Wesley Van Wychen

Wesley joined the department in 2019, after leading the Canadian Cryospheric Information Network and Polar Data Catalogue at the University of Waterloo. Prior to this, he worked as a Research Scientist within the Public Service of Canada (2016-2018). His research interests are broad, but largely related to remote sensing of the cryosphere (in particular glaciers and glacier dynamics) and oceans (currents and oil spills), geospatial data management and historical climate data rescue.

• Remote Sensing, Glaciers, Cryosphere

My primary research interests relate to utilizing remote sensing (satellite imagery) and field data to observe variability in glaciers and glacier motion. My work largely utilizes Synthetic Aperture RADAR (SAR) data to create regional scale monitoring of ice masses in Canada. In support of this work, I have undertaken fieldwork in Yukon, Nunavut, the Rocky Mountains and Svalbard (Norwegian Arctic). This research is critical for understanding how glaciers in Canada (and worldwide) are responding to a changing climate.

In addition to this, I am also interested in the application of SAR remote sensing datasets to observe ocean processes (currents, sea ice) and monitor human activities (detection of oil spills). Further, I am also interested in research projects related to data management and long-term data preservation as well as historical climate data rescue projects.

• PhD (2015), Dept. of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa Thesis title: ‘Dynamics and Discharge of Ice Masses of the Canadian High Arctic’

• MSc (2010), Dept. of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa; Thesis title: ‘Spatial and Temporal Variations in Ice Motion, Belcher Glacier, Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada’.

• BA (2007), Dept. of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa; Hons - Major in Geography, Minor in Geomatics

• GEOG 294 - Approaches to Research in Physical Geography
  • Taught in 2021, 2022
• GEOG 320 - The Cryosphere
  • Taught in 2026
• GEOG 371 - Advanced Remote Sensing Techniques
  • Taught in 2021, 2022, 2024, 2026
• GEOG 420 - Ice Sheets and Glaciers
  • Taught in 2022, 2023, 2025

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• 40. Zhang, W., Van Wychen, W., Li, T. & Yamanokuchi, T. (2026), Active subglacial lakes in the Canadian Arctic identified by multi-annual ice elevation changes. The Cryosphere. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2707.

• 39. *Dalton, A. Copland, L., Van Wychen, W., Dawson, J., Cook, A., Garbo, A., Mueller, D., and Tivy, A. (2025), Understanding changes in iceberg-ship coexistence throughout the eastern Canadian Arctic: 2012-2019. FACETS. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/facets-2024-0232.

• 38. *Dalton, A., Garbo, A., Copland, L., Van Wychen, W., Mueller, D., Tivy, A. (2025). Long-term field tracking of icebergs in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. Arctic Science, https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2023-0069.

• 37. *Hallé, D.A.M., Van Wychen, W., Burgess, D., Danielson, B., Kelly, R., Myers, M., Noёl, B., Bezeau, P., Copland, L. (2025), Evolving Ice Fraction in the Shallow Firn Layer of Devon Ice Cap, Canada, between 2012 and 2022. Journal of Glaciology, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2025.39.

• 36. Van Wychen, W., Jiskoot, H., *Shannon, K. and Gorwill, C. (2025), The long multiphase trunk-tributary surge of high-Arctic Chapman Glacier, 1999-2023, Canadian High Arctic. Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research, 57(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2024.2441541.

• 35. A35. *Bayer, C., Van Wychen, W., and Wendleder, A., Main, B. (2024). Seasonal variability of ice motion for Hubbard and Valerie glaciers, Alaska. Arctic, 77(4): DOI: https://doi.org/10.14430/arctic80162

• 34. Gray, L., *Lauzon, B., Copland, L., Van Wychen, W., Dow, C., Kochtitzky, W. and Alley, K. (2024), Tracking the filling, outburst flood and resulting subglacial water channel from a large Canadian Arctic subglacial lake. Geophysical Research Letters, 51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110456.

• 33. Copland, L., *Hallé, D., Van Wychen, W., Lauzon, B., Dowdeswell, J. A., Davis, J. (2024), Characteristics of the 15-year surge of Mittie Glacier, SE Ellesmere Island. Annals of Glaciology, 1-13 DOI: http://doi.org/10.1017/aog2024.31.

• 32. Main, B., Copland, L., Flowers, G., Dow, C., Van Wychen, W., Samsonov, S. and Kochtitzky, W. (2024). Topographic and hydrological controls on partial and full surges of Little Kluane Glacier, Yukon. Journal of Glaciology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2024.35

• 31. Gray, L., Burgess, D., Copland, L., Dow, C., Fettweis, X., Fisher, D., Kochtitzky, W., Van Wychen, Zheng, J. (2024), Repeated subglacial jökulhlaups in NE Greenland revealed by CryoSat. Journal of Glaciology, 1-11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ jog.2024.32.

