The research activities are mainly in the areas of remote sensing of sea ice and oceanographic processes including ocean acoustics.  Work includes ocean and sea ice field work with data collection and data analysis.  In sea ice research data from different types of satellite sensors are used for studies of sea ice classification, drift, thickness and processes such as leads, polynyas and ridges. Validation of sea ice remote sensing data uses data from in situ observations. The research is focused on development of operational observing systems for the Arctic seas using both satellite, in situ, and underwater sensors. 

He has been coordinator of many Arctic research projects during the last 30 years, including 19 EU projects, 16 ESA projects and 20 projects under the Research Council of Norway. From 2011 to 2018 he was the science leader of the ESA CCI sea ice project (2012-2018).  From 2017 his main responsibility and fulltime job is to coordinate the H2020 project Arctic Integrated Observation System (INTAROS), which runs from 2016 to 2022. INTAROS has 49 partners from 20 countries and a budget of 15.5 MEURO. As coordinator of INTAROS, he works with the major organisations, programmes and projects related to Arctic observing systems in Europe, North America and Asia. From 2020 to 2022 he is coordinator of the Coordination and Support Action CAPARDUS under H2020.  Presently he is member of the advisory boards for several new Arctic projects funded by EU and the Research Council of Norway.