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Atmospheric Sciences
The Atmospheric Sciences group studies the physical, chemical and dynamical processes
of the atmosphere from the unique vantage point of the polar region. The group strives to understand
the polar atmosphere and its role within the Earth system. Many topics bear directly on societal issues
related to climate variability and change.
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Space Physics and Aeronomy
The Space Physics & Aeronomy research group studies Earth's geospace environment,
which extends from the surface of the sun to Earth's atmosphere. The group uses
ground-based observations of magnetic fluctuations, infrasound, light from
auroral emissions, and radio signals reflected from ionospheric irregularities.
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Snow, Ice and Permafrost
The Snow, Ice & Permafrost research group seeks to understand the properties of Earth's
icy regions, known as the cryosphere, and the physical processes that occur within them.
Scientists study the role of snow, ice and permafrost in shaping the landscape, and the
changes that occur as the Arctic climate warms.
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Seismology and Geodesy
The Seismology group conducts research and monitors Alaska's earthquakes and tsunamis. The group
includes the State Seismology Lab. Alaska lies in a tectonically complex region bounded by a major
subduction zone. The group carries out high-resolution seismic recordings and studies the motion
and configuration of tectonic plates.
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Tectonics and Sedimentation
The Tectonics & Sedimentation research group strives to reconstruct the processes of Earth's
history over a variety of timescales. Alaska and the adjacent regions of the circumpolar north
provide a rich environment for such research. The Pacific North American and Eurasian plates
meet in Alaska, creating a natural laboratory for research in this area.
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Remote Sensing
The Remote Sensing group develops and uses data from satellite, ground-based and
airborne sources to address Earth and planetary science topics. The group studies
volcanology, sea ice, permafrost, crustal deformation, impact craters, land use and
hazard monitoring.
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Volcanology
Alaska is the nation's most volcanically active state, with eruptions of broad impact. The Volcanology
group studies volcanoes and eruptions using remote sensing, infrasound, chemical analyses,
and special instrumentation. The group also studies volcanoes throughout the world and maintains
active collaborations with Alaska Volcano Observatory partners and with other universities worldwide.
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The payload section of the FOXSI-5 mission rests on a wheeled support frame inside the payload assembly building at Poker Flat Research Range. The cylindrical instrument, wrapped partly in gold thermal insulation, is surrounded by equipment crates and technicians preparing it for flight.

Poker Flat to launch rocket to image solar flares

The fifth flight of a NASA-led mission using X-rays to learn more about the sun is scheduled for a daytime launch from Poker Flat Research Range during the first two weeks of May. The latest Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager launch will focus on large solar flares. FOXSI-5 is led by assistant…

A round outdoor thermometer mounted on a snow-covered tree reads about minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit in a quiet, snow-blanketed forest of tall trees. Long blue shadows stretch across the deep snow under a clear sky. The image shows extreme cold conditions at a home in Two Rivers, Alaska.

Alaska climate report: March 2026 saw dangerous weather

March brought a series of dangerous and disruptive weather events across Alaska. Severe cold combined with powerful storms to affect communities statewide, according to the monthly summary from the Alaska Climate Research Center. The Alaska Climate Research Center, which is a part of the University…

Cover of the book “Journey Through the Heliosphere." The design features a dark background with a bright, symmetrical, mandala-like illustration in warm colors (orange, red, and yellow) representing the sun and solar system processes.

UAF, NASA create fact-filled coloring book about the sun

A new sun-based and science-focused coloring book produced by the University of Alaska Fairbanks in collaboration with NASA is now available. The book focuses on the bubble of charged particles and magnetic fields, known as the heliosphere, that is created by the sun’s outward-flowing solar wind. It…

Audience members sit in reclined theater seats, looking up at a curved dome screen displaying a vivid space scene during a movie screening. The image shows the interior of the new planetarium, where attendees enjoy a pre-opening event March 31, with the immersive image filling the entire ceiling.

Let the show begin! New planetarium at UAF ready to open

The stars finally aligned to bring a planetarium to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Now it’s ready for the public. The Walt and Marita Babula Planetarium at the UA Museum of the North will open Saturday, April 25, International Astronomy Day. A grand opening day of free activities will run from…

A wide view of Columbia Glacier in Alaska shows a broad river of ice flowing between dark, rocky mountains, with snow-covered peaks in the distance and floating ice in the water at the glacier’s front.

Seismic record analysis can reveal a glacier’s past

The history of earthquake-like signals created by the crashing of glacial ice into the ocean can reveal how a glacier has changed over time, according to research by a University of Alaska Fairbanks team. Their study focused on Alaska’s Columbia Glacier, which flows into Prince William Sound and is…

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Paul Salopek, a writer who has been walking around the world for more than a decade, strides along the bear-footed beachfront near Malaspina Glacier in August 2025. Photo by Ned Rozell.

Meeting deadlines and interesting people

The deadline has been my quietly relentless muse for the last 30 years. She used to give me headaches. But then I met her so many times that the headaches stopped.

Forest Wagner rides his fat bike near Bishop Rock, right, a pinch point on the flow of the Yukon River, on April 5, 2026. Photo by Ned Rozell.

Bishop Rock’s oversized effect on breakup

A few weeks ago, as my friend Forest and I rode our bikes on the vast white sheet of the frozen Yukon River downstream of Galena, the river forced us into a 90-degree hard left.