How the microstructure of snow in the Arctic influences sea ice and the global climate

The rapid warming in the Arctic leads to significant loss of sea ice, which in turn effects precipitation and alters the energy dynamics of the climate system of the region. The research of Amy Macfarlane focused on understanding the critical role of snow and ice in the Arctic, particularly how these elements influence the region's energy budget and contribute to global climate patterns. The scientist had the opportunity to take measurements and collect data in the Arctic for over a year as part of the 2019-20 MOSAiC expedition.

A focus of the study was the transfer of heat through the snow on sea ice, which is crucial for understanding sea ice growth in winter. Macfarlane was able to show that the current large-scale climate models may overestimate the thermal conductivity of snow. Another major finding: not all snow on sea ice is sourced from the atmosphere, which challenges previous assumptions and has significant implications for atmospheric chemistry, snow and sea-ice biogeochemistry, and understanding precipitation estimates in the Arctic. Overall, the work of Amy Macfarlane highlights the importance of accurate modelling for predicting future climate changes in this vulnerable region and beyond. Doctoral dissertation

Amy Macfarlane is currently a postdoc at UiT The Arctic University of Norway and Northumbria University, UK. She will receive the Prix de Quervain at a public event on 3 December 2024 in Bern.

Programme & registration

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Endowed with CHF 5,000, the Prix de Quervain is awarded by the Swiss Commission for Polar and High Altitude Research of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences and by the Swiss Commission of the High Altitude Research Station Jungfraujoch of the Swiss Academy of Sciences for outstanding master’s, doctoral or postdoc work to promote early career polar and high altitude researchers.