Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

From the beginning of the Pliocene cooling to the modern warming – Past Permafrost Records in Arctic Siberia  (PAST PERMAFROST)

Outline
Permafrost conditions are assumed to be stable in the Siberian Arctic since probably 2.5 million years. The permafrost deposits of the Siberian lowlands are excellent climate and environmental archives and important links between marine records of the Pacific (KOMEX), Atlantic (IODP North Atlantic Climate I & II), Arctic Ocean (APEX), the glacial records from Greenland (NorthGRIP II) as well as the high-resolution lacustrine records from Lakes Baikal and Elgygytgyn. The abundance of well-preserved bioindicators (pollen, plant macrofossils, rhizopods, chironomids, beetles, ostracods, diatoms, mammal bones) in the permafrost deposits allows multiproxy paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Ground ice data and sedimentological characteristics reflect the conditions of permafrost formation and transformation. These records are also suitable datasets for climate reconstructions. Although, they are not always as highly resolved as other archives, permafrost deposits are widely distributed in Siberia and contain data of several climate stages. Moreover, they are the only available records for the validation of climate models in high latitudes of Siberia. The investigations will be focused on the New Siberian Archipelago and the Yana-Kolyma lowland, wherefrom the oldest deposits, and the most diverse stratigraphic and facial permafrost sequences are reported. Neotectonics play an important role for the Quaternary environmental changes in this region. Moreover, the region between 130° and 150°E is assumed to be influenced by both, the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean, and thus be sensitive for changes in atmospheric circulation patterns. The main objectives of studies on selected locations are - Dating and characterization of the first tracks of permafrost in the Arctic - Correlation of Pliocene/Early Pleistocene marine deposits exposed along the coasts with marine records - Distribution and characterization of Saalian ice-rich deposits in Arctic shelf areas - The Eemian in the Arctic and the degradation of permafrost - Periglacial landscapes on the dry arctic shelf during the LGM - The Holocene Arctic flood and modern patterns of coastal landscape – extreme environmental transformations of Arctic landscapes

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The response of the permafrost dominated Arctic landscapes to global climate changes and their feedback on the climate are still poorly understood. A set of paleodata equally covering the Arctic is required for reliable environmental reconstructions. The proposed project will help to reconstruct or estimate: - Paleogeographic patterns of Arctic shelf areas (e.g. transgression-regression, extreme freshwater runoff, thermokarst processes) during the Quaternary vegetation and faunal changes, - Paleotemperature and precipitation - Greenhouse gas emission from thawing permafrost mainly during warm periods.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
This project is part of a bipolar network of paleoclimate observatories (BIPOMAC). The activities will be included in the proposed ESF program Arctic Palaeoclimate and its EXtremes (APEX). The results will be correlated to those of the Arctic Coring EXpedition (ACEX) Additional links: - INQUA working group “Quaternary history of the Arctic coastal and shelf regions” - Climate and cryosphere program (CliC) - Arctic Coastal Dynamics Project (ACD, a joint IPA and IASC initiative).

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The project will be focussed on the high sensitive shelf and coastal lowland region of NE Siberia, between ca 130°E and 150°E.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07/06 – 09/06      07/07 – 09/07      07/08– 09/08
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
-Summer field camps on selected locations (2 to 3 months each year) - Vessel and helicopter transport to and between field camps. - Transport resources could be shared with other projects in this region

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
No Only temporary field camps will be established, which will be dismantled at the end of the summer season. All kind of waste will to be brought back to the logistic base in Tiksi.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
National agency
Own support

The logistic will be based on Russian-German science cooperation “System Laptev Sea”, which is successfully since about 10 years. Vessel and helicopter support will be provided by the local Tiksi Hydrobase (Russia) and field equipment by the AWI (Germany).

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
An endorsment is requested from the German IPY-commission

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Exp
The project continues previous Russian-German paleoenvironmental studies in the Laptev Sea region to remote sites, but it is planned to be an autonomous proposal that fit well to other activities of paleoenvironmental studies in Arctic regions

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be realized in the frame of a proposed ESF program (APEX), the German-Russian science cooperation “SYSTEM LAPTEV SEA” as well as the proposed Priority Program “Arctic Geo-Eco-Systems (AGES) of the German Science Foundation. The project will be coordinated by AWI-Potsdam in cooperation with the Russian Centre of Arctic and Antarctic Research (St. Petersburg) and the Permafrost Institute (Yakutsk). Specialists or groups from other countries working in permafrost paleoenvironmental studies can also be included in the project. Workshops and special meetings on international conferences will be used to develop and carry out the project. 3 field campaigns with several groups on distinct sites are planned during summers in 2006-2008. The analysis will be carried out in the participant labs. Frequent exchange of scientists from working teams is planned to follow the international standards (especially important for the young scientists).

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
In the frame of the project students and young scientists will be involved in the research activities and have possibilities to learn specific methods and to raise the qualifications. Young trainees will be included in laboratory work and the interpretation of results. Expedition reports and scientific results will be opened for the public (publications in international journal, internet access to the databases).

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
The data will be maintain within the PANGEA database of the AWI

How is it proposed to fund the project?
It iIt is expected to get supply by funding agencies as the German Science foundation, the German Ministry of Education and Research, the European Science Foundation (ESF) and the European Union.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Lutz Schirrmeister
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research
Research Unit Potsdam
Telegrafenberg A 43
14410
Germany

Tel: +49-331-288-2157
Mobile:
Fax: 0331-288-2137
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information