• 30. Newall, A., Knudby, A., and Van Wychen, W. (2024). Automated ocean front feature mapping using Sentinel-1 with examples from the Gulf Stream. International Journal of Remote Sensing.46(6). DOI: 10.1080/01431161.2024.2320179.

• 29. Van Wychen, W., *Bayer, C., Copland, L., Brummell, E., and Dow, C. (2023), Radarsat Constellation Mission Derived Winter Glacier Velocities for the St. Elias Icefield, Yukon/Alaska: 2022 and 2023. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing. 49(1): 1-10. DOI: 10.1080/07038992.2023.2264395

• 28. Lauzon, B., Copland, L., Van Wychen, W., Kochtitzky, W., McNabb, R. (2023), Evolution in surface morphology and velocity of Airdrop Glacier, western Axel Heiberg Island, over a seven decade long advance. Arctic Science. DOI: 10.1139/AS-2022-0045.

• 27. Kochtitzky, W.H., Copland, L., Van Wychen, W., Hock, R., Rounce, D., Jiskoot, H., Scambos, T.A., Morlighem, M., King, M., Cha, L., Gould, L., Merrill, P-M., Glazovsky, A., Hugonnet, R., Strozzi, T., Noël, B., Navarro, F., Millan, R., Dowdeswell, J.A., Cook, A., Dalton, A ., Khan, S., Jania, J. (2023). Progress towards globally complete frontal ablation estimates of marine-terminating glacier. Annals of Glaciology, 1-10.DOI: 10.1017/aog.2023.35.

• 26. Lauzon, B., Copland, L., Van Wychen, W., Kochtitzky, W., McNabb, R., Dahl-Jensen, D. (2023), Dynamics throughout a complete surge cycle of Iceberg Glacier on western Axel Heiberg Island, Canadian High Arctic. Journal of Glaciology: 1-18. DOI: 10.1017/jog.2023.20

• 25. Main, B., Copland, L., Smeda, B., Kochtitzky, W., Samsonov, S., Dudley, J., Skidmore, M., Dow, C., Van Wychen, W., Medrzycka, D., Higgs, E., Mingo, L. (2022), Terminus change of Kaskawulsh Glacier under a warming climate: retreat, thinning, slowdown, and modified proglacial lake geometry. Journal of Glaciology:1-17. DOI: 10.1017/jog.2022.114.

• 24. Armstrong, W.H., Polashenski, D., Truffer, M., Horne, G., Hanson, J., Hawley, R., Hengst, A., Vowels, L., Menounos, B., Van Wychen, W. (2022), Declining basal motion dominates the long-term slowing of Athabasca Glacier, Canada. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 127(e2021JF006439): 1-22

• 23. Kochtitzky, W., Copland, L., Van Wychen, W., Hugonnet, R., Hock, R., Dowdeswell, J. A., Benham, T., Strozzi, T., Glazovsky, A., Lavrentiev, I., Rounce, D., Millan, R., Cook, A., *Dalton, A., Jiskoot, H., Cooley, J., Jania, J., Navarro, F. (2022), The unquantified mass loss of Northern Hemisphere marine-terminating glaciers from 2000-2020. Nature Communications, 13(5835): 1-10. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33231-x.

• 22. Van Wychen, W., *Hallé, D., Copland, L., Gray, L. (2022), Anomalous surface elevation, velocity, and area changes of Split Lake Glacier, western Prince of Wales Icefield, Canadian High Arctic. Arctic Science, 8: 1288-1304. DOI: 10.1139/AS-2021-0039.

• 21. *Dalton, A., Van Wychen, W., Copland, L., Gray, L., Burgess, D. (2022), Seasonal and multi-year flow variability on the Prince of Wales Icefield, Ellesmere Island: 2009-2019. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 127(e2021JF006501): 1-20. DOI: 10.1029/2021JF006501.

• 20. Van Wychen, W., Burgess, D., Kochtitzky, W., *Nikolić, N., Copland, L., Gray, L. (2020), Radarsat-2 Derived Glacier Velocities and Dynamic Discharge Estimates for the Canadian High Arctic: 2015-2020. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 46(6): 695-714. DOI: 10.1080/07038992.2020.1859359.

• 19. Rippin, D., Sharp, M., Van Wychen, W., Zubot, D. (2020), ‘Detachment’ of icefield outlet glaciers: catastrophic thinning and retreat of the Columbia Glacier (Canada). Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 45(2): 459-472. DOI: 10.1002/esp.4746.

• 18. Dalton, A., Copland, L., Tivy, A., Van Wychen, W., Cook, A. (2019), Iceberg production and characteristics around the Prince of Wales Icefield, Ellesmere Island, 1997-2015. Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research, 51(1): 412-427. DOI: 10.1080/15230430.2019.1634442.

• 17. Medrzycka, D., Copland, L., Van Wychen, W., Burgess, D. (2019), Seven decades of uninterrupted advance of Good Friday Glacier, Axel Heiberg Island, Arctic Canada. Journal of Glaciology, 65(251): 440-452. DOI: 10.1017/jog.2019.21.

