Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #6: Electronic Atlas/Database of Circum Arctic Gas Hydrate Occurrences and Accumulation Characteristics  (Circum Arctic GH Atlas)

Outline
The 2004 Geological Surveys of the circum-Arctic countries (GSCAC), Canada, United States, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, meeting in Tromso, Norway, expressed interest in further developing the cooperation among national institutions, and to develop plans for future joint projects, including a new "expertise consortium" on circum-Arctic gas hydrates (GH). This proposal represents a potential joint projects of the GSCAC conceived considering the IPY. Natural GH s, most commonly Type I methane clathrates, but including carbon dioxide hydrates, are a potentially important, but less well described and understood natural phenomena of permafrost regions and the global seas. Polar environments are regions of GH occurrence due to polar environments, although occurrences are much better described in the circum-Arctic than in the Antarctic. Circum-Arctic permafrost regions, continental shelves exposed during the last glacial sea level low-stand and the deeper Arctic Ocean all provide indications from GH occurrence. GHs represent a potentially immense global sink of methane, to a lesser extent carbon dioxide, other potential greenhouse gases. Their relese has been inferred a significant potential mechanisms for rapid changes in atmospheric methane concentration, which in turn have been inferred responsible for previous rapid global environmental change during the Tertiary. In addition, GHs may be potential sources of both geotechnical hazards and cleaner energy. Commonly the thermodynamic stability zone for GHs is inferred as a function of temperature and pressure profiles in the Earth, but the occurrence of GHs within the thermodynamic stability zone must be inferred from geophysical surveys. There is no comprehensive, standardized catalogue of circum-Arctic GH occurrences. This proposed initiative creates an electronic catalogue that locates, characterizes, and classifies circum-Arctic GH accumulations. Typically GH s have different occurrence modes, each of which captures an important record of Arctic environmental processes. They provide an important, relatively recent trap, for much of the natural methane flux from the Arctic region, the historical analysis of which, and the potential future destabilization of which, have implications for atmospheric methane concentration and global environmental change. The GSCAC will coordinate and manage this project by, specifying a joint GH electronic data structure, identify a physical electronic data repository for the database, and populating the electronic atlas, in cooperation with other public institutions, academies, national societies and private industries. The key output will be a dynamic data structures, populated with reliable, well referenced data, which will be made available publicly, and which will have a maintenance mechanism to allow its update subsequent to the end of the IPY.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
GHs are an immense global sink of methane and other potential greenhouse gases. Their destabilization has been inferred to have been a significant mechanism for rapid changes in atmospheric chemical composition that may have been responsible for previous rapid global environmental change. GHs capture an important record of Arctic environmental processes, while providing an important, relatively recent, trap for the natural methane flux from the Arctic, the analysis of which, and the potential future destabilization of which, impact global environmental change. Their improved characterization will contribute to our present knowledge of the environmental status of the polar regions by quantifying their spatial and temporal variability, which will advance our understanding of polar - global interactions on all scales.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The 2004 Geological Surveys of the circum-Arctic countries (GSCAC), Canada, United States, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, meeting in Tromso, Norway, expressed interest in further developing the cooperation among national institutions, and to develop plans for future joint projects, including a new "expertise consortium" on circum-Arctic gas hydrates (GH). This proposal represents a potential joint projects of the GSCAC conceived considering the IPY.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Primarily a data collation and management activity drawing on historically available data. Fieldwork should not be required.

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

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
No fieldwork is required for this Data Management proposal, it is assume that this project will use existing Information Technology and Management structures in the Geological Surveys of the circum-Arctic countries.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The key output will be a dynamic data structures, populated with reliable, well referenced data, which will be made available publicly, and which will have a maintenance mechanism to allow its update subsequent to the end of the IPY.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
Own national polar operator
Other sources of support

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project is in formation and it will be reviewed at the next meeting of the Geological Surveys of the circum-Arctic countries. This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: THEME:Educ, Out & Comm SUB-THEME:Ref tools & Matls

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?
Expansion

Several of the Geological Surveys of the circum-Arctic countries already have gas hydrate programs and they are currently managing information regarding their national occurrences and accumulations. These countries will be the core participants in this project, with other nations contributing following national decisions regarding this GSCAC initiative.

How will the project be organised and managed?
To be decided at the next meeting of the Geological Surveys of the circum-Arctic countries.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The project has not yet come to that stage, however, most national surveys with a gas hydrate program have internal education, outreach and communication structures which I assume will be employed, as this joint key output is generally aligned to the goals of most active national Survey programs.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
To be decided at the next meeting of the Geological Surveys of the circum-Arctic countries.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
To be decided at the next meeting of the Geological Surveys of the circum-Arctic countries, however; it is likely that this project will be funded largely by existing National Survey budgets, some of which might be augmented for IPY activities. National IPY secretariat funding may be sought to support publication of the final output.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
This proposal is in the early stages of formation with committee of the Geological Survey of the circum-Arctic.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Mr Kirk Osadetz
Geological Survey of Canada: Calgary,
3303 –33rd St. N.W.,
Calgary, Alberta
T2L 2A7
Canada

Tel: 1-403-292-7022
Mobile: no
Fax: 1-403-292-7159
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation