Photo: Polona Itkin
Polona Itkin
Job description
Research Summary
Dr. Itkin specializes in studying sea ice motion and mass balance of sea ice and snow. In her work she combines data from in-situ observations, numerical models, and satellite and airborne remote sensing products. Her latest focus has been sea ice deformation and its impact on the distribution of sea ice and snow. She is the project manager of the Young Research Talent project funded by the Norwegian Research Council: Sea Ice Deformation and Snow for an Arctic in Transition (SIDRiFT), running 2019-2023.
Appointments
Researcher, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, 2019 - present.
Researcher, Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, 2018 - 2019.
Post-doctoral researcher, Norwegian Polar Institute (Norway), 2014 – 2018.
Post-doctoral researcher, Alfred Wegener Institute (Germany), 2013 – 2014.
Graduate student researcher, Alfred Wegener Institute (Germany), 2009 – 2013.
Assistant researcher at Otto-Schmidt Laboratory, Saint Petersburg (Russia) 2008-2009.
Professional Preparation
Ph.D. Geosciences, Jacobs University Bremen (Germany), 2014
M.S. Applied Marine and Polar Science, Saint Petersburg State University (Russia) and University of Bremen (Germany), 2009
B.S. Geography, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), 2006
Megan Lenss,
Sebastien Moreau,
Melissa Chierici,
Philippe Claeys,
Agneta Fransson,
Sebastian Gerland
et al.:
Incorporated platelet ice layers provide refuge for sea-ice algae in the Kong Håkon VII Hav
Marine Ecology Progress Series 18. September 2025 DOI
Wenkai Guo,
Jack Christopher Landy,
Johannes Lohse,
Anthony Paul Doulgeris,
Malin Johansson,
Torbjørn Eltoft
et al.:
Toward a Multidecadal SAR Analysis of Sea Ice Types in the Atlantic Sector of the Arctic Ocean
IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing 2025 DOI
Dmitry Divine,
Adam Steer,
Mats Granskog,
Sebastian Gerland,
Øyvind Foss,
Anca Cristea
et al.:
Data on Physical Properties of Sea Ice in the Northern Barents Sea and Adjacent Arctic Basin From the Nansen Legacy Project
Polona Itkin
:
Novel methods to study sea ice deformation, linear kinematic features and coherent dynamic clusters from imaging remote sensing data
The Cryosphere 2025 DOI
Ian A. Raphael,
Donald K. Perovich,
Christopher M. Polashenski,
David Clemens-Sewall,
Polona Itkin,
Ruibo Lei
et al.:
Sea ice mass balance during the MOSAiC drift experiment: Results from manual ice and snow thickness gauges
Polona Itkin,
Stefan Hendricks,
Melinda A. Webster,
Luisa von Albedyll,
Stefanie Arndt,
Dmitry Divine
et al.:
Sea ice and snow characteristics from year-long transects at the MOSAiC Central Observatory
Wenkai Guo,
Polona Itkin,
Suman Singha,
Anthony Paul Doulgeris,
Malin Johansson,
Gunnar Spreen
:
Sea ice classification of TerraSAR-X ScanSAR images for the MOSAiC expedition incorporating per-class incidence angle dependency of image texture
Polona Itkin
:
Novel methods to study sea ice deformation, linear kinematic features and coherent dynamic elements from imaging remote sensing data
The Cryosphere Discussions 2023 DOI
Linda Thielke,
Niels Fuchs,
Gunnar Spreen,
Bruno Tremblay,
Gerit Birnbaum,
Marcus Huntemann
et al.:
Preconditioning of Summer Melt Ponds From Winter Sea Ice Surface Temperature
Laurent Ferro-Famil,
F Boutet,
S Avrillon,
Wolfgang Fritz Otto Dierking,
Torbjørn Eltoft,
Polona Itkin
et al.:
Overview of Ground-Based Radar Measurements of Snow-Covered Sea-Ice Led During the 2022 CIRFA Arctic Cruise
IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium proceedings 2023 DOI
Rosemary Willatt,
Julienne Stroeve,
Vishnu Nandan,
Thomas Newman,
Robbie Mallett,
Stefan Hendricks
et al.:
Retrieval of Snow Depth on Arctic Sea Ice From Surface-Based, Polarimetric, Dual-Frequency Radar Altimetry
Evgenii Salganik,
Benjamin Lange,
Polona Itkin,
Dmitry Divine,
Christian Katlein,
Marcel Nicolaus
et al.:
Different mechanisms of Arctic first-year sea-ice ridge consolidation observed during the MOSAiC expedition
Wenkai Guo,
Polona Itkin,
Johannes Lohse,
Malin Johansson,
Anthony Paul Doulgeris
:
Cross-platform classification of level and deformed sea ice considering per-class incident angle dependency of backscatter intensity
Luisa von Albeldyll,
Stefan Hendricks,
Raphael Grodofzig,
Thomas Krumpen,
Stefanie Arndt,
H. Jakob Belter
et al.:
Thermodynamic and dynamic contributions to seasonal Arctic sea ice thickness distributions from airborne observations
Melinda A. Webster,
Marika Holland,
Nicholas C. Wright,
Stefan Hendricks,
Nils Hutter,
Polona Itkin
et al.:
Spatiotemporal evolution of melt ponds on Arctic sea ice: MOSAiC observations and model results
Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene 2022 DOI
Robbie Mallett,
Julienne C. Stroeve,
Michel Tsamados,
Rosemary Willatt,
Thomas Newman,
Vishnu Nandan
et al.:
Sub-kilometre scale distribution of snow depth on Arctic sea ice from Soviet drifting stations
Marcel Nicolaus,
Donald Perovich,
Gunnar Spreen,
Mats Granskog,
Luisa von Albedyll,
Michael Angelopoulos
et al.:
Overview of the MOSAiC expedition: snow and sea ice
David N. Wagner,
Matthew D. Shupe,
Christopher Cox,
Ola G. Persson,
Taneil Uttal,
Markus M. Frey
et al.:
Snowfall and snow accumulation during the MOSAiC winter and spring seasons
Wenkai Guo,
Jack Christopher Landy,
Shiming Xu,
Sebastian Gerland,
Anne Braakmann-Folgmann,
Evgenii Salganik
et al.:
The Bilateral INTERAAC (air-snow-ice-ocean INTERactions transforming Atlantic Arctic Climate) Collaboration between Norway and China
23. April 2025
Jack Christopher Landy,
Shiming Xu,
Sebastian Gerland,
Anne Braakmann-Folgmann,
Evgenii Salganik,
Weixing Zhu
et al.:
The Bilateral INTERAAC (air-snow-ice-ocean INTERactions transforming Atlantic Arctic Climate) Collaboration between Norway and China
2025
Evgenii Salganik,
Benjamin Allen Lange,
Christian Katlein,
Ilkka Matero,
Dmitry Divine,
Polona Itkin
et al.:
The rapid life of Arctic sea-ice ridge consolidation and melt
2024
Evgenii Salganik,
Mario Hoppmann,
Polona Itkin,
Ruibo Lei,
Nicolaus Marcel,
Ian Raphael
et al.:
Representativeness of ice mass balance buoy measurements during the MOSAiC expedition
2024
Wenkai Guo,
Jack Christopher Landy,
Ximing Xu,
Yong Luo,
Jianbin Huang,
Anne Christina Braakmann-Folgmann
et al.:
The Bilateral INTERAAC (air-snow-ice-ocean INTERactions transforming Atlantic Arctic Climate) Collaboration between Norway and China
2024
Wenkai Guo,
Anthony Paul Doulgeris,
Johannes Lohse,
Anna Malin Kristin Johansson,
Polona Itkin,
Torbjørn Eltoft
et al.:
Towards a multi-decadal SAR analysis of sea ice types in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic Ocean
2024
Jack Christopher Landy,
Johannes Lohse,
Anthony Paul Doulgeris,
Malin Johansson,
Torbjørn Eltoft,
Polona Itkin
et al.:
A multi-decadal SAR analysis of sea ice types in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic Ocean
2024
Evgenii Salganik,
Benjamin A. Lange,
Christian Katlein,
Ilkka Matero,
Dmitry Divine,
Polona Itkin
et al.:
The rapid life of Arctic sea-ice ridge consolidation and melt
2024
Dmitry Divine,
Adam Steer,
Sebastian Gerland,
Anca Cristea,
Elizabeth Marie Jones,
Agneta Fransson
et al.:
Sea Ice Studies in a Changing Northern Barents Sea within the Multidisciplinary Nansen Legacy Project
2023
Karley Lynn Campbell,
Rosalie Dawn Mckay,
Zoe Charlotte Koenig,
Janina Emilia Osanen,
Christien Philip Laber,
Georeges Kanaan
et al.:
BREATHE field school goes with the floe: Insights from an early-career training program
2023
Julie Sortland,
Angelika Renner,
Jofrid Skardhamar,
Polona Itkin,
Zoe Charlotte Koenig
:
Seasonal variability in hydrography and currents along a meridional transect crossing the Barents Sea
2023
Mats Granskog,
Evgenii Salganik,
Benjamin Lange,
Morven Muilwijk,
Yusuke Kawaguchi,
Marcel Nicolaus
et al.:
New insights on Arctic sea-ice ridges from the MOSAiC expedition – an overview
2023
Jack Christopher Landy,
Shiming Xu,
Wenkai Guo,
Evgenii Salganik,
Jianbin Huang,
Anna Malin Kristin Johansson
et al.:
