The major objective of this project is to retrieve and redeploy oceanographic moorings from our 2015 campaign. In addition, we will collect oceanographic data in the Station North region. Relatively warm intermediate North Atlantic waters can be found at intermediate depths off the NE Greenland continental slope. These waters might penetrate along the submarine troughs and valleys into the shallow coastal areas where vertical mixing processes could initiate heat transport to the lower surface of sea ice.

This project provide knowledge of occurrence and composition of marine litter washed ashore on some selected reference coasts in West Greenland, where litter from open sea and not from nearby local sources (e.g. dumps) are the main contributor. The studies will be performed in 2016 in areas outside Nuuk, Sisimiut and Uummannaq and follow international guidelines developed by OSPAR.

With an increase in exploration of mineral resources in Greenland, there is a need for in depth studies on the impact on local species. Since mining effluent may affect the local aquatic environment, the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR) and Arctic Environment, Bioscience AU, wish to expand their knowledge on impacts of heavy metal pollution on Arctic char.

Microwave remote sensing is an effective tool for detection of oil spills in ice-covered waters. The presence of oil as either a separate layer beneath/above the sea ice or encapsulated within the sea ice, changes the profile’s thermodynamic properties and hence, its dielectric values. On the other hand, these changes in the oil-contaminated sea ice change the microwave radar signature of the profile, e.g., its normalized radar cross section (NRCS). The NRCS values associated with such profile can be measured remotely via ground-based/airborne radar systems, or SAR satellites.

Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in sea ice is an important parameter to describe the ocean-sea ice-atmosphere CO2 flux. For a long time, sea ice was considered as a lid over seawater, preventing CO2 exchange between the atmosphere and ocean (Tison et al. 2002). Recent observations suggest that sea ice can be an active source or sink for CO2 (e.g., Miller et al. 2011; Nomura et al. 2010). However, the magnitude of these processes is not clear.

Only a few studies have assessed the potential for biodegradation of hydrocarbon pollution in ice-covered seawater. Brakstad et al. (Microbial Ecology, 2008) spiked crude oil in sea ice in a field study in Spitsbergen and sampled the microbial community and residual oil over a 3-month period. They observed a changing microbial community and, particularly in the bottom sea-ice, indications for biodegradation.

Icebergs play an important role in heat budget and local upwelling (and in this way on nutrient dynamics) of the fjord system. Fjord winds, circulation and tides play a role in movement and melting of icebergs in the fjord system. Work will include investigations of heat sources for melt from atmosphere and ocean, iceberg melt and transport.

Contact: Dan Carlsson

Participants: Lorenz Meire, Wieter Boone, Søren Rysgaard

Link to Isaaffik website

Using AUV, water characteristics can be studied in large study areas. This approach allows to quantify the importance of near-shore processes compared to the central part of the fjord and assess if there is upwelling at the sides. The high resolution of measurements can resolve the patchiness of the bloom. Cross section transects and measurements of a water volume with the AUV.

Contact: Wieter Boone

In summer 2014, the Greenland Climate Research Centre and ASIAQ installed a new weather station and a time-lapse camera in the inner part of Godthåbsfjord. In vicinity of the weather station a CTD equipped with additional sensors for oxygen, chlorophyll, turbidity, light and pH will be deployed (in collaboration with NIOZ). These continuous mooring measurements will allow to quantify the role of fjord winds on upwelling events in the fjord. Using the continuous oxygen data allows to estimate of net community production close to a tidewater outlet glacier. 

Light dynamics plays an essential role in primary production. Due to input of silty meltwater, light regime is highly dynamics in Greenland coasts. What is the daily, tidal, seasonal variation in light dynamics? By transects studies in the fjord in combination with various moorings of PAR sensor, variability in light quantity and quality will be assessed in Godthåbsfjord. 

Contact: Lorenz Meire

Participants: Wieter Boone, Dan Carlsson, Leendert Vergeynst, John Mortensen, Jens Ehn, Filip Meysman, Søren Rysgaard