Next generation biogeochemical ice sheet field laboratory equipment: in-situ, near-real time assessment of microbial growth on the surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet.

Melt from the Greenland Ice sheet is forecast to contribute 25-50 cm to global sea levels over the next century. Melting is largely driven by darkening of the ice surface by glacier algae, leading to increased absorption of solar energy. However, we do not understand what controls the presence, intensity and subsequent darkening effects of algal blooms. We will use a flow cytometer (FC) and nutrient analysers (NA), provided by the Carlsberg Foundation, on the ice sheet to identify and understand algal population controls. We will count the number of algae and assess their ability to replicate by FC, and explore nutrient availability using the NA. Our data will advance the understanding of glacier melt processes, biological-ice interactions and the response of the Greenland Ice Sheet to climate change.