The Leister Expedition Go East 2023 in Southeast Greenland

The “Leister Expedition Go East 2023” enabled fieldwork to be conducted along the east coast of Greenland—from Constable Point in the east to Narsarsuaq in the south. The objective was to acquire new insights into the climate, biodiversity, geology, and pollution in this largely unexplored region.

Author: Silke Landtwing, editor

An Interdisciplinary Team and Mobile Infrastructure

Participants in the Leister Expedition Go East 2023 on the Nansen Explorer in Scoresby Sound. Back row (left to right): Morten Rasch, Henrik Lassen, Nadescha Zwerschke, Joseph Marlow, Laura Helene Rasmussen, Anders Priemé, Michael Kühl, Julie Lattaud, Beat Frey, and Søren Thor Jørgensen. Front row (left to right): David Janssen, Anna Carratalà, Christiane Leister, and Julian Charrière. (photo: Julian Charrière).

Participants in the Leister Expedition Go East 2023 on the Nansen Explorer in Scoresby Sound. Back row (left to right): Morten Rasch, Henrik Lassen, Nadescha Zwerschke, Joseph Marlow, Laura Helene Rasmussen, Anders Priemé, Michael Kühl, Julie Lattaud, Beat Frey, and Søren Thor Jørgensen. Front row (left to right): David Janssen, Anna Carratalà, Christiane Leister, and Julian Charrière. (photo: Julian Charrière).

The fourth Leister Expedition took place in July and August 2023, with researchers from Switzerland, Denmark, and Greenland. Morten Rasch (University of Copenhagen) was once again the scientific director. As in 2021 and 2022, artist Julian Charrière joined the expedition team, accompanying the project through film and photography. Christiane Leister, who initiated and supported the fourth Greenland expedition, took on the role of general manager on behalf of the Leister Foundation. Henrik Lassen (CEO Arctic Capacity ApS, Denmark) was once again responsible for logistics.

The Norwegian icebreaker Nansen Explorer—equipped with a helicopter deck, an Air Greenland AS350 helicopter, two Zodiacs, a laboratory container, and a winch—served as the expedition platform. This setup made possible both flexible access to shore and marine sampling—providing a decisive advantage for fieldwork in difficult-to-access terrain.
(Photo: Christiane Leister)

Scientific Focal Points and Methods

David Janssen (Eawag, Switzerland) with water samples. The portable filtering setup was designed to maximize efficiency and flexibility, easily allowing sample filtering in the field or on board the ship. (photo: Christiane Leister)

David Janssen (Eawag, Switzerland) with water samples. The portable filtering setup was designed to maximize efficiency and flexibility, easily allowing sample filtering in the field or on board the ship. (photo: Christiane Leister)

The expedition encompassed various research projects, with topics ranging from microorganisms in hot springs near Rømer Fjord and Knighton Bay through soil and water analyses of fjord areas, such as Kangerlussuaq and Lindenow Fjord, to mapping marine vegetation and detecting microplastics on remote beaches (e.g., on Skjoldungen Island and near Cape Farewell).

Research was conducted on soil bacteria, trace elements in rivers, nitrogen dynamics in the tundra, and the effects of glacier melt on greenhouse gases, among other things. Tools including sediment probes and measuring devices were used to examine the water, air, ice, and vegetation. Molecular biological and geophysical analyses were also carried out. The favorable weather conditions—with 14 days of good visibility—made it possible to execute the planned research projects in their entirety.

The “Albedo” Art Project in the Context of Research

The scientific work was rounded out by an artistic project undertaken by the French-Swiss artist Julian Charrière. In his film project “Albedo,” he engaged, on both a visual and conceptual level, with the landscapes and research activities of the expedition.

The term “albedo” refers to the fraction of sunlight that is reflected by a surface—a crucial phenomenon for climate research in the Arctic. Julian Charrière employs this notion both physically and metaphorically to reflect on the interactions between humans, nature, and scientific knowledge. He accompanied the team to various locations—including Cape Farewell and Knighton Bay—mixing documentary footage with performative elements. The idea was to open up new perspectives on the relationship between human beings, the environment, and science.

Production of “Albedo” near Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland. (photo: Antoine Drancey, copyright Julian Charrière)

Production of “Albedo” near Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland. (photo: Antoine Drancey, copyright Julian Charrière)

Research along Greenland’s Spectacular Coastline

The expedition followed a route that led through some of the most spectacular fjords in southeast Greenland—including Køge Bugt, Prince Christian Sound, and the region around Cape Brewster. The researchers encountered imposing glacier fronts, deep fjords, geothermally active springs (hot springs), and near-pristine stretches of coastline.

A hot spring at Knighton Bay emerges from a hill side and is surrounded by dense vegetation thriving in the mild microclimate created by the warm air and hot water running downhill towards the shoreline. (photo: Laura Helene Rasmussen)

A hot spring at Knighton Bay emerges from a hill side and is surrounded by dense vegetation thriving in the mild microclimate created by the warm air and hot water running downhill towards the shoreline. (photo: Laura Helene Rasmussen)

Particularly impressive were the hot springs where water temperatures between 53 and 58°C were measured at the outlet, such as at Rømer Fjord (55–58°C) and in Knighton Bay (50–53°C). Analyses of the samples from the hot springs provided insights into the composition and adaptation of microbial communities in extreme habitats.

Successful Interdisciplinary Collaboration

During the expedition, the researchers benefited from shared logistics, coordinated route planning, and the opportunity to discuss their observations, creating valuable synergies between the projects.
Their findings represent important contributions to international climate, environmental, and biodiversity research.

Christiane Leister and Anders Prieme sampling soil near a river at Prince Christian Sound. In the background, David Janssen is collecting water samples for his project. (photo: Julian Charriere)

Knowledge from the Arctic—and Another Book

The “Leister Expedition Go East 2023” to East Greenland explored regions between Constable Point and Narsarsuaq that have been little investigated by scientists. Thanks to a dynamic and well-qualified team, appropriate infrastructure, excellent coordination, and favorable weather conditions, all the planned scientific projects could be successfully completed.

The Leister Foundation’s fourth Greenland expedition also demonstrates how the targeted support of research projects can lead to new scientific discoveries.

In the book Leister Expedition Go East 2023 – Discoveries and Explorations in East Greenland, we take you on a tour of this unique island and give you a glimpse of the various stages and results of the expedition—complete with spectacular pictures and the participants’ own personal impressions.

As with the first two books, Greenland Expedition 2018 – Experiences and Reflections on Climate Change and Leister Expeditions 2021 and 2022 – Discoveries and Explorations in North Greenland, you can order this book free of charge from the Leister Foundation.

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