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Tarfala Research Station

The Tarfala Research Station of Stockholm University is located at an altitude of about 1,135 meters in the Arctic-alpine Tarfala Valley, east of Kebnekaise – the highest mountain in Sweden. Surrounded by glaciers such as Storglaciären, Isfallsglaciären, and Tarfalaglaciären, the station serves as a leading center for long-term research on glaciers, permafrost, and climate change in mountainous regions.

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Why

Tarfala Research Station was established to conduct systematic measurements of glaciers, permafrost, and the mountain climate in Scandinavia. The station started in 1946 with the mass balance measurement of glacier Storglaciären—now the world's longest-running dataset of its kind.

Impact

Mission & goals
  • Continue internationally recognized monitoring of glaciers, hydrology, meteorology, and permafrost.
  • Increase understanding of climate change in alpine and Arctic systems.
  • Promote interdisciplinary research, education, and global collaboration.
  • Engage the public through citizen science projects such as photo documentation of Storglaciären.
Actions
  • Annual mass balance measurements on four reference glaciers, including Storglaciären.
  • Monitoring historical glacier front movements on twenty glaciers.
  • Hydrological, climatological, and permafrost research in the Tarfala Valley.
  • Annual determination of the height of Kebnekaise’s southern peak.
  • Citizen science invitations: for example, sharing photos of the glacier position from landmarks.

“To preserve what we can, a fundamental transition is necessary. Without climate action, glaciers cannot be preserved.”

Dr. Nina Kirchner – director of Tarfala Research Station

How your donation helps

By supporting, you help the Tarfala team acquire essential research equipment and work clothing for field studies on the glaciers. You enable the continuation of measurements, courses, and data collection — a contribution directly aimed at climate science that is relevant beyond national borders.

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