This paper describes a new technique simultaneously to estimate topography and motion of polar glaciers from multi-temporal SAR interferograms. The approach is based on a combination of several SAR interferograms in a least-squares adjustment using the Gauss-Markov model. For connecting the multi-temporal data sets, a spatio-temporal model is proposed that describes the properties of the surface and its temporal evolution. Rigorous mathematical modelling of functional and stochastic relations allows for a systematic description of the processing chain. It is also an optimal tool to set parameters for the statistics of every individual processing step, and the propagation of errors into the results. Within the paper theoretical standard deviations of the unknowns are calculated depending on the configuration of the data sets. The influence of gross errors in the observations and the effect of non-modelled error sources on the unknowns are estimated. A validation of the approach based on real data concludes the paper.

In 1933, the steamer Chelyuskin sailed from Murmansk, east bound to attempt a transit of the Northern Sea Route to the Pacific, in order to demonstrate that such a transit could be achieved in one season. The vessel became beset in heavy ice in the Chukchi Sea, and after drifting with the ice for over two months, was crushed and sank on 13 February 1934. Apart from one fatality, her entire complement of 104 people was able to establish a camp on the sea ice. The Soviet government organised an impressive aerial evacuation, under which all were rescued. Following several unsuccessful attempts, the wreck was located on the bed of the Chukchi Sea by a Russian expedition, Chelyuskin-70, in mid-September 2006. Two small components of the ship's superstructure were recovered by divers and were sent to the ship's builders, Burmeister and Wein of Copenhagen, for identification.

The article addresses old ‘west-east discourses’ and how they continue to develop in the high north, and, not least, in the Norwegian petroleum debate. Adopting a discourse analytical perspective the author shows how environmental safety is used as an argument in favour of Norway producing oil in the Barents Sea at the earliest possible moment. This is only feasible if a connection is made in the public mind between Russia and the environment. These views, it is argued, stem from ideas about Russia that gained currency after the demise of the Soviet Union. While they perhaps have less to do with Russia's petroleum industry and environmental performance today, they nevertheless have a strong impact on how challenges in the high north and Arctic region are perceived. And, perhaps even more importantly, they define freedom of action and available options. In this paper all references to government departments refer to those of Norway.

Between 2003 and 2006, the Centre for Topographic Information in Sherbrooke (CTI), Québec, under the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Government Related Initiatives Programme (GRIP), conducted a project (Cartonord project) aimed at new base mapping at a scale of 1:50,000 for unmapped areas of northern Canada using earth observation data.

Using data collected in the Gwich'in Athabascan community of Vashraii K'oo/Arctic Village, an examination of how the village has continued to develop and evolve as a native space since its initial creation in 1908, is presented. Data collected using a household survey in 2006 is compared with data that was collected in a 1999 survey in order to address and measure such issues as: the village residents’ economic standing and subsistence activities; satisfaction with the planning and governance of the village; and residents’ overall attitudes toward the degree to which their village continues to function as an ‘ethnic space’. The previous conclusion (Dinero 2005) was that these villagers have responded relatively well to globalising forces, effectively bridging the native and white worlds in a manner which allows them to live in both, yet to retain a strong sense of their identity and cultural values despite residence in a settled, post-nomadic setting. While this remains the case, one cannot overlook in the present research the sense of loss of past lifeways that has resulted from the changes brought on by new technologies, despite any positive benefits deriving therefrom. Therefore, the conclusion of this paper is the suggestion that the development of this ‘hybridised’ Alaska native is still very much in process, as these people strive to adapt to the new challenges presented by their ever-changing environment.

The Arctic treeline, or more precisely the tundra-taiga interface (TTI) region, is poorly defined and characterised despite its high climatological significance. The international coordinated research programme ‘PPS Arctic’, under the auspices of the International Polar Year, represents one response to this gap in our knowledge. This paper presents preliminary work within one of the four principal research areas of PPS Arctic, the characterisation of spatial variations in vegetation, land cover and land use in the TTI using remote sensing methods. Airborne remote sensing data were collected from a 120 km2 TTI study site near Porsangmoen, Finnmark, Norway in 2004 and 2005. Three datasets were acquired: two sets of multispectral visible-infrared imagery with spatial resolutions of around 3 m, and airborne scanning LiDAR data with a horizontal resolution of 2 m and a vertical precision of around 0.2 m. While some difficulties were experienced in processing and analysing the imagery, the LiDAR data proved exceptionally well suited to the task of characterising the structure of the forest edge. Preliminary analyses were strongly suggestive of fractal characteristics, with corresponding consequences for the scale-dependence of descriptors such as canopy density and the location of the forest edge.

