All that is known so far is that the woman was in her sixties and not of Norwegian nationality. Further details regarding the accident, the cause of death or the identity of the woman are not yet known.

Zodiacs are very strong inflatable rubber boats that are commonly used during rough conditions. The weather conditions in Krossfjord at the time of the accident are not yet known, but it can be believed that they must have been extreme. The last days have generally been quite windy in Spitsbergen (today in Isfjord force 4-5 from west and southwest, but elsewhere possibly much stronger).

Source: Sysselmannen

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Source: Svalbardposten, Icepeople

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In the hospital in Tromsø, however, it turned out that Gustavsen had simply burnt his ankle in the solarium. He had, at the same time, used cream to cure problems with his Achilles heel, which makes the skin more sensitive to UV radiation.

The patient is improving rapidly, but he finds the story a bit embarrassing. Effects of the evacuation of the chef on the meals for the remaining station crew on Bear Island are not known.

Source: Finnmarksdagbladet

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“Thanks to his personal experience with Svalbard, the author wrote an excellent guide …”.
“I would like to point out the precise description of plants and animals that follows a well-designed scheme”.
“Substantial part of the book deals with history, geology and geography of Svalbard. I find it very useful because there are many information attracting both travellers and polar research professionals. For each important location, detailed information of the history of discovery and/or settlement is given …”
“Throughout the book, there are many positive features that … pushes the book from a standard turist guide to a higher quality.”
“… the book is not only a perfect turist guide attracting people to come and see but also a comprehensive source of information for professionals in polar science who may use it for logistic and field works planning. It could be also recommended to university students of geology, biology, and ecology of polar regions,…”

The full review is published here: Barták, M. (2013): R. Stange (2012): Spitsbergen / Svalbard. A complete guide around the Arctic archipelago. Book Review. Czech Polar Reports, 3: 78 – 79.

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The expedition to Jan Mayen has been in a planning stage for quite some time, but the details are almost finalized so the trip can be booked soon. If you have already contacted me about the Jan Mayen expedition 2014, then you will get a message the next days before the final details go public on the website.

We will also run 3 trips in Spitsbergen: two with SV Antigua, one in high summer in late July/August and one in September. And in August, we want to offer “advanced Spitsbergen”: with a small sailing boat and a small group (about 10 passengers) to the remote parts of Svalbard. For those who are out for a very intimate, active experience of nature and excellent photographic opportunities, including wildlife. The Spitsbergen voyages are expected to be German speaking, but for those of you who speak a bit of German and are not afraid of a bunch of Germans/Swiss, please have a look at the more detailed descriptions for the Arctic 2014!

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The next step should be to press a larger volume of CO2 into the ground in Adventdalen, where the test sited is situated, to test the suitability of the sediments under more realistic conditions. There are three options: separating CO2 from the emissions of the local coal power plant (which is due to be upgraded or replaced in the future). Local production with a purpose-built plant. Or bringing a sufficient volume of CO2 up by ship.

A decision has not yet been made, and the problem funding still needs to be solved. The strategic aim of the project is not just neutralizing the globally irrelevant CO2 emissions from the power plant in Longyearbyen, but to research a local technical CO2 cycle that is completely situated within a small area, from coal mining over energy production to CCS. On a longer term, the knowledge could be used on a larger scale, using similar geological settings on the sea floor of the Barents and North Sea, which are already used and thus to some degree made accessible by the oil and gas industry.

Source: Aftenposten

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Calm days, nothing big happening here otherwise. Good.

The post The end of the arctic winter … appeared first on Spitzbergen | Spitsbergen.

The loss of solid fjord ice in the fjords on the west coast of Spitsbergen especially during the last two winters is indeed dramatic. This involves problems for example for Ringed seals, which need solid ice and good snow conditions to raise their offspring successfully. Hardly any young Ringed seal has survived in Kongsfjord during the last 10 years.

The increase of sea surface temperatures on the west and north coasts of Spitsbergen during the last 2 years is significant and has reduced the drift and solid ice considerably. In eastern Spitsbergen, the development is less dramatic and the ice conditions are comparatively normal. On the west coasts, many fjords remain largely open. Mostly, only inner reaches of the fjords are frozen over.

The Norwegian environmental minister has spoken of clear signals for an already ongoing warming.

Source: Aftenposten

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A new mine is expected to operate from 2015 at Lunckefjellet, north of the current mine Svea Nord, but only until 2018.

Store Norske reacts by cutting down costs. Employees will have to face release, and the daughter company Store Norske Gull, which has been prospecting for gold for years at St. Jonsfjord on the west coast of Spitsbergen, will not continue its activities in 2013.

Source: Finnmarken.no

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