Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Land Ocean Interaction in the White Sea  (LOIWS)

Outline
This is a contribution to understand the hydrographic dynamics and climatic controls of sedimentary transfer processes in a cold environment where various kind of near future industrial activity is expected to influence on and alter the environment significantly. The project aims to investigate the interaction between land and ocean in the White Sea. It aims to investigate the dynamics of a system in a sheltered shelf sea in a cold climate, where the potential to receive undisturbed environmental signals is high. It includes several microfossil groups (diatoms, dinoflagellate cysts, bentic foraminifers, ostracods), which recently have shown a high potential to solve such problems and mollusks. Knowledge about the current state of the environment, for example how the hydrography is linked to the distribution of fossils in the sediment or on the sea bottom, is a prerequisite for reconstructing past and future changes. For this purpose, variations in bentic fauna! communities, sediment mineral assemblages and both inorganic and organic geochemical substances indicative of different sediment provenances, and contaminant sources will be studied. The main focus is to document the current and past state of the environment. In this project special attention will be paid to the bay regions adjacent to the main mouths of rivers entering the White Sea (e.g. Severnaya Dvina). It is intended to reveal the major regularities in the formation of diatom, dinocysts and other aquatic palynomorph assemblages within the so called "marginal filter", which is the zone of intermixing of river and sea waters (Lisitzin, 1995, 1999). The intention is to further develop these proxies to better record future and past changes as a result of man introduced or natural influences in a cold climate environment. It is also intended to investigate how the Gulf Stream System influences on the hydrography of the sea, to explore the interaction of processes which take place between land (freshwater outflow from rivers) and the ocean (oceanic currents) and to see how the strength of the Gulf Stream System has changed during historic and pre-historic time. For this purpose surface samples and shallow (Holocene) cores, along transect running from the river mouth (e.g. Severnaya Dvina) through the bay region towards the Central Basin of the White Sea, will be investigated. A second important aim is to develop cooperation between Russian and western scientists and to educate young scientists.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The activity will educate young scientists and students. They will benefit from that scientists from different countries with long experience in their respective fields in cold climate environments get the opportunity to exchange experience and ideas. External supervision in the field of dinocyst research is very important because it is a field, which is about to be established in Russia. The activity aim to develop a strong western-Russian (Nordic) network. It is a multidisiplinary study, which includes several independant proxies, (dinoflagellate cysts, diatoms, bentic foraminifers, ostracods, mollusks), which have the potential to produce new important results.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
LOIWS is a network of young and leading scientists from Norway, Russia, Denmark and Estonia with experience in research in cold climate environment. It is a multidisiplinary study. Education is an important part of the project. External supervision in dinocyst research is important because this field is about to be established in Russia

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The fieldwork will be carried out in the White Sea. The White Sea is located in the European part of northwest Russia and is connected to the Barents Sea. Most of the activity will be in the part of the basin, which is lying south of the Arctic Circle.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: The field work will be carried out during one of the several planned cruises during 2006            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Several cruises to the White Sea during 2006 will be financial covered and carried out by the scientific group at the Shirshow Institute of Oceanology in Russia, including expenses for the Pb210 datings. Processing of dinocyst samples, core barrels and AMS datings are included in the budget of this proposal.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
LOIWS will continue beyond IPY as a networks between young scientists forming the new generation of polar scientists The infrastructure legacy will include established cross-disciplinary and multi-national collaboration between scientists and institutions.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

The required field logistics will be secured by the participating institutions.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
No

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?
Yes

Previous scientific investigations in the White Sea form a basis for continued activity. The project establish a network including new scientists and new approaches which will produce new and important results. The project will be included under the APEX (projects 39)

How will the project be organised and managed?
The activity in the LOIWS will be linked to GLACIPET and DYNAFLUX and included under APEX, projects 39. The coordinator of LOIWS will organize meetings between the participants and communication within the project.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
LOIWS activities includes scientific meetings, publications and supervision of students within microfossil analysis and research (dinflagellate cyst, diatoms). It includes short visits at the Geological Survey of Norway for the students for receiving supervision in the field of dinocyst research.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
A database containing various data from the White Sea is already established by scientific group of Lisitzin at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology. The data which will be collected in the planned project will be incorporated in this database. The data will also be available to others by being included in published papers.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
This will be a joint Norwegian application to the Norwegian Research Council for APEX projects (projects 39).

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Please include this under APEX, projects 39

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Kari Grøsfjeld
The Geological Survey of Norway


N-7491 Trondheim
Norway

Tel: +47 73904102
Mobile: +47 92862183
Fax: +47 73921620
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation