Tom Arne Rydningen

Tom Arne Rydningen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geosciences at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, specializing in Arctic marine geology. His research focuses on Cenozoic continental margin development, glacial history, and source-to-sink sedimentary systems in high-latitude environments. He actively contributes to understanding the evolution of the Arctic Ocean and its connections to global ocean circulation.

Dr. Rydningen's research interests center on high-latitude continental margin development, particularly examining the large-scale evolution of ocean circulation in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea and Arctic Ocean during the Miocene. He investigates the buildup and retreat of marine-based ice sheets through the Quaternary in Fennoscandia, the Barents Sea, Svalbard, and northeastern Greenland. His work employs diverse methodologies including contourite studies, glacigenic deposits analysis, source-to-sink system modeling, and seismic stratigraphy using 2D/3D seismic data and multibeam echosounder data.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a strong focus on Arctic geological processes, particularly concerning the Barents Sea region. His work spans multiple disciplines including glaciology, paleoceanography, and sedimentology, with significant contributions to understanding Pleistocene glaciations, Cenozoic tectonic influences on sediment transfer, and microplastic pollution in Arctic marine sediments. Recent publications demonstrate increasing interdisciplinary approaches, connecting geological processes with contemporary environmental concerns.

Dr. Rydningen is actively involved in several major research projects including DYPOLE (Dynamics of polar confined basins), Arven etter Nansen, TUNU, Euro-arctic marine fishes, iEarth, and GoNorth. He is a member of the Sedimentary Systems, Paleoclimates and Environments research group and contributes to science didactics in higher education. His teaching portfolio includes courses in marine geology, geological interpretation, and Arctic marine geology fieldwork.

His research combines fieldwork, seismic data interpretation, and sediment core analysis to reconstruct past environmental conditions and ice sheet dynamics in the Arctic. This work has significant implications for understanding current climate change impacts on polar regions and provides crucial context for interpreting modern Arctic environmental changes.