What question or problem were you trying to address, and why is it important?
How has the calving frontline area of the Jakobshavn Isbrae glacier changed between 2000 and 2016, and what is the correlation between this retreat and the glacier's velocity?
Which coastal settlements near the Jakobshavn Isbrae glacier are most vulnerable to its accelerated retreat based on 2016 population data?
In what ways does the glacier retreat impact the infrastructure, economy, and traditional livelihoods—such as ice fishing and dog sledding—in the affected communities?
How did you use QGreenland in your work?
To integrate and analyze the multidisciplinary datasets, we utilized QGreenland, a QGIS-based geospatial platform. This environment allowed us to map the historical calving frontlines of Jakobshavn Isbrae and perform annual area calculations using satellite imagery. Additionally, we leveraged QGreenland’s built-in ice sheet velocity layers and community infrastructure data to spatially correlate the physical glacier retreat with the geographic locations and demographic vulnerability of the four nearby coastal settlements.
What did QGreenland enable you to do that you couldn’t do before?
With QGreenland it enabled us to immediately overlay human socioeconomic data (town locations, infrastructure) directly on top of glaciological layers (ice velocity, calving fronts). This spatial bridge allowed you to transition from pure physics to human impact in a single workspace.
What would you tell someone considering using QGreenland?
If you are doing any spatial research involving Greenland, do not start from scratch—use QGreenland. It is a game-changer because it eliminates the weeks of data-wrangling, downloading, and re-projecting usually required for Arctic research, allowing you to jump straight into your actual analysis.
About the contributor
Louise Maria is a Master's student with the Technical University of Denmark.
A case study by Louise Maria
Use type(s): Research – exploration of field area; In-field awareness; Data exploration; For fun! | Discipline(s): Earth and Space Physics and Engineering
Who are you and what do you do?
As a Master's student at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), I am deeply interested in studying Greenland's evolving environment. Specifically, my research focus centers on Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) and its impacts on the region's ice dynamics and crustal movement.
How did you use QGreenland?
In the project my group and I did in 2024, we investigated the acceleration and retreat of the Jakobshavn Isbrae calving front over the period 2000–2016. By performing annual area calculations, we mapped the changes in ice area and compared these findings with glacier velocity to analyze a potential correlation. Concurrently, we conducted a statistical analysis of 2016 population data for the nearby Greenlandic coastal settlements. Through this analysis, we identified four specific cities near the glacier that are uniquely vulnerable to the socio-economic challenges caused by the retreat. This exposure directly threatens local infrastructure, the tourism sector, and deeply rooted cultural traditions such as dog sledding and ice fishing.