EPFL-SNOWFLUX is a long-term cryospheric research project led by the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) that investigates the interactions between snow, ice and the atmosphere in East Antarctica. Building on the earlier CRYOS and LOSUMEA projects, the research aims to improve our understanding of the processes that control the surface mass balance of the Antarctic Ice Sheet.

The Antarctic Ice Sheet continuously gains mass through snowfall and loses mass through processes such as wind erosion, sublimation and melting. Understanding this balance is essential for predicting how Antarctica will respond to climate change and how it may contribute to future sea-level rise. Since 2016, the project has operated automatic weather stations near Princess Elisabeth Antarctica to collect year-round observations of meteorological conditions and snow transport.

In addition to the weather stations, the project uses specialised instruments to measure blowing snow, heat exchange between the snow surface and the atmosphere, and other key atmospheric processes. These observations provide valuable data for improving numerical models that simulate snow transport, sublimation and the overall surface mass balance of the Antarctic Ice Sheet.

By combining long-term field measurements with advanced modelling, EPFL-SNOWFLUX contributes to a better understanding of the processes that shape Antarctica's snow cover and supports more accurate predictions of the future evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet under a changing climate.