Deep-time Arctic climate archives: High-resolution coring of Svalbard’s sedimentary record
The SVALCLIME agenda is now live – download the pdf or see https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lDXNwWIoihhFGVlcWHlMTXDjvAK4eQjkUUstr9qmrBg/edit?usp=sharing
Why SVALCLIME?
The near-complete sedimentary succession preserved in high-arctic Svalbard archipelago provides a record of major global environmental changes during the Phanerozoic.
These sedimentary sequences are accessible for continen-tal drilling (Smyrak-Sikora et al., 2021; Smyrak-Sikora et al., 2022). The Deltadalen research drilling campaign in 2014 proved that stratigraphic drilling and full coring can be achieved both cost- and time-effectively (two 100 m deep boreholes coring the Permian-Triassic boundary in less than a week) with minimal environmental impact. In addition, hundreds of industry boreholes have been cored in Svalbard – notably for coal exploration and CO2 storage characterization.
We will hold a MagellanPlus workshop in Longyearbyen to develop one ICDP proposal, SVALCLIME, for systematic high-resolution drilling onshore Svalbard.
The SVALCLIME project aims to drill five to ten shallow (<250 m depth) stratigraphic boreholes over 2-3 field seasons. The new cores will be integrated with the existing core material and key outcrop sections to generate an Arctic deep-time paleoclimate archive.
Are you interested in contributing to the workshop and the follow-up work to conduct further scientific drilling in Svalbard? We hereby invite members of the global scientific community to attend the workshop on the 18-21 October 2022 in Longyearbyen and contribute to systematic multi-disciplinary work on Svalbard’s deep-time paleoclimate record.
SVALCLIME invites to a MagellanPlus workshop in Longyearbyen 18-21 October 2022 in order to:
1) Discuss how and where to obtain high-resolution temporal and spatial core data spanning from the Carboniferous to the Eocene of Arctic Spitsbergen
2) Assess drilling logistics and regulations, drilling rig, and environmental implications based on experience from the CO2 boreholes, Deltadalen Drilling Project, and coal exploration
3) Discuss scientific objectives with focus on six themes:
• Paleogene: PETM and Eocene Hothouse
• Lower Cretaceous: HALIP and OAE1a
• Jurassic: TOAE and end-Triassic extinction
• Triassic: Organic-rich shales and Permian-Triassic extinction
• Carboniferous
• Slushball Earth
4) Determining 5-10 short (<250 m) drilling sites which complement existing core and outcrop data
Both in-person and digital participation will be possible. Some travel funding is available. The SVALCLIME workshop 1st circular including project overview can be downloaded using the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cbmsMGIQL823uo-Nje2dcHNu_ReAzac4/view?ths=true
Register your interest for participating in the SVALCLIME workshop by the 30th September 2022 using the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZf7VB72rCFWyeplFNENWiloIg73RZPQdKU1D-WBz-nScLkQ/viewform
Interested in joining but need financial support? We have some funds especially for Early Career Researchers – please apply for these funds before the 31st of July by using the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe3tcoUReogxJpfqUYxitWm53fjdd_YabStH69zSNabaH9DzQ/viewform
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact any of the SVALCLIME proponents:
Kim Senger and Aleksandra Smyrak-Sikora (UNIS)
Sverre Planke and Morgan Jones (University of Oslo)
Denise Kulhanek (University of Kiel)
Valentin Zuchuat (RWTH Aachen)
svalclime@gmail.com / kims@unis.no
The figure below summarizes the stratigraphic coverage of cored research borehole in Svalbard in context to the stratigraphy of Svalbard, its latitudinal position during earth history and the corresponding geological setting:
The abstract, reviewing the deep-time paleoclimate events, which are preserved in Svalbard rocks, is available on Research Gate: