Skip to main content
Multiple glacial streams carry turbid glacial runoff into Kachemak Bay in this aerial view looking southwest from the head of the bay toward Homer on June 30, 2021. Photo by Martin Stuefer

Research reveals extent of Kachemak Bay’s surface cloudiness

Geophysical Institute
January 30, 2025
Scientists have produced the first remote sensing analysis of how water clouded by sediment in glacier meltwater moves on the surface of Kachemak...
Read more  
This image is from a video that accompanies the unmanned aircraft systems courses and includes the history of drone flight.

UAF offers free online courses about unmanned aircraft systems

Geophysical Institute
January 28, 2025
The public can learn the history, basics and engineering of unmanned aircraft systems through two free online courses offered by the University...
Read more  
Thaw-driven subsidence can lead to thermokarst and formation of thermokarst ponds and thaw ponds. UAF Ph.D. student Nick Hasson looks at a thaw pond just north of the University of Alaska Fairbanks main campus. It is forming in an area underlain by massive ice wedges. Photo by Louise Farquharson

Thawing permafrost causes ground to sink in cold regions; scientists urge action

Geophysical Institute
January 24, 2025
More needs to be done to better understand rapidly changing Arctic landscapes that are sinking as climate-driven permafrost thaw penetrates...
Read more  
UAF professor Franz Meyer presents “Launching NISAR: NASA's Biggest Earth Observation Mission” as part of the 2024 Science for Alaska talk series. The 2025 talk series begins with a kickoff event on Thursday, Jan. 30, at Black Spruce Brewing Co. UAF/GI photo by LJ Evans

33rd annual Science for Alaska talks and outreach events announced

Geophysical Institute
January 21, 2025
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute will host free public science talks over the next few weeks, featuring Alaska stories...
Read more  
Two of three payloads being prepared to investigate three types of aurora sit inside the payload assembly area at Poker Flat Research Range on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. Photo by Bryan Whitten

Three rockets will ignite Poker Flat’s 2025 launch season

Geophysical Institute
January 16, 2025
Three NASA sounding rockets are set to launch from Poker Flat Research Range as early as Tuesday to learn more about three types of aurora —...
Read more  
The northern lights adorn the sky over the UAF Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station early Sunday morning, April 21, 2024. UAF photo by Eric Engman

First results from 2021 rocket launch shed light on aurora’s birth

Geophysical Institute
December 19, 2024
Newly published results from a 2021 experiment led by a University of Alaska Fairbanks scientist have begun to reveal the particle-level...
Read more  
Associate professor Sean Regan holds a copy of the December edition of Geology, which features his latest research in its cover photo. Photo by Bryan Whitten

Denali Fault tore apart ancient joining of two landmasses

Geophysical Institute
December 19, 2024
New research shows that three sites spread along an approximately 620-mile portion of today’s Denali Fault were once a smaller united geologic...
Read more  
Setting up the UAF Research booth. Photo by Rod Boyce

What a week in D.C. for AGU24

Geophysical Institute
December 18, 2024
Nearly 90 University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute researchers — faculty, students and staff — made just over 100 oral and poster...
Read more  
The ionosphere and aurora wrap around Earth, as seen from the International Space Station. Photo courtesy of NASA

NASA-funded project looks for answers about aurora’s energy

Geophysical Institute
December 3, 2024
Most electrons that create the aurora have a moderate amount of energy, but scientists want to know more about how electrons on either side on...
Read more