debris Displacement using Tracking Techniques

Mountainous Glacier Feature Extraction using Multi Mission and Multispectral Satellite Images with Application of InSAR for Glacier Monitoring

To receive a zoom invitation to the lecture, please send an email to franziska.temme@fau.de

This was our third consecutive winter expedition to investigate temporal and spatial changes in the firn pack within the accumulation area of the Aletsch Glacier. We combined Ground‑Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys with three shallow firn cores to directly compare geophysical and glaciological observations. The resulting multi‑year dataset is unique for a European glacier, providing repeat radar measurements complemented by firn‑core analyses.

This year, we were joined by the Geophysics Research Group from the University of Tübingen, Prof. Reinhard Drews and Johannes Noll, whose experience with radar systems in Antarctica and Greenland was invaluable. Together, we collected Autonomous Phase‑Sensitive Radar (ApRES) data and tested the FMCW digital radar. We also deployed an ApRES system for continuous firn‑pack monitoring at the Ewigschneefeld.

The campaign was led by Akash Patil (M3OCCA PhD), together with Dr. Christoph Mayer and Dr. Astrid Lambrecht (BAdW Munich) and Dr. Thorsten Seehaus (Institute of Geography, FAU Erlangen). We gratefully acknowledge the support of HSFJG—especially Claudine Frieden, custodians Daniela Blissing, Erich Furrer, Sonja Stoeckli, Thomas Furter, and the Jungfraubahn team for ensuring smooth field operations.

Exciting times ahead for collaborative science.

Text & photos by Akash Patil.

I recently completed a three‑week research stay at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), which was an exceptional opportunity to broaden my scientific perspective. Working closely with Dr. Carlos Martin—both a geophysicist and modeller—was particularly enriching, offering valuable insights into approaching firn processes from a modelling standpoint.

BAS is an inspiring environment for any early‑career scientist, bringing together expertise across modelling, geophysics, ice cores, and climate research. I am especially grateful to Dr. Thomas Bauska and Dr. Robert Arthern for their guidance on firn‑densification modelling, and to Dr. Keith Nichols and Dr. Emma Peirce for their constructive feedback and discussions that helped refine my understanding of firn physical properties. I also appreciated the stimulating conversations with Dr. Dorothea Moser and Dr. Dieter Tetzner on ice‑core and isotope analysis.

During my stay, I presented my work on “Alpine glacier firn density investigations using geophysical methods” at the Ice Sheet Dynamics and Paleoclimate Group Seminar, organised by Dr. Thomas Bauska. Engaging with the BAS community and receiving their feedback was both motivating and scientifically rewarding.

I look forward to continuing these collaborations in the future.

by Akash Patil