Infrastructure

The department's infrastructure consists of laboratories and two research stations. Below is a summary of our infrastructure.

Thin samples for density analysis. Stockholm Tree Ring Laboratory. Photo Lena Katarina Johansson.
Thin samples for density analysis. Stockholm Tree Ring Laboratory. Photo Lena Katarina Johansson.
 

Laboratories

The department has several laboratory facilities for research and education.

The Stockholm Tree-Ring Laboratory is equipped with an ITRAX multiscanner manufactured by Cox Analytical Systems (www.coxsys.se), which enables us to analyze and produce high-quality density (MXD) data. To avoid the influence of humidity and temperature in the lab that would affect the density measurements, the environmental conditions in the lab are strictly controlled. The laboratory uses Dendrocut twin-bladed saw from Walesch Electronic.

If you are interested in a collaboration, please contact the director Björn Gunnarson, e-mail: bjorn.gunnarson@natgeo.su.se

The Stockholm Tree Ring Laboratory

Series of annual rings from a sample found at Hanvedsmossen. Photo Lena Katarina Johansson.
Björn Gunnarson in the Stockholm Tree Ring Laboratory shows a series of annualrings from a sample found at Hanvedsmossen in Botkyrka. Photo Lena Katarina Johansson.

 

It has been used for storage of samples mainly from different parts of the Arctic, but also from e.g. South America and is today an internationally reputable and well-known archive that is also used by researchers from different parts of the world. It contains peat samples, lake sediments and soil samples partly from extremely inaccessible places. This valuable archive has been a key to international collaboration and publication.

The Geomorphological Laboratory has equipment mainly for teaching.

The GIS and remote sensing cluster has has equipment for both research and teaching.

In the Ice laboratory we store ice, snow and other samples. We can also prepare ice samples in a cleen room environment.

Optically Stimulated Luminescence Laboratory (OSL) consist of an OSL Laboratory where we prepere sediment samples for OSL dating. OSL is a dating method where measurements of luminescence are used to calculate ages when sediment has been deposited.

In the Sediment Laboratory we have equipent of both resarch and education.

 

Research Stations

The department has two research stations, Tarfala Research Station (TRS) and The Navarino Environmental Observatory (NEO).

Tarfala Research Station (TRS) is located at 1130 m asl in the Kebnekaise Mountains, in northern Sweden, and is hosted by the Department of Physical Geography at Stockholm University. Inaugurated in 1961, the station has supported research in the fields of glaciology and geomorphology since. Mass balance investigations on Storglaciären started in 1946 and continues today, rendering the World’s longest continuous glacier mass balance record.

More recently, activities at the station are complemented by ecosystem research in cooperation with Swedish Infrastructure for Ecosystem Science, SITES. The station is open during two field seasons (spring and summer), and welcomes scientist from all disciplines to conduct research in a unique arctic-alpine environment.

Tarfala Research Station

The Navarino Environmental Observatory (NEO) started operations in 2010 as a collaboration between Stockholm University, the Biomedical Research Foundation at the Academy of Athens (BRFAA) and the Greek company TEMES SA. In 2015, the agreement was extended for another five years and in 2019 a new agreement was concluded which will apply from 5 March 2020 and five years onwards. The new agreement entails an increased ambition in terms of funding from Stockholm University as well as a return to direct funding from TEMES SA. NEO is an example of an international collaboration between academia and the private sector for research and education for climate, environment and sustainable development. The station has developed into a place for research and education, where students, researchers and practitioners from all over the world meet to conduct field studies and exchange knowledge and ideas within the framework of various collaborations and projects.

At the station there is a laboratory with limited equipment for eg water sampling. The station also has some field equipment, such as inflatable boats. The atmospheric measuring station at Methonis has various types of instruments for atmospheric sampling as well as equipment for weather observations.

The Navarino Environmental Observatory (NEO)

 

Contact

Manager Navarino Environment Observatory
Manager Tarfala Research Station
Laboratory Manager
Laboratory Manager
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