• 16. Normandeau, A., Dietrich, P., Hughes Clarke, J., Van Wychen, W., Lajeunesse, P., Burgess, D., Chienne, J-F. (2019), Retreat pattern of glaciers controls the occurrence of turbidity currents on high-latitude fjord deltas (eastern Baffin Island). Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 124(6): 1559-1571. DOI: 10.1029/2018JF004970.

• 15. Biron, K., Van Wychen, W., Vachon, P. (2019), Gulf stream detection from SAR Doppler Anomaly. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 44(4): 311-320. DOI: 10.1080/07038992.2018.1516130.

• 14. Van Wychen, W., Vachon, P. W., Wolfe, J. Biron, K. (2019), Synergistic RADARSAT-2 and Sentinel-1 SAR images for ocean feature analysis. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 45(5): 591-602. DOI: 10.1080/07038992.2019.1662284.

• 13. Van Wychen, W., Copland, L., Jiskoot, H., Gray, L., Sharp, M., Burgess, D. (2018), Surface Velocities of Glaciers in western Canada from speckle-tracking of ALOS PALSAR and RADARSAT-2 data. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 44(1): 57-66. DOI: 10.1080/07038992.2018.1433529.

• 12. Van Wychen, W., Vachon, P., Wolfe, J., Biron, K. (2018), The utility of Sentinel-1 data for ocean surface feature analysis in the vicinity of the Gulf Stream. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 44(239): 144-152. DOI: 10.1080/07038992.2018.1461558.

• 11. Mortimer, C., Sharp, M., Van Wychen, W. (2018), Influence of recent warming and ice dynamics on glacier surface elevation in the Canadian High Arctic, 1995-2014. Journal of Glaciology, 64(245): 450-464. DOI: 10.1017/jog.2018.37.

• 10. Pimentel, S., Flowers, G., Sharp, M., Danielson, B., Copland, L., Van Wychen, W., Duncan, A., Kavanaugh, J. (2017), Modelling intra-annual dynamics of a major marine-terminating Arctic glacier. Annals of Glaciology, 58(74): 118-130. DOI: 10.1017/aog.2017.23.

• 9. Jiskoot, H., Fox, T., Van Wychen, W. (2017), Flow and structure in a dendritic glacier with bedrock steps. Journal of Glaciology, 63(241): 912-928. DOI: 10.1017/jog.2017.58.

• 8. Van Wychen, W., Davis, J., Copland, L., Burgess, D., Gray, L., Sharp, M., Dowdeswell, J., Benham, T. (2017), Variability in ice motion and dynamic discharge from Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut, Canada. Journal of Glaciology, 63(239): 436-449. DOI: 10.1017/jog.2017.2.

• 7. Schellenberger, T., Van Wychen, W., Copland, L., Kääb, A., Gray, L. (2016), An inter-comparison of techniques for determining velocities of maritime Arctic glaciers, Svalbard using Radarsat-2 Wide Fine mode data. Remote Sensing, 8(785): 1-16. DOI: 10.3390/rs8090785.

• 6. Gilbert, A., Flowers, G., Miller, G., Rabus, B., Van Wychen, W., Gardner, A., Copland, L. (2016), Sensitivity of Barnes Ice Cap, Baffin Island, Canada, to climate state and internal dynamics. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 121(8): 1516-1539. DOI: 10.1002/2016JF003839.

• 5. Van Wychen, W., Davis, J., Burgess, D., Copland, L., Gray, L., Sharp, M., Mortimer, C. (2016). Characterizing interannual variability of glacier dynamics and dynamic discharge (1999-2015) for the ice masses of Ellesmere and Axel Heiberg Islands, Nunavut, Canada. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 121(1): 39-63. DOI: 10.1002/2015JF003708.

• 4. White, A., Copland, L., Mueller, D., Van Wychen, W. (2015), Assessment of historical changes (1959-2012) and the causes of recent break ups of the Petersen Ice Shelf, Nunavut, Canada. Annals of Glaciology, 56(69): 65-76. DOI: 10.3189/2015AoG69A687.

• 3. Van Wychen, W., Copland, L., Burgess, D., Gray, L., Schaffer, N. (2015), Glacier velocities and dynamic discharge from the ice masses of Baffin Island and Bylot Island, Nunavut, Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 52(11): 980-989. DOI: 10.1139/cjes-2015-0087.

• 2. Van Wychen, W., Burgess, D., Gray, L., Copland, L., Sharp, M., Dowdeswell, J., Benham, T. (2014), Glacier velocities and dynamic ice discharge from the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Nunavut, Canada. Geophysical Research Letters, 41(2): 484-490. DOI: 10.1002/2013GL058558.

• 1. Van Wychen, W., Copland, L., Gray, L., Burgess, D., Danielson, B. and Sharp, M. (2012), Spatial and temporal variation of ice motion and ice flux from Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut, Canada. Journal of Glaciology, 58(210), 657-66. DOI: 10.3189/2012JoG11J164.