Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #206:High Arctic Paleotectonic and Environmental Evolution  (HAPEE)

Outline
The Arctic Ocean would not exist without formation of the Arctic Basin some 100 million years ago. This poorly understood event resulted in the present distribution of the Arctic Islands, the outpouring of large volumes of igneous rock (basalt) to eventually form ocean floor, and correlates with precipitous increases in seafloor spreading, changes in the carbon cycle and in the emissions CO2, the most important greenhouse gas in the earth system. Most importantly, the geology of the Arctic Islands at this time period preserves a record of global change of the polar regions in a high-CO2 world. It would be prudent to study and exploit such a record for understanding or predicting the response of the high Arctic in the future to projections of global warming due to high CO2 in the atmosphere. This project proposes a high resolution, detailed multi-disciplinary study of the paleogeography and environments encoded in sequences of basaltic and sedimentary rocks exquisitely preserved on Axel Heiberg and Ellesmere Islands. Specifically, our objectives are to: 1. Use paleomagnetic data on basalts and sediments to assemble the past distribution of land masses in the Arctic from 200 million years ago to today, and their geometry to form the Arctic Basin today. 2. Use geochemical data on basalts and sediments to determine their absolute ages, , thicknesses of sediments and lithosphere, rates of subsidence, past and present thermal states of the mantle. 3. Estimate the eruptive flux of magma, the outgassing rate of CO2 and its impact on polar weathering and climate of the time, as a past proxy for future scenarios and impacts of a high CO2 world in the high arctic. 4. Examine weathering cycles unique the high Arctic environment both today and in the distant past, to understand bedrock contributions to global geochemical cycles, their contribution to chemistry and carbon uptake in the Arctic Ocean, and as a potential analogue for weathering on Mars today. The project involves two field seasons for several professors and students with expertise in geology, geophysics, magnetism, petrology, low- and high-temperature geochemistry and hydrology. Field efforts will require logistical support including fixed wing and helicopter access to carry out detailed mapping and sampling of rocks, soils and surface waters.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This work will involve multi-disciplinary studies to address the record and response of polar regions to a high-CO2 world during a period of profound global change some 100 to 80 million years ago. It will link phenomena occurring on a global length and time scales to the polar regions.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Possible collaboration with A. Saunders (U. Leicester) – expert on Large Igneous Provinces

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Axel Heiberg and Ellesmere Islands, 75-80N, 90-100E Key sections in fiords of Axel Heiberg Island

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:
Fixed wing and helicopter support to field areas (fiords, rock sections) from field station. Such resources are easiest (and best) shared with other projects.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
No, but will leave a legacy of data, a key sample archive, from sample locations in a digital (GIS) framework.

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

We envisage sharing logistics with other operators, including possibly the military, in the high Canadian Arctic.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
No- Our group was made aware of this initiative only recently but are keen to ally with others interested at the national and international level. 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: Education, Outreach & Communication SUB-THEME: Geoscience and new technologies/challenges for sustainable development

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

This topic, and the marriage of several disciplines to address it, falls within the main research themes of several researchers doing earth system science at the University of Victoria.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be based out of the University of Victoria and will be carried out over at least four years, including two field seasons, with subsequent years for data collection and interpretation.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
We would intend to document by video our activities for the education of the general public in the goals or our project and its implications for global change scenarios. One of us (Telmer) has produced a movie of similar field sampling activities in Brazil.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
We plan to document our data, samples and sample locations in a GIS framework, openly available to many.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Support is potentially available through NSERC (Discovery Grants, Special Research Opportunities programs), or bridging with other research programs in other countries.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof  Dante Canil
University of Victoria
3800 Finnerty Rd
Victoria, B.C.

Canada

Tel: 250 472 4180
Mobile: 250 721 7200
Fax: no
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation