1990 image of Kronebreen
On Monday we found our way to the Framsenterett where the Norwegian Polar Institute is headquartered. They occupy 3 floors and share the rest of the building with many other agencies devoted to the study and welfare of our planet. I had an appointment with Ann Kristin Balto, an archivist who had agreed to provide historical images of Kronebreen for review.
Ann Kristin in Office
She asked Harold Faste, a photo grametry specialist and photographer, to join us and share priceless original images from 1906 to 1936 and then from the 60's to the 90’s of the glaciers around Ny-Alesund. We spent almost three hours there looking at images with them.
In the Archive Room
We then were invited by Ivar Stokkeland the librarian to the rare book room where he showed us books dating back to one from 1550 by a priest describing Northern countries in Latin. He also shared a large volume on the 1839 "Recherche Expedition" with beautiful illustrations.
Then he showed us the book by Leonie D'Aunet (1854) who was the first woman who ever visited Spitsbergen as the fiancé of that expedition artist. This is a book I must find when I return to the states...
Rare Book Room
First Female Arctic Explorer
We also toured the floors where the scientists were meeting and we finally got to spend time with Jack's wife, Elizabeth Isaksson who was a glaciologist mostly working with core samples in the Antarctic. After that we went to the Polaria which was a museum where Ann will be mounting an exhibit in November about how scientists are conducting their research and my video footage may be part of it.