Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

History of Cenozoic uplift at the conjugate East Greenland – Svalbard continental margins  (Svalbard – East Greenland Uplift Story (SEGUS))

Outline
The objectives are (a) to document the history of tectonic and erosional exhumation either side of the North Atlantic – Arctic Ocean basin which opened with a significant component of strike-slip movement between East Greenland and the Svalbard/Barents Shelf. (b) to constrain the history of uplift by creating tectonic and surface process models from the exhumation history (c) to relate the timing and magnitude of uplift to the onset of northern Atlantic glaciation in the late Neogene. (d) to use uplift and exhumation data to develop a model for the thermal history of both margins during the Neogene. Questions to be answered (i) what role has uplift in Svalbard played in the onset of glaciation in the last 10 Ma? (ii) what is the history of vertical movements on the margins and how has this affected the thermal/burial history in terms of hydrocarbon maturation? (iii) how do the fundamental mechanics of ocean basin opening with an oblique-slip component of motion differ from a purely extensional basin in terms of the vertical movements on the flanks? Methodology A multidisciplinary approach will be required. Thermochronology and the use of Ar-Ar dating, Zircon and Apatite Fission Track and U-Th/He dating techniques will be used to provide a comprehensive record of the thermal history of the margins and hence document the timing, rates and magnitudes of vertical movements. Material would be collected from basement and sedimentary rocks, from east Greenland and Svalbard as well as offshore wells. Geomorphological analyses of the large-scale bedrock landforms will be carried out to draw conclusions about the processes that shaped them and to estimate the relative age of different landscape components. Marine reflection seismic data and sediment samples will be studied to correlate the amount of offshore deposition to the amount of land erosion, and hence document the significance and magnitude of denudation in response to the uplift. Corresponding subsidence of the N. Atlantic/ Arctic basins will be approached through modelling. Outcomes The advantages of this large scale study would be that the crustal movements can be resolved in space and time through a multidisciplinary approach. The use of multiple chronometers from individual samples means that results can be evaluated against each other to validate the temporal and spatial variations in tectonic and erosional exhumation. It is also important that both sides of the basin are studied in order to develop a model for the crustal mechanisms.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The project will address the issue of the causes of the onset of glaciation in the Arctic region in the late Neogene by identifying the relative timing, rates and magnitudes of uplift related to the relative plate movements of East Greenland and the Svalbard/Barents Sea margins. The study will be an opportunity to document the vertical changes in the crust associated with the oblique movement and divergence in the early development of an ocean basin: this will improve our understanding of crustal processes in oblique divergence settings.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Collaboration will be pursued between the following organisations UNIS, the University Centre on Svalbard, Norway GEUS, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Denmark RHUL, Royal Holloway University of London, UK UiT, Tromsø University, Norway OGS Stockholm University, Sweden

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
All field areas will be onshore. They will include all accessible areas of the Barents shelf (islands of the Svalbard archipelago, Bear Island) and the northeastern part of Greenland

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

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Svalbard fieldwork: ship required for periods of fieldwork for transport and accommodation. Could be shared with projects visiting similar areas. East Greenland fieldwork: helicopter required for periods of fieldwork for transport. Could be shared with projects visiting similar areas.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Yes

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

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Submitted to Norwegian Polar Institute

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?
New
This new project links the expertise of diverse institutions through the umbrella of IPY. UNIS is a natural focus for such studies with the opening of the science park in Longyearbyen in 2006 to link geological studies in the region.

How will the project be organised and managed?
Project management will be based at the University Centre on Svalbard. The Principal Investigators at UNIS (Nichols and Nielsen) are also staff on secondment from RHUL and GEUS respectively and hence can ensure effective communication between the three main partners. Management of the thermochoronology analyses on Svalbard will be carried out at RHUL by Nichols and Batt: thermochronological studies in Greenland will be managed through GEUS.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Education aims: Geoscience Masters and Doctoral students will be involved in the data collection and analysis. The project will be collaborative between universities, research institutes and commercial oil companies.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
All samples and data will be stored and archived at the new Science Park Building in Longyearbyen which houses UNIS and parts of NPI from 2006. Results will be available on a website and also lodged with appropriate bodies, such as ICSU

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Support will be sought from agencies and government funding bodies in Norway, Denmark and the United Kingdom. Financial and/or logistical support will be sought from British and Norwegian oil companies with commercial interests in the Barents and East Greenland margins

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
No

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof Gary Nichols
P.O.Box 156
Longyearbyen
N-9171
Norway

Tel: 0047 7902 3321
Mobile:
Fax: 0047 7902 3301
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information