Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

The Bering Strait, Rapid Change, and Land Bridge Paleoecology  (Bering Land Bridge)

Outline
IPY Theme Understanding Change at the Poles Polar ocean gateways: The key for long-term global change The world oceans are the primary drivers for the climatic state of the Earth and its global environmental changes as they carry energy and matter, and transport these through a complex global current system. Changes in ocean circulation resulting from opening and closing of so-called “gateways” connecting the oceans are widely thought to have resulted in major global climatic and environmental changes.The Arctic Ocean is a restricted basin receiving freshwater from the rivers that drain the northern continents, seawater from the Northern Pacific through the Bering Strait and exchanging seawater through two Arctic gateways, Fram Strait and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. This exchange influences deepwater formation in the North Atlantic and the Pacific as well as the saltwater budget of the Arctic Ocean. These oceanographic processes moderate the present climate across the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere and control the periodic oscillations between “greenhouse” and “icehouse” conditions, including the formation of the large ice sheets in North America, Europe and Asia. The exchange of seawater through these channels has varied dramatically over time in response to changes in sea level, ocean circulation and tectonic processes.The Bering Strait connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans via the Arctic Ocean. The strait is currently a mere 50 meters deep. During low sea level stands produced by continental glaciation it is emergent, forming the Bering Land Bridge connection between North America and Asia. This is the only area on Earth where the circulation between ocean basins has been blocked and a migration corridor between continental landmasses has been opened by falling sea levels of the Pleistocene epoch, yet scientific drilling for the purpose of paleoclimate analysis has never been conducted in the Bering Strait. In order to address unresolved questions regarding global ocean circulation and rapid climate changes, and to permit reconstruction of the flora, fauna, and climate of the lowlands in the center of the Beringian subcontinent, basinal features that contain both marine and terrestrial lacustrine sediments must be targeted. We have requested funds from USSSP (IODP) for a workshop to identify, select and prioritize drilling sites in Bering Sea Shelf basins with the potential to contain thick sequences of alternating marine and terrestrial sediments. The ultimate goal is acquisition of requisite data through coring of Bering Sea basins during the IPY time frame.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Results of drilling will provide ground truth that to allow the Bering gateway development histories to be related to palaeo-oceanographic and palaeo-climatic changes. Integration of the Bering gateway development histories, including palaeo-bathymetry, with the latest ocean and coupled climate models will enable predictions to be made about the impact of these events on the Earth system. The deliverable products : Constrained reconstruction gateway sea levels; Initiation of a new generation of palaeo-oceanographic and palaeo-climate models in which reconstruction conditions of gateways and adjacent basins are represented at highest resolution; Improved history of people migration in the Arctic;

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The Bering Land Bridge is a component of the Polar Gateways. This interdisciplinary international program, based on geophysical data acquisition and analysis would lead, where appropriate, to scientific drilling through IODP and planned RV Aurora Borealis. Thus a large number of scientists and students from many nations will be involved .

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The Bering Sea Shelf includes several tectonic basins likely to contain a record of intercalated marine and terrestrial sediments of Quaternary age. From north to south, these are the Norton Basin, Anadyr Basin, St. Matthew-Hall Basin, Navarin Basin, Bristol Basin, St. George Basin, and Amak Basin.

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

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
A drill ship from the IODP (International Ocean Drilling Program) fleet, possibly the planned Aurora Borealis, or commercial vessel.Platform could be shared on a not to interfere basis with other programs.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
A new generation of young scientists will have a rich and abundant data set from the recovered sediment cores . The study of the movement of peoples through the Bering gateway as the most recent, climate-related event, provides a social and human history aspect to the proposed studies.

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

A drill ship from the IODP (International Ocean Drilling Program) fleet, possibly the planned Aurora Borealis, or commercial vessel.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
An expression of interest is in the process of being considered by the US National Committee for IPY

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?
No

The Bering Land Bridge is a component of the Polar Gateways program

How will the project be organised and managed?
Proposed program will be managed with the P.I. as senior scientist within the IODP guidelines. Coordination and cooperation will be emphasized with Polar Gateways.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The effort will take place on research vessels, thus a “classroom at sea” program could be implemented to ensure outreach to schools by offering a place on the cruise to a teacher, whose role is to update a cruise website, providing explanations of shipboard activities.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data management will be in accordance with well established IODP standards

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Application will be made via IODP

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Sarah Fowell
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Geology, geophysics Dept, 326 NSF building
Fairbanks, Alaska
99775
USA

Tel: 907-474-7810
Mobile: no
Fax: 907-474-5163
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation