BTU Advent calendar: Door 13
Luisa Näke, student of civil engineering
You have been to Greenland in summer, would you like to be in the Seychelles for Christmas or where do you spend the holidays?
I like the winter and the snow very much. Just because I was in the cold during the warm season, I don't have to compensate for it in the cold season. I would like to spend Christmas with my parents in the Mountains Osterzgebirge.
Why did you actually have to finish the expedition earlier than planned this year?
We almost used up the planned time of six weeks and our permit would have expired three days later. The weather forecast for the next days was not good (storm and extreme cold) and we would not have reached the coast on our own during this time. We had difficult conditions at the beginning of the expedition, so that we made only slow progress. It became apparent after some time that we would be dependent on helicopter support on the west coast, so it was reasonable to do without the remaining days and use the good weather to organize an orderly recovery.
The world's large ice caps, which include Greenland, are considered sensors for global climate changes, so a project over longer periods of time is particularly interesting. Are there already first research results from this year's expedition? Will we soon have to prepare for Christmas in Germany at 20 degrees Celsius?
No results have been published at the moment. The evaluation is in progress and a contribution in a conference proceeding is planned for early 2021.
When asking whether Christmas will be at 20°C in the future, one must clearly distinguish between climate and weather. Different researchers agree that within the next decades global warming will take place. This means that both local differences and fluctuations within a year can occur. The 20°C Christmas scenario is a weather event that can occur, but should not be confused with climate change.
You are now cold-tested, what are your tips for a winter hike?
That is not so difficult at all. You can put on different layers of clothing and vary according to the temperature. Wind protection is also important and you should have a thermos with warm tea. And otherwise just go out and enjoy!