This note reports on the three relics of Terra Nova, the vessel of R. F. Scott's last expedition, that still exist. These are the ship's bell, which is in the Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge, the figurehead held by the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff and the standard compass and binnacle in the Royal Navy's School of Navigation, Portsmouth.

Some additional details of the construction of ‘Franklin's cairn’ and ‘Franklin's cenotaph’ on Beechey Island, Nunavut, Canada are presented.

The climate and its components (temperature and precipitation) are organised according to different spatial scales that are structured hierarchically. The aim of this paper is to explore the dependence between temperature and deterministic factors at different scales on a 10 km2 study area on the northwestern coast of Svalbard. A GIS was developed which contained three sources of information: temperature, remotely sensed imagery and digital elevation models (DEM), and derived raster data layers. The first layer, temperatures, was acquired at regularly observed temporal intervals from 53 stations. The second layer comprised remotely sensed images (aerial photography and SPOT imagery) and DEM data at 2 m and 20 m resolution, respectively. From these, a windowing procedure was applied to derive several spatial subsets of different spatial resolutions (6, 14, 30, 60, 140, and 300 m). The third layer comprised slope, aspect, and a theoretical solar radiation value derived from the DEM, and a vegetation index derived from the remotely sensed imagery. Linear regressions were then systematically conducted on the datasets, with temperature as the dependent variable, and each of the other data layers as the independent variables. By using graphical analysis, we link the correlation coefficients obtained for each factor, from the smallest spatial resolution (6 m) to the largest resolution (300 m). The results indicated that each explanatory variable and scale brings a specific contribution to changes in temperature. For example, the effect of elevation remains constant for all spatial resolutions, reflecting a quasi ‘non-scalar’ pattern of this variable. For other variables however, the effect of spatial scale can have a strong effect. In the case of solar radiation, a maximum of explanation was obtained for spatial resolutions of 14 m and 60 m; for vegetation index the optimum contribution was related to the 300 m resolution. Thus, different environment characteristics may have significant effects on changes in temperature when differences in spatial scale are taken into account.

This note describes the history of Lönnberg House, for 42 years an important building on Bird Island, South Georgia.

John Hugh Mather was a member of the crew of Terra Nova, the vessel of R. F. Scott's expedition of 1910–1913. After World War I, he participated in the allied campaign against the Bolsheviks in Arctic Russia and achieved considerable distinction in that area of operations.

The first photographed observation of the harbour porpoise in Svalbard is reported. The harbour porpoise is not normally found in the high Arctic as it is a temperate and sub Arctic species, the nearest frequent location for the species being the north coast of Norway.

A case of polar bear infanticide and cannibalism is reported from Phippsøya, Svalbard. In this instance, a cub of some 7 months was killed by an adult male bear, which was in poor condition, in the close proximity of the mother, which was also in poor condition. It seems probable that the attack was made for nutritional gain.

Further progress is reported concerning the preservation of Belgica, currently a wreck in Norwegian waters. A plan is currently being developed for furthering this aim.

The explorer F.G. Schwatka, a participant in the Franklin search is buried in Salem, Oregon. This note sets on record information concerning the headstone of his grave.

Radiocarbon age determinations of 32 walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) remains show that the species has been a member of the Greenland fauna since at least the middle Holocene. The oldest date is 7280–7160 calendar years BP. However, most dated remains come from archaeological sites and are of late Holocene age

The partially snow-covered wreck of specially-modified Arctic variant of the Tupolev TB-3 four-engine bomber was located at Buhkta Teplits [Teplits Bay], Ostrov Rudol'fa [Rudolf Island] in Zemlya Frantsa-Iosifa [Franz Josef Land]. From data gathered, the wreck was subsequently identified as TB-3 (ANT-6) No. 210. This aircraft was piloted by Boris Chukhnovsky during a failed search for another TB-3 (ANT-6), No. 209, which had been lost in August 1937 during an attempt to fly from Moscow over the north pole to the United States. The Teplits TB-3 (ANT-6) wreck represents both the primary aeronautical archaeology of the triumphs and disasters of the Soviet Union's air expeditions to the pole in 1937–1938 and, at 81°47.5'N, is the northernmost aircraft wreck yet identified.

A fragment of a ski dating from the late 19th or early 20th century was found at Mys Triest [Cape Trieste] on Ostrov Champa [Champ Island] in the Zemlya Frantsa-Iosifa [Franz Josef Land] archipelago in August 2006. The age and location of the ski suggest a connection with the American era of exploration of Zemlya Frantsa-Iosifa (1898–1905).

Since the development of photography in the mid-nineteenth century, exploration has created iconic images of the polar regions. A new two-year research project, entitled Freeze Frame, using the world-class collections at the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, will bring this remarkable visual culture forward for new audiences.