Exploring extreme environments at the Arctic seafloor: comprehensive studies integrating science, sustainability, and responsible resource exploitation 

Abstract

The Arctic seafloor has emerged as a pivotal asset, playing a crucial role in fostering intensified exploitation activities and the incoming deep-sea mining industry, particularly in the so-called "extreme environments" where deep-sourced fluids reach the seafloor at hydrothermal vents and hydrocarbon seeps. Positioned as a promising frontier for resource extraction, exploring the Arctic seafloor is significant with the expanding reach of human exploitation. The ongoing reduction in sea ice coverage in the Arctic region facilitates resource exploration and opens up previously inaccessible areas for scientific investigation. The paramount importance of comprehending the unique geological and ecological characteristics of the Arctic seafloor becomes evident in the quest for sustainable and responsible exploitation. As a response to this imperative, the integration of seafloor optical and acoustic seafloor and sub-seafloor imaging, and bio-geochemical analyses represents a pivotal approach. This integration allows the reconstruction of comprehensive models delineating geological processes, including the dynamics of hydrothermal and hydrocarbon systems. This presentation aims to show the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary and multiscale approach in exploring extreme environments through a selection of case studies. Encompassing remote sensing, geochemistry, biology, and a range of seafloor imaging techniques, these studies highlight the complexity and unicity of these environments. Furthermore, we will show how those integrated studies equip both the public and policymakers with essential information, fostering a balanced approach that reconciles economic interests with environmental conservation in the realm of Arctic seafloor exploration.