Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Understanding the ultraslow spreading oceanic ridge system of the Arctic: A community workshop  (Ultraslow Spreading Ridge Workshop)

Outline
Ongoing work at mid-ocean ridges in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and preliminary mapping and sampling of the Gakkel Ridge in 2001 and other locations along Arctic ridges, have demonstrated that there is a previously unrecognized ultraslow class of ocean ridge with unique tectonic and magmatic features. Tectonic plates form at these ridges with thin or missing crust, extraordinary hydrothermal activity, and a new class of plate boundary structure. This has sparked great interest in their further study. The slowest spreading ridge is the 1800 km Gakkel Ridge in the Arctic Ocean, which is thus one of the end members for seafloor spreading and plate tectonics. The Arctic ridge system also includes the ultraslow spreading Kolbeinsey, Mohns, and Knipovitch Ridges, as well as Lena Trough. Nearly half of Gakkel Ridge is unmapped and unsampled, and the rest of the Arctic Ridge system is poorly studied. The proposed workshop will bring together the international, multi- and interdisciplinary, ridge research community to assess the state of the science along Arctic ridges, identify key research questions and problems, coordinate subsequent collaborative research, and marshal international resources for subsequent field expeditions. Goals of the workshop are to identify key areas for research and first-order questions within and across the disciplines of geophysics, geochemistry, petrology, biology, microbiology, and ecology. Technology, infrastructure, and data sharing are key components of this oceanic ridge research. The workshop will be conducted under the aegis of the USA Ridge 2000 Program and the international InterRidge Program, in collaboration with the USA National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Polar Programs. Ridge 2000 is funded by the NSF, and InterRidge is headquartered in Germany and funded by member nations.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Bringing together the research community will significantly advance the multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and international dimensions of Arctic ridge research. The workshop and subsequent research will directly address theme 4, new frontiers—ultraslow-spreading Arctic ridges are relatively unexplored and may hold the key to early life on Earth; theme 5, vantage point—the Arctic is essential to the study of mantle dynamics; and theme 3, polar-global linkages—faunal ecology developing on Arctic hydrothermal vents may be linked to vents in other oceans. Themes 1 and 2 are related if one thinks of “environment” broadly to include vent communities.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The USA Ridge 2000 Program is partnering with InterRidge, the international oceanic ridge consortium of 28 nations, to sponsor the workshop.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
No direct field work is proposed for the workshop. It is anticipated that proposals for field expeditions will be generated as a result of this workshop, and field work will coincide with IPY 2007-2008.

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:
The Ultraslow Spreading Ridge Workshop itself will not require ship time or significant logistic support/facilities on that level. The resulting fieldwork will require such support and facilities. We would anticipate that resources could be shared as appropriate.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The workshop is the next step in building a legacy of international collaboration for sharing knowledge as well as limited resources and data among a community that spans many disciplines and national boundaries. The resulting fieldwork will leave a legacy of infrastructure for further study of these extreme environments.

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

Primary support for the workshop will be sought from the US National Science Foundation and the European Science Foundation. Other support will be sought from InterRidge members sending representatives to the workshop. Field work will be supported similarly.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The Ultraslow Spreading Ridge Workshop has received endorsements from both the Ridge 2000 and the InterRidge Steering Committees. Fifteen scientists from US institutions sit on the Ridge 2000 committee, and 17 international scientists make up the InterRidge committee. National IPY endorsement has not been sought.

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 Ultraslow Spreading Ridge Workshop represents an ongoing activity of Ridge 2000 and InterRidge to stage international meetings that inform the community of oceanic ridge research (state of the science) and foster collaboration among nations and disciplines.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The workshop will be organized by an international workshop steering committee chaired by Henry Dick, PhD, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA, and Jonathan Snow, PhD, Max-Planck Institu für Chemi, Mainz, Germany. The Ridge 2000 Program Office and the InterRidge Office will handle logistical arrangements, advertising, registration, and onsite management.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The workshop, by its nature, addresses education for, outreach to, and communication with the international ridge science community. The workshop will address E&O for the K-12 school community and general public during subsequent field expeditions. Both sponsors have E&O coordinators on staff. See www.Ridge2000.org/SEAS/ and www.southpacificodyssey.org.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Ridge 2000 research is governed by a comprehensive data management plan developed by the US science community, endorsed by the US National Science Foundation, and maintained by a Data Management Office at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University (USA). See http://ridge2000.bio.psu.edu/NewR2kSite/about/data_policy.php. The InterRidge community is beginning to consider similar plans.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding for the Ultraslow Spreading Ridge Workshop will be secured through the US National Science Foundation and the European Science Foundation.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Products from the workshop will include a white paper, “The Future of Polar Ridge Research,” an abstract volume for posters presented at the workshop, and an InterRidge Polar Year Working Group Report, “Ridge Activities in the IPY 2007/2008.” The workshop is expected to draw approximately 200 international participants.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Chuck Fisher
Ridge 2000
The Pennsylvania State University, 208 Meuller Laboratory
University Park, PA
16802
USA

Tel: 814-865-3365
Mobile: 814-883-8869
Fax: 814-865-4364
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation