The state-of-the-art icebreaker RV Kronprins Haakon is currently deployed to the Arctic – Atlantic Gateway to collect data on methane release from the ocean floor. Along for the ride is coring equipment that will, for the first time, acquire up to 25-meter-long sediment samples in the study area.
Text: Maja Sojtaric
The state-of-the-art icebreaker RV Kronprins Haakon is currently deployed to the Arctic – Atlantic Gateway to collect data on methane release from the ocean floor. Along for the ride is coring equipment that will, for the first time, acquire up to 25-meter-long sediment samples in the study area.
Arctic-Atlantic Gateway is the area between Svalbard and Greenland where 150 km wide Fram Strait provides the only deep-water connection between the Arctic and the world oceans. It is essential for the thermohaline `engine’ of the North Atlantic circulation system. It is also an area where CAGE has mapped and studied massive methane seeps on so called ultra-slow ridges – pieces of the oceanic crust that are spreading apart extremely slowly.
Recently CAGE scientist Andriea Plaza Faverola received substantial funding, 26 million Norwegian Kroner, to study the connection between plate tectonics and seepage of the greenhouse gas methane through the SEAMSTRESS project.
“We will investigate the effects of stress placed on underwater seams in the marine areas west of Svalbard. My working hypothesis is that regional processes such as plate tectonics contribute to cracking open of the sea floor and release of deeply held methane gas reserves into the ocean.” said Plaza-Faverola upon receiving the funding.
Methane is one of the most powerful greenhouse gasses and it is leaking profusely in the area.
Embarking on a technologically challenging expedition
The cruise to the Arctic-Atlantic Gateway was conceived as a cross-disciplinary cruise with the aim of collecting deep sediment samples for the SEAMSTRESS project, CAGE and other groups from the Institute of Geosciences at UiT, as well as other collaborators. It is led by CAGE assistant director Jochen Knies from Geological Survey of Norway, NGU. The scientists will start by collecting 25-meter-long sediment cores on Vestnesa Ridge, by using the so called Calypso corer. Contrary to what the name might suggest, it is neither soft Caribbean music, nor a deceptive nymph from Greek mythology.
It is a 3000-kilogram heavy pipe that is plunged into great water depths to collect soft ocean sediments. For reference, 25 meters is the average length of the world’s largest animal – the blue whale. These long cores contain substantial data for the scientists.
This is a technologically challenging expedition and planning for it has been possible thanks to a great support from technicians from University of Bergen and Institute of Marine Research.
Aiming to collect 400 meters worth of sediment cores
“From previous cruises and studies, we have identified key localities for methane seepage west of Svalbard. The long cores from Calypso will provide us with more in-depth information about the area. We will examine these sediments to see how gas release affects them. What happens to the sediments as the methane is seeping through them from deep in the crust?” Says Knies.
In addition to collecting samples for addressing the research questions of the SEAMSTRESS project, the cruise will collect data for research of development of past ice ages as well as other paleoenvironmental information, which is important for informing climate models.
“We aim to collect 400 meters worth of cores in total.” says Knies.
Other experiments that will complement the deep coring include measuring temperature and pressure down to 10 meters inside the sediment using a rod designed by the IFREMER (French Institute of Marine Research) and measuring the flow of heat at the seafloor in collaboration with CEED (Center for Earth Evolution and Dynamics) in Oslo.
Follow the blog
During this exciting cruise the scientists will be sharing their experience of being on board the ice going vessel Kronprins Haakon in a cruise blog. Follow and share.
