Permafrost and frozen grounds are key elements of the terrestrial Cryosphere that will be strongly affected by a warming climate. In Greenland there are clear signs of permafrost related landscape features as well as permafrost degradation and the challenges this will bring to infrastructure. The European Space Agency launched the GlobPermafrost initiative (2016-2019) to help drive the use of remote sensing data in the detection and monitoring of permafrost related features and processes. The project aims to develop, validate and implement information products to support a range of end users from research bodies to governmental and decision making institutions.

Asiaq is a User group in this project and, in collaboration with various active permafrost research groups in Greenland, provides recommendations with regards to focus regions and validation data availability; as well as eventual evaluation of the products and monitoring service. The test site for Greenland is the Qeqertarsuaq region of W Greenland where there are many active rock glaciers.