Permafrost Research and Fieldwork in Ilulissat

Sled dogs in Ilulissat

On October 27, Joan Nymand Larsen and Helga Númadóttir from the Stefansson Arctic Institute traveled to the beautiful town of Ilulissat, Disko Bay, West-Greenland, where they joined fellow researchers for a productive week of fieldwork as part of the ILLUQ project.

ILLUQ is an EU-funded interdisciplinary permafrost research project (2024-2007), led by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research. The project investigates the risks associated with thawing Arctic permafrost from a holistic and one-health perspective, including contaminant release, infrastructure failure, and ecosystem changes. Ilulissat is one of the project’s three case study regions, along with Svalbard and the Mackenzie River Delta in Canada.

A key aspect of ILLUQ is its emphasis on collaboration with local and Indigenous knowledge holders. The project builds upon the NUNATARYUK permafrost project (EU H2020) which ran from 2017 to 2023, and leverages prior knowledge and networks of local contacts already established by several of the researchers involved.

During their stay in Ilulissat, the ILLUQ researchers conducted field inspections, collected initial samples, and engaged in consultations with the local community to identify concerns, needs, and priorities related to permafrost thaw. This included hosting a public consultation meeting at City Hall and consulting with various community stakeholders from different sectors, private companies, and public institutions, including local schools, and different departments within the municipality of Avannaata.

In Ilulissat, permafrost thaw due to climate change already has profound and complex impacts, and this initial week of fieldwork helped establish a strong foundation for ongoing collaboration and knowledge sharing between researchers and local stakeholders. During their stay, the ILLUQ team was consistently received with warmth and interest, which was sincerely appreciated and essential to the overall success of this first week of fieldwork.

For further information please visit us at:

ILLUQ - Home

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