Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Lomonosov Ridge off Greenland: a key to Arctic Ocean glacial history and tectonic evolution  (LOMROG)

Outline
The high Arctic has been poorly explored because of logistical and technical constraints. We here identify a critical area in this remote region to be investigated using innovative modes of exploration during the IPY 2007/2008, and have outlined an international collaborative project focused on mapping and interpreting a previously unexplored area of the submarine Lomonosov Ridge ca 350 km north of Greenland. The ice conditions are there among the toughest in the Arctic Ocean. Yet this area most probably holds answers to important questions regarding the glacial history of the Arctic Ocean which may influence our understanding of the global climate system. For example, if the ice grounding previously mapped down to 1-km present water depth on the central Lomonosov Ridge resulted from a much debated, but supposedly coherent and large floating ice shelf, the Lomonosov Ridge north of Greenland also must be scarred by such a major ice grounding event. A key to the tectonic evolution of the Arctic Basin, in particular pre-Gakkel Ridge spreading, is the nature and history of the Lomonosov Ridge. It is widely regarded as continental, and the unmapped connection to the Greenland/Canadian continental margin may play a crucial role in understanding the tectonic history of the Arctic Basin. In order to map these areas and thereby test that hypothesis, we propose to use the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Autosub, from Southampton Oceanography Centre, together with the Swedish icebreaker Oden as support platform. The Autosub is a proven unmanned submersible carrying its own power supply and capability to carry out precisely navigated missions without communication from the surface. Autosub is equipped with high-resolution multibeam, sub-bottom profiler, and digital camera. There is an advanced plan to install a deep-water multibeam system with an integrated subbottom profiler on the Oden itself prior to the 2007 Arctic field season. This will permit us to map the critical seafloor area at different resolutions. Simultaneous coring operations from the Oden will provide crucial sediment archives for deciphering the glacial history in this critical, previously unsampled area. The Autosub/Oden combination thus offers a unique opportunity to map seafloor glacial features and sample the sediment archive on the Lomonosov Ridge in the heavily ice infested areas north of Greenland. To gather the seismic data needed for the tectonic studies, the project includes a reflection seismic component building on the successful legacy gained from previous Arctic Ocean seismic surveys using the icebreaker Oden.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Northern Hemisphere glaciations have played a major role in Earth’s Neogene and Pleistocene climate history. A large part of our project is focused on understanding the spatial extent and dynamics of Arctic Ocean glaciations, which potentially will provide a major step further towards a comprehensive understanding of polar-global climate linkages and interaction (Theme 3). A significant advance in investigating new frontiers will be achieved by bathymetric and seismic mapping the virtually unexplored area of the Lomonosov Ridge north of Northern Greenland (Theme 4) and also by applying the AUV technology under the Arctic Ocean pack ice.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The proposed project represents scientific collaboration between Sweden, UK and Denmark. This includes planning, financing, field work with acquisition of data and samples, scientific evaluation of data and samples, and co-publication of results. Moreover, this project will contribute to the proposed IPY program Arctic Palaeoclimate and its EXtremes (APEX).

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The target area comprises a ca 380 x 250 km large box centered ca 350 km due north of Northern Greenland on the crest of the submarine Lomonosov Ridge. We plan to initially map along transects crossing the ridge crest, which here is less than 1000 m deep.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 08/07-09/07            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
(1) Access to the Swedish icebreaker Oden. (2) Logistical support and facilities to operate an AUV, and the piston corer, on the Oden. (3) Icebreaker support from Russian nuclear icebreaker needed to fully carry out the planned geophysical surveys. (4) Containerized seismic equipment – GEUS funded

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Mainly existing facilities/equipment will be used: icebreaker, AUV, reflection seismic acquisition equipment, and coring tools. However, the project will develop infrastructure for using the Autosub in the high Arctic.

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

Logistics is required from: (1) Swedish Polar Research Secretariat (SPRS), icebreaker Oden (2) Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) and Southampton Oceanography Centre (SOC), Autosub (3) Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), airgun reflection seismics (4) Stockholm University (SU), coring tools and core curation.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This letter of intent has been submitted simultaneously to the Swedish, Danish, and British National IPY Committees. No formal endorsement exists, although the four "agencies" providing logistical support and facilities (see 2.5) have all encouraged the development of the project plans and this letter.

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

The tectonic aspect of the project will constitute an integrated part of the UNCLOS Article 76 work GEUS is carrying out and supplement additional planned data acquisition projects in the area (seismic refraction work based in Alert during spring 2006; two seismic icebreaker seasons planned for 2009 and 2011).

How will the project be organised and managed?
This project is a self-managed, free-standing activity organised by a small group of PIs from four academic institutions: Stockholm University, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Scott Polar Research Institute, and Southampton Oceanography Centre. The Swedish PIs have a long-standing, fruitful collaboration with the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat (SPRS), the provider/operator of Oden. Dr. M Jakobsson has taken on a manager function, in which he brings together the PIs and the SPRS into an effective, communicative group having the overriding project goals in steady focus. Correspondingly, plans for the post-expedition science builds on self-management and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
SPRS, GEUS, SOC, SPRI all have personnel with accumulated huge experience of education, outreach and communication issues that will be involved. These include: web sites, books, conferences, exhibitions, media interviews and articles in the popular press. Live webcasting from the expedition will be considered subject to available bandwidth.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Piston cores will be curated at the Stockholm University core repository. After an initial post-processing and evaluation period, the collected data will be submitted to the European PANGAEA database and network for geological and environmental data.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Cost for operating Oden will be shared between the SPRS and GEUS. Funding for post processing and scientific evaluation of collected data will be applied for from the PI’s national research funding agencies. Autosub mobilisation and operational costs would come from a UK research grant application from SPRI and SOC.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Our project is focused on understanding the maximum extent of Arctic Ocean glaciations and, thus, on extreme end-members in Arctic glacial-interglacial cyclicity. Therefore, we anticipate that our project could contribute to the proposed IPY program Arctic Palaeoclimate and its EXtremes (APEX). To maximize the scientific output of the project, positive discussions have been initiated with Prof. Leif Anderson, Göteborg University, to utilize the needed CTD work with an opportunity based oceanographic study, including both physical and chemical properties. This could improve our knowledge of the boundary current along the continental margin, especially where the Lomonosov Ridge reaches the shelf.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr  Martin Jakobsson
Dep. of Geology and Geochemistry, Stockholm University
Svante Arrhenius väg 8C
106 91 Stockholm
Sweden

Tel: (+46)-8-164719
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Other project members and their affiliation