Interdisciplinary Fellow at the University of Aberdeen.
Digital twinning of the cryosphere.
Earth Observation 🛰️, Glaciology 🧊, and Artificial Intelligence 🖥️.
Will Harcourt
Loading...
It’s the world day of glaciers - here, I give some brief thoughts on their importance to the world and us as humans.
Glaciers hold vital records of our planet’s past and play a key role in shaping its future. As they continue to change, so too does the world around us.
They hold huge reserves of freshwater and help sustain communities around the world.
1/2
SvalbardDT at ESA Workshop
So much has been happening that I have not had a chance to keep up with posts on this website! You'll be seeing updates very soon... Let's start with the most recent - this week, SvalbardDT attended the ESA Digital Twin Earth Components: Open Science Meeting 2026' in…
Video
Back in the frozen north - Svalbard with more than a sprinkling of snow!
Some downtime to enjoy the snow - Longyearbreen behind!
Ulvebreen (Svalbard) Fieldwork
I have been in Svalbard for the last couple of weeks helping a team led by Whyjay Zheng ( install a set of GNSS stations on Ulvebreen in eastern Svalbard. Ulvebreen is a surge-type glacier, currently in its quiescent phase and last surged around 1900 i.e. over 100…
New review of surging glaciers in Svalbard!
I am pleased to share our new paper in which we review the current distribution of surging glaciers in Svalbard! Published in Earth Science Reviews, you can find the full paper here: The surging Borebreen in 2024. In this review, we analyse the methods…
I have set of EGU contributions this year - hope to see many of you next week in Vienna!
www.linkedin.com/posts/willia...
So much has been happening that I have not had a chance to keep up with posts on this website! You'll be seeing updates very soon... Let's start with the most recent - this week, SvalbardDT attended the ESA Digital Twin Earth Components: Open Science Meeting 2026' in Frascati, updating on the development of SvalbardDT. Lots of good discussion on the current prototype and ideas for the upcoming phases of the project. More info on that project here: Photo credit: Morag Fotheringham
New paper out in Journal of Glaciology!
We have a new paper out! Work with Leigh Stearns, Michael Shahin, and Sid Shankar studying the potential of new ICEYE SAR satellite imagery to study the dynamic behaviour of ice mélange around the margins of the Greenland Ice Sheet. The higher resolution…
Will Harcourt
University of Aberdeen
Will Harcourt
Glaciers hold vital records of our planet’s past and play a key role in shaping its future. As they continue to change, so too does the world around us.
They hold huge reserves of freshwater and help sustain communities around the world.
1/2
I have been in Svalbard for the last couple of weeks helping a team led by Whyjay Zheng ( install a set of GNSS stations on Ulvebreen in eastern Svalbard. Ulvebreen is a surge-type glacier, currently in its quiescent phase and last surged around 1900 i.e. over 100 years ago (see our recent review paper: & database of surge-type glaciers in Svalbard: …
I am pleased to share our new paper in which we review the current distribution of surging glaciers in Svalbard! Published in Earth Science Reviews, you can find the full paper here: The surging Borebreen in 2024. In this review, we analyse the methods use to detect glacier surges in the past and present using remote sensing techniques, geophysical methods, and palaeo-glaciological analysis such as landforms, historical imagery and archival maps.
Another year, another EGU! I am involved in several contributions and sessions, as detailed below:
Monday 4 May, 16:15–18:00 (PICO: 16:19–16:21)
Title: Monitoring and forecasting the state of Svalbar...
Tomorrow, the governing body - Court - of the University of Aberdeen will decide whether to proceed with management proposals that will place over 125 FTE jobs at risk, increase staff-student ratios to 1:20 for STEM & 1:25 for SHAPE, and restructure from 12 schools to 4 faculties.
