MSc-level course for natural science and technology students at UNIS

AS-301 Risk Assessment of Arctic Natural Hazards (10 ECTS),
Course at UNIS, 4 June - 6 July 2018

Course requirements:

Enrolment in a relevant master programme in natural sciences, environmental sciences, or technology.

Academic content:

This course appreciates the multidisciplinary and multifaceted nature of natural hazards in Arctic environments, with focus on Svalbard. In a rapidly changing Arctic that experiences increased population and touristic pressures, risk assessment of natural hazards threatening people’s lives and key infrastructure becomes essential.

A theoretical foundation for quantitative risk assessment, together with an introduction to the geo-, cryo-, hydro-, and biosphere of the Arctic, precedes four applied modules:

1. Weather hazards:
   Basic factors characterizing the weather in the Arctic and their impacts on people and infrastructure present in the area will be introduced and discussed; focusing on phenomena like strong winds, low temperatures, and icing on e.g. aircraft, ships and infrastructure. Acquisition and application of weather data for risk assessment will be taught.
2. Slope hazards: Basic process-controlling factors and their vulnerability to climate change are introduced for Arctic slope processes (snow avalanches, landslides, rockslides). Basic data acquisition methods on analyzing the underlying geophysical processes are applied. Finally, forecasting, prevention, and mitigation measures are discussed and tested.
3. Biohazards: Sustainable management of Arctic environmental issues is discussed. The natural behavior of polar bears and other large marine mammals is described and discussed in the light of human-animal interaction and de-escalation. The risk of diseases from parasites is demonstrated and best practice routines are introduced.
4. Cryohazards: Basic process-controlling factors and their vulnerability to climate change are introduced focusing on sea ice dynamics, glacier mass balance and -dynamics, iceberg production, and permafrost evolution. Basic data acquisition methods for analyzing the underlying geophysical processes are applied and tested. Sea ice dynamics and iceberg production are related to safe Arctic shipping.

Finally, gained analytical knowledge and process understanding is combined to a practical risk assessment exercise.

More information can be found under the following link: https://www.unis.no/course/as-301-risk-assessment-arctic-natural-hazards/

Application deadline is 15 February 2018.