William Helland-Hansen

William Helland-Hansen is a Professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Bergen (UiB), specializing in sedimentology, marine geology, and basin analysis. His research focuses on glacial and postglacial sedimentation processes, fjord systems, and the evolution of sedimentary basins such as the Barents Sea and Svalbard. He leads the Geodynamics and Basin Studies research group and has contributed extensively to understanding clinoform geometry, source-to-sink systems, and sediment dispersal patterns in both modern and ancient settings.

Key research areas include:

• Glacial fjord sedimentation dynamics
• Sequence stratigraphy of Arctic basins
• Hyperpycnal flow impacts on deep-water sediments
• Climate-driven coastal changes in Arctic regions
• Quantitative modeling of sediment budgets and dispersal systems

Recent work emphasizes the quantification of deglacial sediment fluxes in Norwegian fjords and the application of trajectory analysis to reconstruct paleoenvironments. His interdisciplinary approach integrates seismic data, sediment core analysis, and numerical modeling, with fieldwork across Svalbard, the Barents Sea, and Norway’s western fjord systems.

Funding includes grants from the Research Council of Norway (Projects 267689, 228107), supporting studies on Triassic-Barents Sea mega-basins and Holocene fjord sedimentation. Collaborations involve institutions such as the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) and NORCE Norwegian Research Centre.