Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Middle and Late Pleistocene Glaciation History of the Taymyr Peninsula, Arctic Russia – an APEX subproject (Arctic Palaeoclimate and its EXtremes)  (APEX - Taymyr)

Outline
The Arctic land and ocean sediments, glaciers, and landforms are key environmental archives to the palaeoenvironment and climate history. However, only by integrating results from terrestrial and marine studies will it be possible to develop a comprehensive understanding of Arctic's role in the global climate system. It is necessary to provide an international scientific framework for the synthesis and integration of Arctic palaeoclimate research. Such a framework will provide the opportunity for close co-operation between numerical modellers and field scientists, and be a means of coordinating field and laboratory research conducted by individual research groups. To address these challenges during the International Polar Year, we have developed a new research programme known as APEX - the Arctic Palaeoclimate and its EXtremes. This programme, builds on the outstanding research legacy of two previous European programs (PONAM (POlar North Atlantic Margins) and QUEEN (QUaternary Environments of the Eurasian North). A terrestrial-based subproject to APEX is the now proposed “Middle and Late Pleistocene Glaciation History of the Taymyr Peninsula, Arctic Russia – an APEX subproject”. This build on the extensive work carried out on the Taymyr Peninsula within the QUEEN programme, mainly dealing with the Weichselian, i.e. the last glacial cycle, glaciation history. Further, it builds on our recently finished project “Glacial and sea level history of Severnaya Zemlya, arctic Russia” from which at least four glacial/marine cycles were identified, spanning Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 10-9, 8-7, 6-5e and 5d-3. All these sedimentary units are lying in stratigraphic superposition, thus making our stratotype locality on Southern October revolution Island, Severnaya Zemlya, a unique sedimentary succession in Arctic Siberia. Our aim is now to extend our knowledge of the glaciation history of the Taymyr Peninsula further back in time. This will be carried out primarily by stratigraphical and chronological work in the southern flank area of repeated Kara Sea shelf-based ice sheets, with main aim to constrain the spatial and temporal distribution of these ice expansions. From these studies we will give input to the three different APEX research themes: Cold Extremes, Warm Extremes and Glacio-dynamic Extremes.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The main goal for APEX subproject is to act as a catalyst towards the development of a holistic understanding of Arctic's role in the global climate system. This would make significant advances concerning the IPY defined themes 1 to 3. We will investigate and sample scientifically unexplored areas of the Arctic (Theme 4). An improved understanding of the palaeoclimate and its extremes are important to improve and test prognostic climatic models which are used to predict living conditions (incl. economics, fishing, sea routes etc.) in the Arctic regions and, thus, contribute to advances regarding IPY themes 5 and 6.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
International collaboration lies at the heart of APEX. Scientist from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Russian, Sweden, and UK are already committed to APEX, with international collaboration in training, field work, laboratory analysis, model development, and in securing grants and writing publications. This subproject will involve scientist from Sweden, Russia, Iceland and possibly Denmark.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The project will be carried out on southern Taymyr Peninsula, Arctic NW Siberia with work area approximately 73-75oN; 90-112oE.

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

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
All logistical support will be provided through national sources, in this case the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will continue beyond IPY as a European Science Foundation initiative committed to the promotion of international research in polar regions, using a the model previously advocated by PONAM and QUEEN. The infrastructure legacy will include intellectual advances, institutional collaboration, and training of the next generation of polar scientists.

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

.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This expression of intent has been – through the Swedish APEX Steering Committee member – forwarded/presented to the Swedish IPY Committee.

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?


APEX - and this subproject - is an initiative for a new ESF programme which is planned to run over the usual 5 yr term of ESF programmes and thus beyond IPY.

How will the project be organised and managed?
APEX activities will be managed by a Steering Committee consisting of an appointed member from each involved country. It will organize workshops and publications in special volumes of peer-review journals. In addition to the Steering Committee, APEX will have a Project Committee consisting of representatives from each of the included projects, in most cases the project PI’s – thus the PI of this subproject to APEX will be in this Project Committee. The Project Committee’s main role will be to discuss and organize collaboration between projects including logistical arrangements for field activities.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
An APEX web page will be hosted at Stockholm University; synthesized results will be assembled as maps and computer visualizations and made available through this web site. We anticipate that a large number of master and PhD students will be recruited to work on APEX defined scientific challenges.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The initial plans for data management include the use of the PANGEA database hosted at the University of Bremen.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
An APEX proposal will be submitted to the European Science Foundation (ESF). The actual costs for field work/support will be applied for at the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat. The running costs (lab personnel, dating costs, travel, etc) will be applied for ( 3 year grant) at the Swedish Science Research Council (VR).

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Per Möller
Department of Geology/Quaternary Sciences, GeoBiosphere Science Centre, Lund University
Sölvegatan 12
Lund
SE-22362
Sweden

Tel: 46-46-2229888
Mobile: no
Fax: 46-46-2224419
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation