SnøTroll: Exploring the Role of the Escarpment Region in the Surface Mass Balance of East Antarctica

Figure 1. The escarpment region around Troll.

Project Summary

Antarctica contains enough freshwater to raise global sea levels by 70 metres, and almost all of this water enters the ice sheet as snowfall. Yet, despite its global importance, we still do not know precisely how much snow falls across the continent—particularly in East Antarctica, which is vast, remote, and extremely under-sampled. This uncertainty represents one of the largest gaps in our ability to predict future sea-level rise.

This PhD project is part of an international collaboration between the UK, Norway, and the United States. The project will investigate the atmospheric processes that control snowfall and surface–atmosphere exchange in one of the most challenging environments on Earth: Antarctica’s escarpment regions. These are steep landscapes of blue ice, exposed rock, and snowfields that form the boundary between the coastal ice shelves and the high polar plateau. Escarpments act as gateways for moisture and energy flowing into the Antarctic interior, shaping cloud formation, snowfall, and melt. However, because of their rugged terrain and harsh weather, they remain poorly understood and are misrepresented in weather and climate models.

In February 2025, the Norwegian Polar Institute and partners from our team installed the Integrated Cloud Observatory (ICO) at Troll Station, Antarctica. This state-of-the-art facility is the first year-round atmospheric observatory in the escarpment region and provides continuous measurements of clouds, precipitation, and boundary-layer structure. You will play a central role in analysing these new datasets.

Figure 2. The infrastructure and instruments installed at the ICO.

Research questions for the PhD include:

• How does the complex surface of the escarpment (rock, ice, snow) influence local weather and boundary-layer structure?
• How do these surface and weather conditions control cloud formation and snowfall?
• Do current weather and climate models accurately represent these processes, and how can they be improved?

Approach

The project will combine novel field observations with model evaluation. The student will work with continuous datasets from ICO (radar, lidar, radiometers, weather stations, and radiosondes). Using these data, the student will test hypotheses about how terrain and microclimates drive snow accumulation and loss, evaluate how well models represent these processes, and work with international partners to improve parameterisations in forecasting and climate models.

Figure 3. Troll Station

International context

SnøTroll is strategically aligned with two significant international efforts:

• Antarctica InSync (2027–2030): a globally coordinated campaign to synchronise field observations across Antarctic stations and ships. ICO is the only year-round observatory in the escarpment, making this PhD project’s data essential to the broader effort.
• PCAPS (Polar Coupled Analysis and Prediction for Services, 2024–2028): a World Meteorological Organization programme using polar observations to improve weather and climate predictions. The student’s results will directly feed into model evaluation frameworks used by PCAPS.

Involvement in both of these will also contribute to preparations for the next International Polar Year (2032–2033), which may lead to opportunities beyond the PhD.

Training Opportunities and International Supervision

This project offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge polar research with direct societal relevance. The student will gain training and experience in:

• Field methods: planning, deploying, and troubleshooting atmospheric instruments in polar environments (with opportunities to participate in Antarctic field campaigns).
• Data analysis: advanced techniques for handling large, multi-sensor datasets, including radar/lidar retrievals and machine-learning-ready data products.
• Modelling skills: evaluating forecast and climate models, working with international modelling teams (e.g., RACMO, MAR, HARMONIE-AROME).
• Communication: engaging with outreach, citizen science, and international networks, as SnøTroll has a strong focus on public and cultural engagement.

The supervisory team spans the UK, Norway, and the USA, offering a unique international mentoring environment. In addition to being part of Dr Ryan Neely’s Remote Sensing Group at NCAS in Leeds, you will also work closely with CASE project supervisors Dr Michael Town and Prof Von Walden at the Seattle, Washington-based Earth and Space Research (a research non-profit) and Dr Stephen Hudson at the Norwegian Polar Institute in Tromsø, Norway. Visits to both partner institutions will be arranged during the PhD.  As such, you will be part of a vibrant polar science community.

Impact

By the end of the PhD, the student will have:

• Produced the first detailed characterisation of cloud, precipitation, and boundary-layer processes in an Antarctic escarpment region.
• Quantified the role of microclimates and terrain in shaping snow accumulation and loss.
• Evaluated and improved the representation of these processes in models used for weather forecasting and sea-level rise projections.

This project is an exceptional opportunity to lead research that will directly inform global sea-level rise predictions, strengthen international science initiatives, and inspire new generations of scientists and the public alike.