From The Snow Of Davos To The Ice Of The Arctic

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Swiss researcher Achille Capelli has found an open-air laboratory in Alaska. He is studying the polar ice shelf and is worried to see the impact of climate change. Unlike other Swiss scientists, Capelli is so far unaffected by funding cuts by the Trump administration, as his research is also of interest to the United States. This content was published on May 18, 2025 - 10:30 8 minutes Luca Beti

• Français fr Chercheur, de la neige de Davos aux glaces de l'Arctique Read more: Chercheur, de la neige de Davos aux glaces de l'Arctiqu
• Italiano it Dalla neve di Davos al ghiaccio dell'Artico Original Read more: Dalla neve di Davos al ghiaccio dell'Artic

Thick blankets of snow are falling over Fairbanks, Alaska. It is mid-April, and winter is in its last throes. Achille Capelli, from canton Graubünden in eastern Switzerland, is sitting in his office at the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska. The Swiss researcher has been living in the 49th US state for the past four years.

“When spring comes, the snow melts and the temperatures shoot up,” he says during a video call. It's 8am in Alaska and 6pm in Switzerland.“Summer here is hotter than in Davos because the sun never sets, not even at night.”

Achille Capelli on the ice floe in Utqiagvik, Alaska. Achille Capelli Warm welcome despite Arctic chill

Between December and January, meanwhile, the polar night holds sway, and there are but few hours of daylight. Temperatures can plummet to -45°C. Capelli, 37, has nonetheless remained true to his habits.

“Back in Switzerland I went to work by bike, and I have continued to do so here, also because I don't live far from the university,” he says.“I just have to wrap up properly if I don't want to get frostbitten hands or an iced-up beard.”

The postdoctoral student lives on the outskirts of Fairbanks. This is Alaska's second-largest city, with nearly 100,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area.“I live in a dry cabin – a small house with no running water or plumbing – because in winter the water would freeze in the pipes,” he explains. Every two weeks or so, he takes his car and fills a few plastic containers with water to have a supply for use at home.

The harsh Alaskan climate seems also to have forged the character of the residents.“The hostile environment has made the people very welcoming and helpful,” Capelli says.“Even though Fairbanks is quite a big town, it feels like a small community: people are open and supporting, and curious about outsiders.”

This is unlike his experience back home.“In German-speaking Switzerland, people are rather reluctant to establish contact with those from another linguistic region. Whereas here it's surprisingly easy to make new friends.”

Research to help local communities

And so the researcher from Graubünden soon felt at home in Fairbanks – not least because snow and ice are at the heart of his scientific work. In Switzerland he studied the different mechanisms regulating the snowpack and the formation of avalanches at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research in Davos.

He also tried to understand the warning signs for avalanches, using acoustic emissions. After obtaining his doctorate from the federal technology institute ETH Zurich, he sought a new professional challenge and, in 2020, applied for a postdoctoral project at the University of Alaska.

“The research focused on sea ice, which was not really my field, but I said to myself, 'why not?'” says Capelli, who grew up in Valposchiavo, an Italian-speaking valley in Graubünden.“I also liked the fact that it was not just basic research but also had a practical application.”

The aim of the research project is to develop an electromagnetic system that can be fitted on drones to measure the thickness of the Arctic snow and sea ice.“There are instruments that work well on the ground and others that can be mounted on helicopters or large planes, but an intermediate solution was lacking – something that could be carried by a drone,” he explains.

The initial plan was to use long-range drones, but given the limitations of the technology available, the research team had to modify its approach and used smaller multi-rotor drones instead.

The Arctic is one of the regions of the planet where temperatures are rising fastest. Between 1979 and 2021, the area covered by sea ice at the end of summer shrank by 13%External link .

The melting of the ice pack is caused by global warming and a phenomenon known as“Arctic amplification”: with less snow and ice present, the dark surface of ocean water absorbs more heat, leading to a vicious circle.

The melting of Arctic ice contributes to rising sea levels and exacerbates climate change. Thawing permafrost releases carbon dioxide and methane, two powerful greenhouse gases, into the atmosphere.

This reportExternal link by Swiss public television, RSI, explains why the world should be worried about the warming of the Arctic.

Sea ice: an unstable but vital platform

“The first phase of the project is complete. We're now carrying out new studies, continuing to fine-tune the system,” he says. Capelli and his research team are currently focusing on practical application. They are measuring the thickness of the ice shelf, the floating sea ice that forms in winter near the coast and remains attached to the land until spring.

“It's a kind of natural platform that local people have used for centuries to move, hunt and transport goods,” he says.“But it's a constantly evolving surface: it can become too thin, and therefore dangerous if you don't know how thick it is.”

The research also has logistical significance: in much of the Arctic, ships cannot dock directly on the coast as the sea is too shallow.“In winter and spring the ice shelf is used to unload and transport people, vehicles and goods. So knowing its thickness is vital.”

>> Arctic regions are attracting increasing international interest. A race to the far north of the planet, however, also entails risks, as this article explains:

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