Hello world! This is Whispering Glaciers’ development log.
We will be sharing updates on our ongoing research, including insights about Svalbard, the planning of our field trip, artistic and design inspirations, the various testing phases of the project, personal reflections, and, of course, a detailed diary documenting our 10-day expedition in the Svalbard archipelago.
The Whispering Glaciers project takes inspiration from recent observations on the transformations taking place in Svalbard’s ecosystems. Studies suggest that Svalbard is warming four times faster than the global average and is experiencing a severe fast-ice decline. (Rantanen, M., Karpechko, A.Y., Lipponen, A. et al.) This change in weather not only affects the landscape but the ecosystem and the world as a whole.
In the coming years, Svalbard may undergo radical transformations. Sounds, shapes, textures, ecosystem dynamics, and other less visible phenomena could shift into something else. As a consequence, in recent years many have rushed to the archipelago, eager to experience its unique ecosystem before it changes forever.
Whispering Glaciers seeks to create an immersive experience that allows participants to explore the landscapes of the archipelago. This experience will attempt to bring them into close contact with the intricate shapes, textures, colours, ambient tones, and subtle, often inaudible sounds that define this fragile environment. Whispering Glaciers will look into balancing realistic visual representations with more abstract interpretations, challenging conventional perspectives shaped by wildlife films and cinematic portrayals of Svalbard.
Svalbard, Norway, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, June 7, 2001
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Svalbard is a critical region for studying climate change due to its vast and diverse ice areas. These include glaciers, sea ice, permafrost, and icebergs, each playing a vital role in the global climate system. The total area of the islands is 62,248 km2, and, and, about 59 percent is covered by over 2,100 glaciers. Key types include tidewater glaciers, like Kongsbreen, which calve icebergs into fjords; valley glaciers, such as Longyearbreen; and large ice caps, like Austfonna. These polythermal glaciers contain both cold and temperate ice, influencing their dynamics and response to warming.
Sea ice around Svalbard varies seasonally, peaking in winter and retreating in summer. The extent of sea ice has declined in recent decades, impacting ecosystems and serving as a critical climate indicator. It provides a habitat for species like polar bears and Arctic cod, which are under threat as ice diminishes.
Permafrost, which underlies much of Svalbard, is thawing due to rising temperatures. This leads to infrastructure instability, carbon release, and hydrological changes. The ground ice within permafrost plays a key role in maintaining landscape stability.
Icebergs, originating from calving glaciers, are significant for marine ecosystems as they release nutrients while melting. However, they pose challenges for navigation and provide clues about environmental conditions through their shapes and melt rates.
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Kongsbreen glacier
Austfonna glacier (satelite view)
Austfonna glacier
Scheelebreen glacier, 2023
Borebreen glacier, August 2024
We recently came across the work of Dr. Richard Hann, a senior researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), who specializes in icing on unmanned aerial vehicles. Dr. Hann has conducted extensive research on glaciers in Svalbard—such as Tunabreen, Borebreen, Vallåkrabreen, and Wahlenbergbreen—collecting aerial imagery and publishing photos on Kuula, along with 3D glacier models on Sketchfab.
His work is a great contribution to our field trip preparations, helping us in simulating various scenarios for our VR experience. We have begun importing some of his 3D models into Unreal to evaluate rendering quality and performance. These tests will provide deeper insights into the techniques and considerations for capturing glacier and ice imagery, both aerially via drones and from the ground.
To capture unique perspectives and access otherwise unreachable areas of the glaciers, we will be using two drones alongside ground cameras. The first step was selecting the best drones for the task. Since much of our glacier exploration will take place from a boat, one risk quickly became apparent—the possibility of a drone crashing into the water.
We were advised that if a drone went down, we would need to retrieve it from the freezing depths of the sea. This concern played a major role in our decision-making, leading us to choose the SwellPro Splash Drone 4—a waterproof drone capable of landing on water without issue. To complement it, we also acquired the DJI Mavic Pro 3 for its superior image quality. To mitigate the risk of losing it, we equipped it with a foam float system to prevent it from sinking in case of an accident.
Swellpro Splash Drone 4
