Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #99: Scientific Drilling to Investigate Geology, GeoMechanics, Gas Hydrates and Microbiology of Deep Permafrost: Proposal to the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program DEEP PERMAFROST: PROPOSAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONTINENTAL SCIENTIFIC DRILLING PROGRAM  (Scientific Drilling to Investigate Geology, GeoMechanics, Gas Hydrates and Microbiology of Deep Permafrost: Proposal to the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program)

Outline
In 2002, Canada joined Austria, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Poland, and USA as a member of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP). A workshop in March 2004, sponsored by the Canadian Geoscience Council, brought together researchers from Canada, USA and Germany to discuss possible ICDP scientific drilling priorities in the Arctic. The participants at that meeting agreed that despite the widespread occurrence of thick permafrost in many Arctic settings, very little is known about the physical properties or the various states of deep permafrost (ie >100m thick). For instance the thermal and porous media controls on ice bonding and consolidation state are largely unknown, as are the factors controlling the occurrence of free gas and gas hydrates. Little is known about the microbiology of deep permafrost or the engineering properties. This gap in knowledge about permafrost properties is profound when it is considered that on a global basis 20% of the worlds land mass is underlain by permafrost and the Arctic is widely thought to be extremely sensitive to future climate change. It is proposed that a Canadian-led proposal be put forward to ICDP and other interested organizations for scientific drilling in the winter of 2007/08 on the occasion of the International Polar Year. The goal of the research would but to advance a multidisciplinary environmental investigation of the deep permafrost of the Mackenzie Delta. If there is sufficient interest, additional field studies may also be possible in northern Alaska or Siberia. Scientific drilling allows the best way to collect pristine permafrost core samples, undertake in situ measurements and allow for detailed well log verification of geophysical and geological properties. Clean drilling procedures would be utilized to allow for microbiological. Microbes impact on a number of themes such as gas hydrates, carbon cycling, the overall nature of the permafrost biosphere, and permafrost as a potential exobiological analogue. The permafrost is an important store of carbon with estimates of up to 500 Gtonne and as such it is important to understand what happens to this carbon in situ at present and if temperatures warm allowing increased microbial activity. Potential research questions include; how is carbon cycled in the permafrost and how this might influence the production of gas, whether permafrost environments may harbour unique organisms, whether there are similarities of these organisms to those found in cold marine and extraterrestrial environments and what are the viability (depth – age) relationships of organisms within the permafrost.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This proposal has linkages to a number of IPY theme areas. First and foremost the work aims to advance new science through the novel application of scientific drilling. The research is truly frontier science as new investigations and quantifications will document the thermal, mechanical, gas hydrate and microbial environments of deep permafrost. As this work has not been undertaken before in a polar setting new technologies will be developed and applied. By applying a multidisciplinary approach a major goal of the research will be quantify past and present environmental change. Geothermal modeling will for instance elucidate the history of permafrost aggradation and the sensitivity and rate response of permafrost to future warming. New microbial studies will establish the present environmental status of the shallow geosphere . While by its nature this work will be site specific, with careful site selection we feel new insights will be gained that can be ap! plied to other polar areas be they in the Arctic or Antarctic.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Scientific drilling is expensive and it will be necessary to pool resources from a number of sources. It is proposed that a scientific proposal be submitted to ICDP for base funding. To reduce costs it will be necessary to work closely with industry who may be active in the Mackenzie Delta. Field resources may be available from the USGS, GSC, Germany and Japan. Collaborations are expected to include; Canada- Leadership; Dallimore GSC /Schmitt U of A Canada- Broad GSC and academic participation expected. Direct role of Inuvik Research Centre in field and laboratory work. Russia- E. Chuvilin MSU USA- T. Collett, A. Clarke T. Lorenson USGS; M. Skidmore ; T. Onsott Germany- B. Horsefield

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Anticipated primary drilling site- Beaufort Sea Coast-Mackenzie Delta/Richards Island Secondary sites- N. Alaska; Siberia

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: mm/04-mm/05            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Scientific Drilling Rig/ Research Laboratory facilities. Field work at the primary field site would be in the winter of 07/08 with site access via ice road and a winter drilling pad. GSC has considerable experience in mounting similar field operations from international gas hydrate research well programs undertaken in 1998 and 2002.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Field instrumentation would be left in place to allow for future monitoring of permafrost.

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

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or 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

How will the project be organised and managed?
ICDP has established protocols for program management and provides resources for data management, outreach and communications. Normally proposals are submitted by Principle Investigators (PIs). In this case it is expected that at least four PIs will work together to cover the various disciplines. A management plan will be firmly established and reviewed in the ICDP proposal.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The field work conducted in Canada would include involvement northerners through the Inuvik Research Centre and Aurora College. ICDP establishes dedicated web site for each approved program www.icdp-online.de.. The goal is access the public through the web and to release data through the web.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
ICDP has a data management group that is dedicated to web release of data derived from ICDP drilling programs. Excellent examples are available through /www.icdp-online.de.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The field costs are expected to be about $3M.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Scott Dallimore
Geological Survey of Canada,
P.O. Box 6000
Sidney, B.C.
V8L 5S1
Canada

Tel: 250-363-6423
Mobile: no
Fax: no
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation