Our first sampling campaign is now taking place from 10 April to 1 May 2025 with a focus on Tromsø, Norway. We have set up 5 distribution stations at various locations through town.

Project members getting the sampling materials ready (photo: Tromsø Outdoor https://www.tromsooutdoor.no/)

We follow along when participants register a sample location in the ISOSCAN web application, and when samples are actually being returned.

Until this date (25 April 2025), we have seen the registration of 59 sampling locations. Most locations are within a few 100 km around Tromsø, but some are also collected in southern Norway and in Central Sweden. The sampling locations around Tromsø are shown on the map below:

59 sampling locations spread out in Norway and Sweden

After the distribution and collection of sample kits has ended, we will provide an update here on which samples have been received in the laboratory, as well as the final measured results.

Text: Harald Sodemann

Every autumn, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) collects water samples from over 800 lakes across Sweden. These samples are analyzed for different chemical elements, such as oxygen and nutrients. Benjamin, a member of the ISOSCAN team at Uppsala University, realized the lake water samples had never been analyzed regarding their stable water isotope composition. Analyzed samples were usually simply discarded, but since 2021, Benjamin kept some of the lake water for later stable isotope analysis. For the ISOSCAN project, measuring these samples will provide valuable information on the spatial variability of the isotopic composition of Sweden’s lakes.

The lost package was finally found! (photo: UiB)

All ISOSCAN water samples are analyzed for stable water isotopes at FARLAB, University of Bergen. So, we needed to ship 300 small glass bottles from Uppsala University, Sweden, to Bergen, Norway – seems simple enough! On 13 November 2024, the carefully packaged samples were sent off by regular mail. A tracking update later showed that the package had arrived at Norwegian customs and, by 29 November, was supposedly waiting for pickup. However, no notification ever reached the recipient, and the shipping company had no record of the parcel’s whereabouts. Apparently, the parcel was too big for the letter box (surprise!) and went on hold for a later delivery attempt.

December passed. January 2025 arrived. The samples were still missing. A lost parcel inquiry was launched, requiring us to estimate the package’s value. A tricky question: What is the value of lake water? One cubic meter (1000 liter) of drinking water costs roughly 45 Swedish kroner (https://www.uppsalavatten.se/ ). Accordingly, 300 ml of sample water are only worth 0.01 kroner – basically worthless. Yet just the effort that went into collecting and preparing the samples for analysis is huge, and with samples being irreplaceable, they were worth more than gold to us scientists.

Then, on January 14, just as hope was fading, an email arrived from Andrew: The package had finally been tracked down and had been safely delivered. Relief washed over us! What went wrong is still a mystery, but who cares – time for a victory dance! Now that we have regained the samples, we are busy analyzing at FARLAB. We are already very curious about the results – what will the measurements reveal about the water movement in Sweden’s lakes?

Lessons learned:

1. Never ship critically important items around Black Friday.
2. If samples are that important, deliver them in person.
3. Keep some extra water in a backup storage. Thanks to funding from the ISOSCAN project, this is done since 2024

Science is an adventure, and sometimes, even a lost parcel can be part of the journey.

GIF animation : packing water sample bottles in the lab

Text: Benjamin Fischer/Uppsala University

Project leader Harald Sodemann presenting ISOSCAN to guides from Wondering Owl

Within ISOSCAN, we aim to engage citizens and stakeholders to help collect snow samples over distances and durations we as scientists could never accomplish. During the tourism high season in winter, many tour operators in Tromsø run daily trips where they take groups for snowshoe hikes or to see Northern lights. Since they are on the road anyways, why not ask them to take a snow sample for ISOSCAN? And maybe even starting conversations about snow, weather, and climate science?

Being a tour guide is a tough job. You have responsibility for your group, many things to take care of, and long working days. If we ask a guide for sampling on top of that, the method must be reliable and simple. Importantly, the guides need to see that the sample is used, and what it’s being used for.

In November 2024 I went to Tromsø to make the case for ISOSCAN with the guides from Wandering Owl. Tour operator Wandering Owl had already been experimenting last season with citizen science snow sampling for us. My plan was now to showcase the ISOSCAN approach to the new guides for this year’s snow season and to encourage their further involvement.

It was amazing to witness how the room filled with energy as the guides arrived: about 30 people with diverse backgrounds, some experienced, some new to Tromsø, settled onto their chairs as the sound of many languages swirled in the air. Then I laid out what ISOSCAN involves and how snow sampling is useful. Finally, I talked about current weather forecasting, and why it’s hard to forecast clouds and snow – which is key when you want to take people snowshoeing or to see the Northern lights.

Participants showing interest and curiosity during the Q&A section

During the Q&A, an amazing show of interest and curiosity broke loose, friendly but direct. It became clear that yes, these stakeholders were engaged. And importantly, we agreed that Wondering Owl would do some ISOSCAN snow sampling with some of their tours. We’re excited to see the results from their sampling as the 2025 winter season ends!

Text: Harald Sodemann / UiB
Photos: Martina Stęposz / Wandering Owl