The Bilateral INTERAAC (air-snow-ice-ocean INTERactions transforming Atlantic) Collaboration between Norway and China
2023
Dmitry Divine,
Adam Steer,
Sebastian Gerland,
Anca Cristea,
Elizabeth Marie Jones,
Agneta Fransson
et al.:
Sea ice studies in a changing northern Barents Sea within the multidisciplinary Nansen Legacy project
2023
Amy R. Macfarlane,
Martin Schneebeli,
Ruzica Dadic,
Aikaterini Tavri,
Antonia Immerz,
Chris Polashenski
et al.:
Author Correction: A Database of Snow on Sea Ice in the Central Arctic Collected during the MOSAiC expedition (Scientific Data, (2023), 10, 1, (398), 10.1038/s41597-023-02273-1)
Scientific Data 2023 DOI
Evgenii Salganik,
Benjamin Lange,
Dmitry Divine,
Polona Itkin,
Christian Katlein,
Mario Hoppmann
et al.:
Snow refreeze as one of the mechanisms of Artic sea ice ridge consolidation
2023
Jack Christopher Landy,
Anthony Paul Doulgeris,
Malin Johansson,
Yang Zhang,
Polona Itkin,
Torbjørn Eltoft
:
Multi-decadal time series of sea ice type classification in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic Ocean retrieved from wide-swath Synthetic Aperture Radar data
2023
Wenkai Guo,
Jack Christopher Landy,
Anthony Paul Doulgeris,
Malin Johansson,
yang zhang,
Polona Itkin
et al.:
Multi-decadal time series of sea ice type classification in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic Ocean retrieved from wide-swath Synthetic Aperture Radar data
2023
Wenkai Guo,
Polona Itkin,
Suman Singha,
Anthony Paul Doulgeris,
Malin Johansson,
Gunnar Spreen
:
TerraSAR-X ScanSAR texture-based sea ice classification
2022
Wenkai Guo,
Polona Itkin,
Suman Singha,
Anthony Paul Doulgeris,
Malin Johansson,
Gunnar Spreen
:
Sea ice classification of TerraSAR-X ScanSAR images for the MOSAiC expedition incorporating per-class incidence angle dependency of image texture
2022
Polona Itkin,
Dmitry Divine,
Adam Steer,
Rolf-Ole Rydeng Jenssen
:
On the shoulders of giants
Fram Forum 2022
Martin Ludvigsen,
Philipp Assmy,
Matthew James Samuel Adams,
Marti A. Arumi,
Tore Mo-Bjørkelund,
Yasemin V. Bodur
et al.:
Seasonal cruise Q2 2021: Cruise Report
Septentrio Academic Publishing 2022
Sebastian Gerland,
Dmitry Divine,
Mats Granskog,
Polona Itkin,
Malin Johansson,
Adam Steer
et al.:
Coordinated SAR satellite observations, airborne and ground surveys over Arctic sea ice and snow for different seasons
2022
Malin Johansson,
Polona Itkin,
Catherine Cecilia A Taelman,
Johannes Lohse,
Jack Christopher Landy,
Andrea Schneider
:
CIRFA science communicated
2022
Polona Itkin
:
Tracking winter floe evolution and sea ice damage from SAR-derived deformation
2022
Benjamin Lange,
Dmitry Divine,
Mats Granskog,
Polona Itkin,
Jessie Gardner
:
A year in ridged ice – experience from the MOSAiC expedition
Fram Forum 2021
Polona Itkin,
R&I Top Stories
:
Behind the Scenes’ podcasts dedicated to EU research and innovation. EPISODE 4: A village on ice
10. June 2021 FULLTEKST
Anette Ekin,
Polona Itkin
:
2021: Beyond coronavirus - what’s in store for science in the year ahead?
04. February 2021 FULLTEKST
Polona Itkin,
Rolf-Ole Rydeng Jenssen,
Dmitry Divine,
Stefan Hendricks,
Melinda Webster,
Robert Ricker
et al.:
Distributed sea ice and snow mass balance ground observations and satellite remote sensing products: how can they benefit from each other?
2021
Torbjørn Eltoft,
Malin Johansson,
Anthony Paul Doulgeris,
Suman Singha,
Polona Itkin,
Katalin Blix
:
Advancing information extraction on Arctic sea ice using a multi-sensor and multi-temporal integrated approach
2021
Malin Johansson,
Torbjørn Eltoft,
Suman Singha,
Polona Itkin,
Gunnar Spreen,
Stephen Howell
et al.:
L- and C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar data analysis from the yearlong MOSAiC expedition
2021
Wenkai Guo,
Polona Itkin,
Johannes Lohse
:
Cross-platform application of a sea ice classification method considering incidence angle dependency of backscatter intensity and its use in detecting ice deformation
2020
The 50 latest publications is shown on this page. See all publications in Cristin here →
Research interests
sea ice drift and deformation