Håkon Sandven is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bergen within the MSCA COFUND programme SEAS; exploring how light shapes marine ecosystems in a rapidly changing climate. His research bridges marine optics, biogeochemistry, and oceanography, focusing on the reciprocal relationships between optical and biogeochemical processes from Norwegian fjords to the Central Arctic Ocean, especially how the underwater light environment is governed. Sandven combines field observations, radiative transfer modelling, and remote sensing to understand how variations in light availability influence primary production, and ecosystem dynamics. His published work has improved our knowledge of advanced scattering measurements and light-driven processes in polar and subpolar seas, with a particular emphasis on the ecologically important Barents Sea. 

Current projects investigate how sea ice and terrestrial runoff structures the biologically relevant lightscape in the northwestern Barents Sea and the Central Arctic Ocean. Sandven’s research also includes optical effects of glacial meltwater and coccolithophore blooms in Norwegian fjords, using radiative-transfer modelling and field observations to assess how these processes reshape local light environments. His work on coastal waters, through the SFI Smart Ocean project, also includes testing of wireless underwater optical communication and development of radiative Monte Carlo simulations relevant for communication and novel sensors such as lidar. 

See his research output in ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8042-510X 

Sandven supervises students through the UAK project, bringing ocean technology and physics students on fieldwork in the Arctic. 

Academic article

• Sandven, Håkon Johan; Granskog, Mats; Opdal, Anders Martin Frugård et al. (2025). Increased Light Availability in the Northern Barents Sea Driven by Sea Ice Loss. (external link)
• Tomasi, Beatrice; Mulholland, John; Vasilijevic, Antonio et al. (2025). Measured effective rates for underwater optical communications in the Trondheimsfjord. (external link)
• Koenig, Zoe Charlotte; Muilwijk, Morven; Sandven, Håkon Johan et al. (2024). From winter to late summer in the northwestern Barents Sea shelf: Impacts of seasonal progression of sea ice and upper ocean on nutrient and phytoplankton dynamics. (external link)
• Nowak, Aga; Isaksson, Elisabeth; Sunde, Øyvind et al. (2024). Antarctic Blue Ice Areas are hydrologically active, nutrient rich and contain microbially diverse cryoconite holes. (external link)
• Ugulen, Håvard Stavn; Koestner, Daniel Warren; Sandven, Håkon Johan et al. (2023). Neural network approach for correction of multiple scattering errors in the LISST-VSF instrument. (external link)
• Sandven, Håkon; Hamre, Børge; Petit, Tristan et al. (2023). Seasonality and drivers of water column optical properties on the northwestern Barents Sea shelf. (external link)
• Ugulen, Håvard Stavn; Sandven, Håkon Johan; Hamre, Børge et al. (2022). Efficient Monte Carlo simulation reveals significant multiple scattering errors in underwater angular scattering measurements. (external link)
• Petit, Tristan; Hamre, Børge; Sandven, Håkon Johan et al. (2022). Inherent optical properties of dissolved and particulate matter in an Arctic fjord (Storfjorden, Svalbard) in early summer. (external link)
• Sandven, Håkon; Kristoffersen, Arne Skodvin; Chen, Yi-Chun et al. (2020). In situ measurements of the volume scattering function with LISST-VSF and LISST-200X in extreme environments: evaluation of instrument calibration and validity. (external link)

Report

• Sagen, Hanne; Storheim, Espen; Stallemo, Astrid et al. (2025). Useful Arctic Knowledge - Training, Collaboration, and Innovation in ocean observing A contribution to the Ocean Decade. (external link)
• Sagen, Hanne; Sandven, Stein; Hamre, Torill et al. (2020). UAK 2020: Research School in the Barents Sea with KV Svalbard. (external link)

Poster

• Kristoffersen, Arne Skodvin; Tessin, Elinor; Sandven, Håkon Johan et al. (2024). Optical properties of Norwegian fjords: Glacial meltwater and coccolithophore blooms. (external link)
• Sandven, Håkon Johan; Connan-McGinty, Stacey; Hamre, Børge et al. (2024). Modeling changes in light availability in the Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean driven by sea ice decline over the last four decades. (external link)
• Sandven, Håkon Johan; Granskog, Mats; McKee, David et al. (2023). Optical observations and parametrizations of Svalbard coastal waters and the adjacent Barents Sea. (external link)
• Koenig, Zoe Charlotte; Lind, Sigrid Gjessing; Lundesgaard, Øyvind et al. (2023). From Winter to Late Summer in the Northwestern Barents Sea Shelf: Sea Ice and Upper Ocean Evolution and Impacts on Nutrient and Phytoplankton Dynamics. (external link)
• Kristoffersen, Arne Skodvin; Tessin, Elinor; Hamre, Børge et al. (2022). Two shades of green: Comparing the optical properties of an Emiliania huxleyi bloom and a glacial meltwater fjord. (external link)
• Sandven, Håkon; Kristoffersen, Arne Skodvin; Chen, Yi-Chun et al. (2018). Measurements of volume scattering function and particle size distribution in Norwegian fjords and Arctic waters. (external link)

Academic lecture

• Sandven, Håkon Johan (2024). Light availability in the Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean: Modelling and observations. (external link)
• Sandven, Håkon Johan; Hamre, Børge; Connan-McGinty, Stacey et al. (2024). Sea ice decline drives strong changes in Barents Sea light availability in the last four decades. (external link)
• Sandven, Håkon Johan; Hamre, Børge; Connan-McGinty, Stacey et al. (2024). Strong changes in Barents Sea light availability in last four decades due to sea ice decline. (external link)
• Misund, Ole Arve; Dodd, Paul; Divine, Dmitry V et al. (2022). Arctic Expedition North Pole 2022 with "Kronprins Haakon". (external link)
• Ugulen, Håvard Stavn; Sandven, Håkon Johan; Hamre, Børge et al. (2022). Simulating and correcting LISST-VSF measurements. (external link)
• Sætre, Camilla; Ugulen, Håvard Stavn; Sandven, Håkon Johan et al. (2022). UNDERWATER OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS AND CONTRIBUTION FROM FORWARD SCATTERED LIGHT. (external link)
• Sandven, Håkon Johan; Hamre, Børge; Liu, Hongbo et al. (2022). Observing the Barents Sea with bio-optical measurements. (external link)
• Sandven, Håkon; Kristoffersen, Arne Skodvin; Chen, Yi-Chun et al. (2019). Particle size distribution measurements in glacial meltwater using laser diffractometry. (external link)
• Sandven, Håkon; Kristoffersen, Arne Skodvin; Chen, Yi-Chun et al. (2018). Measurements of volume scattering function and particle size distribution in natural waters in the Arctic Ocean.. (external link)
• Sandven, Håkon; Kristoffersen, Arne Skodvin; Chen, Yi-Chun et al. (2018). Characterisation of the angular distribution of light scattered by ocean particles. (external link)

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.