Preparing the science...

On March 3rd, 2026, I had the opportunity to visit Georeva, the French representative of ImpulseRadar, to discover and test the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) system that will be used during the North Greenland Windsled Expedition 2026 (NGWE 2026). This meeting marked an important step in the technical preparation of the expedition.

Discovering the ground-penetrating radar

During the visit, Franz Rhoemer presented the ImpulseRadar system in detail. It was a great opportunity to discuss several key aspects for field deployment, including:

• system configuration

• installation on a sled or towing platform

• power supply and battery management

• acquisition settings

• radar profile interpretation

  
  

Ground-penetrating radar is a particularly valuable scientific tool for glaciological environments. By transmitting electromagnetic waves into snow and ice, the system makes it possible to visualize the internal structure of the snowpack and detect subsurface anomalies.

A tool to better understand ice

During NGWE 2026, the radar will be used to observe the structure of snow and ice along the traverse of northern Greenland.

Radar profiles can help identify:

• different snow accumulation layers

• potential crevasses or fragile zones beneath the surface

• variations in the internal structure of the ice

Adapting technology to polar conditions

Operating scientific equipment on the ice sheet involves many constraints: extreme cold, strong winds, limited energy supply, and long-distance mobility.

The visit to Georeva provided a valuable opportunity to discuss these challenges and to adapt the equipment configuration for use on the Windsled, a polar sled powered exclusively by wind energy.

In such remote environments, simplicity, robustness, and reliability of the equipment are essential.

An important step in the preparation

This meeting represents an important step in the scientific preparation of the expedition. It helps move from planning to practical implementation of the radar system that will be used in the field.

The North Greenland Windsled Expedition 2026 will provide a unique opportunity to combine polar exploration with the collection of scientific data in one of the most extreme environments on Earth.

Further technical and logistical preparations will continue in the coming weeks.