Impacts of high latitude dust on the arctic cryosphere: a focus on svalbard

This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Polar Programs (CFDA 47.078) will support research on the impacts of dust deposition on the Arctic cryosphere, with a focus on the Svalbard region. The $417,518 grant, awarded on March 15, 2025, aims to determine the spatial and temporal variability of dust deposition onto Svalbard glaciers, identify dust sources, assess the contribution of dust and black carbon to snow and glacier melt, and investigate recent trends in dust deposition. The project will train two master's students and three undergraduate students at Central Washington University, a public university in Ellensburg, Washington, and apply the findings to enhance the understanding of dust-cryosphere feedbacks in the Arctic. The research will involve field data collection, laboratory analyses, and remote sensing to better understand how increasing dust deposition due to decreasing snow cover and glacier retreat in the rapidly warming Arctic region can accelerate ice melt and contribute to rising sea levels.

Abstract

Decreasing snow cover, glacier retreat, and rising temperatures are all expected to increase arctic dust sources and emissions. Mineral dust deposited on snow and ICE surfaces darkens the surface, causing IT to absorb more energy from the sun and accelerate snow and ICE melt. This process creates a cycle: exposed dusty surfaces release more dust into the atmosphere, increasing dust deposition and driving further melt. Currently, there are few observations of dust deposition on snow and glaciers in the arctic. This project will investigate dust deposition on glaciers in svalbard, one of the fastest-warming regions in the arctic, where temperatures are rising five to seven times faster than the global average. By studying svalbard, scientists hope to better understand what might happen in other parts of the arctic and how these changes could contribute to rising sea levels that have global impacts. Two M.S. Students and three undergraduate students will be trained at a regional comprehensive university. This project will advance stem education, engage the public, and strengthen international research partnerships and knowledge exchange. The objectives of this research are: 1) determine the spatial and temporal variability of dust deposition onto svalbard glaciers, and factors driving dust deposition; 2) discern the sources of dust; 3) assess the contribution of dust and black carbon to snow and glacier melt processes; 4) investigate recent trends in dust deposition, and 5) apply findings to enhance understanding of dust-cryosphere feedbacks in the arctic. Fieldwork will consist of collecting ICE cores from six spatially distributed svalbard glaciers to provide multi-year records of light absorbing particle deposition. Laboratory work will include mineral dust characterization and black carbon analyses. Remote sensing will be used to assess dust deposition across svalbard snow and glaciers, and snow albedo and glacier melt modelling will be done to assess the relative contribution of dust and black carbon to albedo reductions and melt. This project contributes to the development of the stem workforce by providing training, mentorship, and research experiences for two central washington university M.S. Students and three undergraduate students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.