Villum Research Station

NAME AND OWNER

Villum Research Station, Station Nord (Villum) consist of a garage for storage of vehicles and a tents, generators etc. for a mobile station, a Laboratory house with place to 14 scientist and facilities to carry out interdisciplinary research located at Station Nord. 2 km outside Station Nord is an air monitoring house. Total research area ca. 600 m2. The Station is owned by the Greenlandic Government but is operated by Aarhus University. The station is opened year round and can host most science disciplines.

LOCATION

Villum is located at Station Nord on Princess Ingeborgs Peninsula (area about 20 x 15 km2 lowland plain) in North Greenland at 81° 36’5.26” N, 16° 39’43.31” W. Villum is located in Greenland’s National Park which is the largest national park of the world. Villum is located at an average elevation of 30 m a.s.l. with a gentle slope to the coasts. The gravel/ice runway, which is kept open year-round is oriented approximately north–south parallel with the northwestern shoreline of the peninsula. The station is a gateway to the national park of NE Greenland and a support and refurbishment base for the Danish dog sledge patrol Sirius.

The station is located in the “bulls eye” climateThe average weather we would expect over a long period of time (seasons, years, decades). Climate varies from place-to-place across the Earth. Climate is determined by long-term (over at least... More wise as it is hear the largest temperature in arcticDefinitions of the Arctic vary according to environmental, geographical, political, cultural and scientific perspectives. Some scientists define the Arctic as areas having a high latitude, long winters, short, cool summers,... More is expected. The northeastern corner of Greenland is the major place for the outflow of sea ice from the ArcticDefinitions of the Arctic vary according to environmental, geographical, political, cultural and scientific perspectives. Some scientists define the Arctic as areas having a high latitude, long winters, short, cool summers,... More Ocean, therefore multiyear as well as seasonal sea ice is transported right at the door of the station. Furthermore, Villum is located where the largest signal of transported air pollution from Eurasia is observed that occur every winter and spring. Contrary some of the lowest level of pollution in the Northern Hemisphere is seen during summer creating a strong seasonality.

BIODIVERSITY AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

The plain is comprised of Quaternary raised marine silt, beach shingle and glacial deposits with sparse vegetation.  The Quaternary deposits are underlain by rocks of Permian age. We have noted that the active layerThe layer of ground above permafrost that is subject to annual thawing and freezing.... More is shallow and above the permafrostPermafrost is frozen ground that remains at or below zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) for two or more years. It forms in regions where the mean annual temperature is... More approximately 8-10 cm. The plain borders on the Wandel Sea to the north and west, and to Flade Isblink, a local ice cap (presently being used for ice-core studies) to the east and south.

HISTORY AND FACILITIES

Aarhus University operates the Villum Research Station in North Greenland. Villum is a substantial upgrade of the air pollution monitoring station – Station Nord. Station Nord was opened in 1952 as a Danish weather station and emergency runway, and remained open until 1972, when it was then closed and left unused, until the Danish Military acquired it in 1975. The research activities have been ongoing since the 1970’s with measurement activities intensified since 1990. The research facilities were established by the Danish National Environmental Research Institute (NERI), which is now merged with Aarhus University. From 2013 and onwards, the research facilities are being substantially upgraded, thanks to a major grant from the Villum Foundation and is now named Villum Research Station. Due to the long term activities, we have some of the longest time series.

GENERAL RESEARCH AND DATABASES

A database will be established for the storage of all kind of scientific data. At present only atmospheric data are stored in AU database. Meteorological and atmospheric chemical data are sent to EMEP, AMAPArctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme. One of the working groups of the Arctic Council. Established in 1991. AMAP is responsible for measuring the levels of pollutants in the Arctic, and... More and in future also to WMO-GAW. Describe main research fields at the station and existing databases. A list of current parameters measured can be found on envs.au.dk/en/research/facilities/villumresearchstation/.

HUMAN DIMENSION

Station Nord is operated by the Danish military and is manned year round by six soldiers. The nearest community is more than 800 km away.

ACCESS

Traditionally transport has been with the Danish Air Force on the space available principle but from 2015 and onwards we will have direct flight regularly from Svalbard.