Snow, ice, and permafrost research at the Geophysical Institute is directed toward developing a better understanding of the properties of these materials, of the processes occurring within them, and of the role they play in the polar and subpolar environments. Much of the research involves field investigations in Alaska, with some work carried out in Greenland and Antarctica. Some of the research is performed with the Alaska Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Facility in the @