NSF's Summit Greenland Observatory
Information, resources, and outreach for the Arctic's only high-elevation, ice-sheet, climate, geophysical, and atmospheric research station.
About the obsevatory
The Greenland
Environmental Observatory (GEOSummit), or 'Summit Camp', on the summit of the Greenland Ice Sheet
(72oN, 38oW, 3200 m.a.s.l.) was established by
the U.S.
National Science Foundation (NSF) with cooperation from the Government of Greenland to provide year-round,
long-term measurements for monitoring and investigations of the Arctic
environment. The multidisciplinary facility is home to several year-round
investigations as well as numerous seasonal campaigns which take advantage of
the unique location of the observatory. GEOSummit provides investigators ease
of access to the highest site north of the Arctic circle.
Since 1989, when the GISP II ice-coring activities began, the site has hosted numerous
atmospheric and glaciological investigations. Following two trial winter over
periods (1997-1998, and 2000-2002), the NSF Long Term Observatory (LTO) program
committed funding to maintain year-round measurements of key baseline variables
of climate change at the site for a period of five years from 2003-2008. In
addition, several programs funded through European agencies have a year-round
presence at the site.
The facility is operated by CH2M HILL Polar Services (CPS) with guidance from the Science Coordination Office (SCO).
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2010 GEOSummit Science and Planning Meeting OutcomeThe biannual GEOSummit Science Science and Planning Meeting was held this year during the Arcus State of the Arctic Meeting 16-19 March, 2010.The meeting brought together over twenty researchers, management, and NSF program managers to discuss and outline the future for Summit Station development. The primary purpose of this particular workshop was to inform interested parties within the scientific community of the activities that have been taking place between the SCO, CH2Polar Servers, and the NSF for planning the new station. Several 'models' for development were presented. We also discussed the results of recent user surveys, and queried participants for their feedback on our activities. More detailed discussion notes and a scientific summary from the meeting are provided here |
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Model international research facility for leading-edge
multidisciplinary science:
- Arctic, polar & global application
- Continuous & sustained geophysical measurements
- Intensive multidisciplinary collaborative campaigns
- Test bed for new sensors & technology
Sustainable scientific observatory:
- Sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy,
- minimum pollution, year-round operation
- for diverse, high-impact science
- A 21st century ’model of innovation’
NOTE: While the server at the University California - Merced is being upgraded, this site is temporarily being hosted at the Norwegian Institute for Air Research.

