Seis-Sustain

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.

The interface between bedrock and ice 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 can elucidate the past extent of the ice sheet.

The subglacial geology and its interplay with the overlying ice determine the sediment transport from the interior of the ice-covered region and into the fjords. This influences the water circulation in the fjords, the coastal zone dynamics, the nutrient levels in the fjords and marine life, thereby affecting local communities that rely on fishing as a livelihood.

How to participate and become part of Seis-Sustain?

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.

 

Requests for access to the Seis-Sustain facility should be made to ??@geus.dk

What do we want to understand about Greenland beneath the ice?

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:

  • Providing national and international scientists access to vibroseismic equipment in remote areas on the Greenland Ice Sheet.
  • Developing sustainable approaches to ice sheet field logistics to partly replace the use of airborne campaigns.
  • Developing and maintaining an open-access database of data collected during the lifetime of the Seis-Sustain facility.

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.

From GRIP, the VibroSeis may travel Eastwards to access the subglacial mountain ranges where studies suggest the Greenland Ice Sheet was first formed. Thus, the VibroSeis may address the question of the location of the oldest ice in Greenland and the past extent of the ice sheet.

The VibroSeis may also travel northeast and address the dynamics and subglacial geology of the large Northeast Greenland Ice Stream or to the south to investigate the imprint of past glaciations. Either of these routes will pass through areas where it has been hypothesized that subglacial lakes exist which Seis-Sustain facilities will then be able to validate.

Equipment

The Seis-Sustain facility has the following equipment for vibroseis acquisition:

  • 1 IVI Minibuggy Mark I with Minivib II energy source
    • Total weight: 6.4 tonnes
    • Theoretical peak force: 53,247 N
    • Baseplate area: 1.1675 m2
    • Usable frequency range: 8-300 Hz
    • Holddown weight: 5,987 kg

Insert picture of the vibroseis!

  • Nodes – type + how many

Insert picture of the nodes

  • Streamer – type + pic

Data

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.

News from Seis-sustain

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About the project

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 ??

Project period: 2026-2029

The interface between bedrock and ice 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 can elucidate the past extent of the ice sheet.

The subglacial geology and its interplay with the overlying ice determine the sediment transport from the interior of the ice-covered region and into the fjords. This influences the water circulation in the fjords, the coastal zone dynamics, the nutrient levels in the fjords and marine life, thereby affecting local communities that rely on fishing as a livelihood.

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.

From GRIP, the VibroSeis may travel Eastwards to access the subglacial mountain ranges where studies suggest the Greenland Ice Sheet was first formed. Thus, the VibroSeis may address the question of the location of the oldest ice in Greenland and the past extent of the ice sheet.

The VibroSeis may also travel northeast and address the dynamics and subglacial geology of the large Northeast Greenland Ice Stream or to the south to investigate the imprint of past glaciations. Either of these routes will pass through areas where it has been hypothesized that subglacial lakes exist which Seis-Sustain facilities will then be able to validate.

Steering Committee

Marie Keiding
GEUS, Denmark
Andreas Peter Ahlstrøm
DMI, Denmark
Katrine Juul Andresen
AU, Denmark
Christine Schøtt Hvidberg
KU, Denmark
Olaf Eisen
AWI, Germany

logos partners seissustain

Contact

If you have any questions about the project, please feel free to contact us.

Nanna Bjørnholt Karlsson
Professor
Glaciology and Climate
Phone+45 91333839
Publications
Susanne Lilja Buchardt
Academic Employee
Glaciology and Climate
Phone+45 91333714

Fieldwork 2026

June-July 2026: This summer two Seis-Sustain technicians travelled to the GRIP camp on the Greenland Ice Sheet to make preparations for operating the Vibroseismic truck out of this camp next summer. They tested the performance of the measuring equipment under the cold high-altitude conditions, creating test data sets based on vibrations from landing airplanes. They also constructed the sled that the vibroseismic truck will be placed on for measurements next year. Vibroseismic trucks are constructed with wheels that are not suitable for driving on snow. Therefore, the vibroseismic truck will be placed on a custom-made sled and towed by a tracked vehicle.

Pics from this year’s fieldwork

Purchase of Vibro-Seismic Truck

February(?) 2026: Seis-Sustain has purchased the vibroseismic truck that will be deployed to Greenland. This is a milestone for the project. We decided to purchase a pre-owned machine for several reasons:

  • The machine needs to fit into an LC-130 Hercules aircraft in order to be transported onto the Greenland Ice Sheet
  • The model should be optimal for data collection on ice
  • For sustainability reasons, we prefer to use existing materiel instead of ordering new, when it does not compromise the quality of data or the likelihood of reaching the project goals

Before sending the machine to the ice sheet in 2027, a thorough plan for renovations and maintenance of the machine will be made by our Seis-Sustain engineer in collaboration with a technician from our project partner AWI.

Picture of vibroseis?