Research focus

In the Cryosphere Research Group, we study sea ice and land ice using Earth observation, with a core focus on satellite altimetry. Our work combines remote sensing with the development and application of advanced techniques such as machine learning and deep learning to monitor and understand ice dynamics. We produce datasets of Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) over ice-covered regions, supporting climate research and long-term monitoring. Field campaigns are an integral part of our work, providing reference data for validating satellite (altimetry) measurements.

Research Areas

Sea ice

We study sea ice topography using satellite altimetry and contribute to Fiducial Reference Measurements (FRM) for sea ice. Our research includes developing machine learning methods to improve ice charting, utilising multi-scale and multi-frequency altimetry to estimate various aspects of the sea ice cover, and enhancing sea ice and iceberg monitoring from space.

Research Areas

Land ice

Our land ice research focuses on surface elevation change, mass balance, melt processes, and subglacial lakes—primarily over Greenland. We use satellite altimetry to track changes in the cryosphere and improve our understanding of ice sheet dynamics, and combine these observations with SAR imagery and optical data to investigate small-scale processes.

Research Areas

Field observations

We conduct field campaigns and participate in the European Space Agency (ESA) airborne calibration and validation (cal/val) campaigns to validate satellite altimetry data. These observations provide critical reference measurements used to improve satellite data accuracy and refine remote sensing methods.