Seis-Sustain is a Greenland-based research infrastructure project running from 2026 to 2029, funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The project uses vibroseismic technology to map subglacial geology, improve projections of ice-sheet change and sea-level rise, and investigate sediment transport and its effects on coastal ecosystems.
Seis-Sustain is a new research infrastructure designed to explore the geology beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet and improve our understanding of how the ice sheet has evolved in the past and may respond to future climate change.
Using vibroseismic technology, Seis-Sustain will enable researchers to collect detailed seismic data from areas that are otherwise extremely difficult to investigate. These measurements can reveal the geological structures and sediment layers hidden beneath the ice and provide important information about the interaction between the ice sheet, its underlying geology and the surrounding environment.
From 2026 to 2029, the project will establish and test the infrastructure through field campaigns on the Greenland Ice Sheet. The resulting data will contribute to research on ice-sheet dynamics, sediment transport and future sea-level rise, while also supporting studies of how material transported from the ice sheet affects Greenland’s fjords and coastal ecosystems.
Seis-Sustain will provide a new platform for national and international research and make the collected data available to the wider scientific community.
Full project title: Seis-Sustain: VibroSeismic Traverse Infrastructure for Aiding Sustainable Projections of Greenland
Funding: Seis-Sustain is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation through grant no. NNF25OC0101546
Project period: 2026-2029
The interface between the ice and the bedrock under the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) plays a crucial role in the behaviour of the ice sheet and its response to present and future warming. Furthermore, the underlying geology carries imprints of past climates, especially in the form of sedimentary deposits, which may reveal the past extent of the ice sheet.
The subglacial geology and its interplay with the overlying ice also determine the sediment transport from the interior of the ice-covered region and into the fjords. This influences coastal zone dynamics, the nutrient levels in the fjords and marine life, and thereby affects ecosystems and local communities.
Seis-Sustain provides infrastructure to study the subglacial geology in Greenland using a Vibroseismic truck. The development and use of the platform is guided by the following three scientific questions:
Science Question #1: What are the conditions between the ice and the bedrock in Greenland?
Motivation: To predict the future state, extent and volume of the Greenland Ice Sheet, we need information on the conditions between the ice sheet, the presence or absence of water, including subglacial lakes, and the underlying geology.
Science Question #2: What was the past extent of the Greenland ice sheet in warmer periods?
Motivation: Past climate periods may provide critical information on how sensitive GrIS is to global warming and thereby help constrain predictions of future sea level rise.
Science Question #3: What is the present and future potential of the ice sheet to transport geological material to its margins?
Motivation: The movement of sediment changes the landscape underlying the ice sheet, and the sediment impacts coastal regions, ocean nutrients and ecosystems.
The project will contribute to addressing these questions by:
The facility will be placed at the GRIP ice core camp in the middle of the Greenland Ice Sheet. This area is in itself interesting due to limited existing knowledge on the subglacial geology, and several interesting areas can be reached by traverses from this location, depending on community interests and scientific needs.
The IVI Minibuggy Mark I has a total weight of 6.4 tonnes and is equipped with a Minivib II energy source. It provides a theoretical peak force of 53,247 N, with a baseplate area of 1.1675 m² and a usable frequency range of 8–300 Hz. The holddown weight is 5,987 kg.
Access to the Seis-Sustain facility is possible at three different levels.
Level 1 access: Members of the scientific community may suggest measurement targets to the Steering Committee. Considerations of scientific outcomes and expenses will guide the final decision as to whether the requests can be met. If granted, data from the suggested measurement target sites will then be made available.
Level 2 access: Members of the scientific community may contribute additional funding to support visits to target areas that cannot be reached in the planned Seis-Sustain field seasons. The additional external funding will make it possible to travel further or conduct higher-resolution surveys in target areas. The Steering Committee will assess the feasibility and scientific merit of these requests.
Level 3 access: Members of the scientific community may join a Seis-Sustain field season by contributing with the cost of their participation and any additional expenses. The Steering Committee will assess the feasibility and scientific merits of these requests.
Level 2 and 3 access may also include training carried out by the Seis-Sustain personnel if requested.
Questions about the Seis-Sustain facility and enquiries about collaboration and access to the facility should be made to sulib@geus.dk.
All data collected through the Seis-Sustain project will be made freely available through the GEUS Dataverse.
Short data descriptions and links to the data sets will be provided here.
