During his studies, Andreas Kjær Dideriksen investigated the Kong Oscar Fjord system in Northeast Greenland, where the fjords affect how heat and freshwater are exchanged between the ice sheet and the ocean. Despite their importance, these remote fjords remain difficult to observe due to their harsh and inaccessible environment, especially during winter. 

By combining measurements from fieldwork with satellite observations, Andreas studied both how fjord conditions change throughout the year and how a single large calving event rapidly transformed the fjord within hours. He also contributed to the student-built CubeSat DISCO-2, designed to support Arctic research and improve year-round observations. The research highlights the importance of combining satellite and field observations to better understand fjord systems in Northeast Greenland, particularly during winter.

The PhD degree was completed at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Thursday, 25 June2026 at 14:00
Place: Building 1532, room 116, Aud G1, Department of Mathematics, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 118, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of PhD thesis:  Sensing the Fjords – Integrated observations of Glacier-Fjord-Ocean Processes in Northeast Greenland
Contact information: Andreas Kjær Dideriksen, e-mail: akd@bio.au.dk
Members of the assessment committee:
Senior Researcher Kristian Kjellerup Kjeldsen, Department of Glaciology and Climate, GEUS, Denmark
Professor René Forsberg Department of Space Research and Technology, DTU Orbit, Denmark
Associate Professor Brian Keith Sorrell (chair), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor: Professor Søren Rysgaard, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisor: 
Associate Professor Christoffer Karoff, Department of Geoscience, Aarhus University, Denmark
Telescope and Satellite Manager Mads Skakke Fredslund, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences/GSNS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C