Revisiting Alfred Wegener’s Work in Greenland after almost 100 Years: The WEG_Re Project

The project had its beginnings during my introductory lecture in Graz in May 2019. At that time, I attempted to present my previous research and provide an outlook on the direction it could take in the future. As one of my concluding thoughts, I briefly mentioned stumbling upon the expedition reports from Wegener’s final Greenland expedition, of which a complete edition is available at the library of the University of Graz (for information on the historical expedition, see here). I mentioned that there seemed to be a natural connection for someone with ties to Graz, who works extensively in Greenland, and that this connection likely arose from the exceptionally warm conditions of the early 20th century. At that time, I was peripherally acquainted with Andreas Trügler; unfortunately, he was unable to attend the lecture that evening, but he heard about my comment and the next day, I received one of those motivational emails in my inbox, which said: Jakob, this is fascinating, I have a passion for old, wild expeditions – let’s discuss if we can collaborate on something together.

Thus, the project framework was established with the following pillars: enthusiasm for the Arctic, the warm phase of the early 20th century, extensive and high-resolution glaciological and meteorological measurements, and the idea of linking these data with modern artificial intelligence (AI) methods. On one hand, this would provide a new tool for investigating non-linear glaciological processes, and on the other hand, it would offer the unique opportunity to analyze high-resolution historical and modern AI training data from the same location.

A few weeks later, we had a preliminary draft, and after many iterations, a submission-ready proposal. Anyone who has gone through this process knows the phase of anxiety and hope. Therefore, the rejection and the feeling of starting from scratch were a strong disillusionment. However, we quickly regrouped and were repeatedly encouraged by the reality check that we viewed the idea, the underlying data, and the strong team as an extremely favorable starting point. With improvements based on the reviewers’ comments, we succeeded on our second attempt.

After receiving the approval, intensive months of preparation followed, including recruiting the two project employees, selecting and purchasing equipment, packing, shipping, and much more. In fact, most of my working time in the first year was dedicated to simple planning and logistics, which is often surprising for outsiders who might expect it to be more focused on the scientific aspects. At times, I wondered why I wasn’t researching something more tangible. The aftermath of the Corona pandemic didn’t make it any easier: supply shortages made the ablation sensors specially developed for our purposes by our technician Benjamin Schrei a close call, which we temporarily lost faith in. Acquiring and testing the measuring instruments was also a challenging task, but it worked because we had optimal support from our administration team. By early May 2022, the pallets were packed, the shipping company was hired, and a lingering feeling of unease remained, wondering if some essential components had been left behind.

One particularly memorable experience during this initial phase was a brief visit to the archive of the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven, where some of the original documents are preserved. We received competent assistance and had the opportunity to hold handwritten notes from expedition members. We learned a lot about the background of the historical expedition, which was crucial for a thorough understanding of the initial conditions.

To be as well-prepared as possible for the dangers and requirements of the ice, we also conducted a rope technique exercise in the climbing garden before the first expedition. With our team member Andreas, who is not only a scientist but also the deputy state leader of the Styrian Mountain Rescue, we had a highly experienced instructor.

Two exciting and intense fieldwork campaigns have followed since then. In the summer of 2022, we had our first intensive mission, where we finally got to experience the area, which we had only known from Google Earth and old photos, in reality. After an idyllic Nordic midsummer celebration in the heart of Copenhagen, we gradually moved north, and the journey to Uummannaq went smoothly without any significant delays. A few days of logistical fine-tuning on the picturesque island followed, and we were consistently accompanied by tremendously supportive locals. When a friendly pensioner heard that most of us had never tried lumpfish caviar, a kilogram was promptly delivered to us, which we joyfully consumed before relying on trekking food and generously rationed Parmesan for a few weeks.

The approach to our base camp was particularly impressive: passing steep granite walls, the village at the end of the world – Ukkusissat – glaciers that until a few years ago reached the sea, and finally the abandoned Maarmorilik mine. With our nearly one-ton heavy equipment, we relied on a transport boat provided by the seemingly frail but incredibly strong Greenlandic fisherman, Siimmi. He effortlessly handled every heavy crate, always finishing with one of the few English adjectives he knew, “easy”.

A slightly modified version of this article will be published in GeoGraz, the journal of the Institute of Geography and Regional Science (Institut für Geographie und Raumforschung).