Eastern Arctic Research Articles

Sensitivity of Simulated Arctic Ocean Salinity and Strait Transport to Interannually Variable Hydrologic Model Based Runoff

AbstractAs the Arctic warms at an increased rate compared to the rest of the globe, freshwater runoff has been shown to be increasing into the Arctic Ocean. The effects of this contemporary increase in riverine freshwater into the Arctic Ocean are estimated from ocean model simulations, using two runoff data sets. One runoff data set is based on older climatological data, which has no inter‐annual variability after 2007 and as such does not represent the observed increases in river runoff into the Arctic. The other data set comes from a hydrological model developed for the Arctic drainage basin, which includes contemporary changes in the climate. At the Pan‐Arctic scale this new data set represents an approximately 11% increase in runoff, compared with the older climatological data. Comparing two ocean model runs forced with the different runoff data sets, overall changes in different freshwater markers across the basin were found to be between 5% and 10%, depending on the regions. The strongest increases were seen from the Siberian rivers, which in turn caused the strongest freshening in the Eastern Arctic. As the surface waters of the Arctic Ocean are sensitive to runoff, incorporating hydrological model data can help to better understand current changes and potential future impacts from increased runoff with climate change.

РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ НАУЧНЫХ ЭКСПЕДИЦИОННЫХ ГЕОЛОГО-ГЕОФИЗИЧЕСКИХ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ ПОЛЕЗНЫХ ИСКОПАЕМЫХ МОРЕЙ ДАЛЬНЕВОСТОЧНОГО РЕГИОНА РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ И ТИХОГО ОКЕАНА (ПРОЕКТ «ГЕОМИР»)

The paper presents a brief overview of the results of integrated geological, geophysical and oceanographic studies for the period 2017–2023, for which interregional generalizations were made on some promising areas of study of underwater mineral resources and the environment. The data on geological underwater objects, in particular, manganese ores of the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk and adjacent water areas; rare-earth ores of the Tomtor ore cluster, ancient and modern coastal-marine placers of the Laptev Sea coast are presented; barite ore occurrences “Barite Hills” (in the Sea of Okhotsk); ferromanganese formations of the Eastern Arctic shelf of Russia; coastal marine placers of the shelf and coast of the Far Eastern seas, including gold-bearing placers. including gold-bearing placers of the shelf zone of the south of Primorye and north of Sakhalin, titanomagnetite placers of the Kuril Islands, gold-bearing placers of the North Sakhalin Plain and others. Direct signs of hydrocarbons were obtained in areas previously considered unpromising (including the South China Sea), gas hydrate accumulations were mapped and studied in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan, prospecting for gas hydrates in the Bering Sea was prepared, and comparative studies of hydrate-bearing capacity of the marginal seas of the NW Pacific and the Indian Ocean were carried out. The main features of the distribution of lithologic and gas-geochemical indicators of hydrocarbon gases in bottom sediments of the southwestern sector of the East Siberian Sea, which is the least studied in terms of oil and gas content, were studied. Based on the data of gas-geochemical studies, the prospects of oil and gas content of the eastern shelf of the Arctic were assessed. The results of geomicrobiological studies in the seas of the Far East region are described. In some cases deepsea sediments themselves (peloid-like sediments, etc.) appear to be a separate huge mineral resource. At present, the “continent-ocean” transition zone and neutral waters can become the most important source of replenishing the mineral resource base of these mineral components. The presented research corresponds to the main objectives of the GEOMIR project of the national action plan within the UN Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) and was carried out mainly in accordance with the directions of the state assignment. Studies of gas hydrates were carried out within the framework of the WESTPAC working group “Gas hydrates and methane fluxes in the Indo-Pacific region” (CoSGas, 2021–2024), established on the initiative and under the leadership of Russia.

All Aboard the Nascopie: Image-Making, Colonial Modernity, and Coastal Memory in the Canadian Eastern Arctic

Between 1912 and 1947, when it sank, the icebreaker the RMS Nascopie, a British-made vessel commissioned by the HBC to be used as a supply ship, serviced the eastern Canadian Arctic. For an eight-year period during this time it also counted tourists among its passengers, alongside HBC personnel, missionaries, medical practitioners, scientists, and government officials. Life aboard the ship, wildlife, sea ice, inclement weather, and Inuit were all documented in the reports, written diaries, and visual records that emanated from the Nascopie as it operated under the many, often contradictory, guises of icebreaker, supply vessel, cruise ship, and sovereign symbol. Looking across photography, painting, and printmaking during the 1930s through to the present day, I consider the Nascopie as an anchor between the visual arts and the coastal landscape. Here, I position Inuit and non-Inuit perceptions of cultural and environmental change and continuity along Canada’s coastline within the transformative effect of colonial modernity. Image-making, notably photography and painting, aboard the Nascopie sought to reproduce the Canadian Arctic as an object of collective history and national identity. Confronting the often-anonymous Inuit and Arctic environments throughout the photography and painting of Lorene Squire and F.H. Varley, I identify how the Nascopie, as a colonial actor in the local landscape, persists in contemporary Inuit visual and cultural memory, most notably in the work of Shuvinai Ashoona. By untangling the inter-media and multi-temporal role of the Nascopie across past and present image cultures, I explore the intertwined narratives of coastal history, visual culture, and colonial modernity in the eastern Canadian Arctic.

Structural–Geodynamic Systems of the Eastern Arctic Region

Structural–Geodynamic Systems of the Eastern Arctic Region

Environmental changes in the Eastern Arctic during the Early Gelasian Age: Palynological Data from Lake El'gygytgyn

The 2.373-2.510 Ma BP (isotopic stages 92-99; Early Gelasian Age) interval of the palynological record from Lake El'gygytgyn, northern Chukotka, includes 9 pollen zones characterizing interglacial, interstadial, and glacial plant communities. The boundaries of pollen zones and isotope stages in some cases do not correspond, indicating that the age model developed for the El'gygytgyn core requires revision. Between 2.373 and 2.510 Ma, the warmest climate occurred during MIS93, when larch forests, which included dark coniferous species, spread across the region. Alnus hirsuta (Spach) Turcz. ex Rupr., Chosenia arbutifolia (Pall.) A. K. Skvortsov, and Populus suaveolens Fish. dominated the gallery forests of the river valleys. The development of grass-shrub tundra and larch forest-tundra is associated with periods of climatic cooling, with the coolest conditions occurring at the beginning of MIS97. The consistent presence of Larix pollen throughout the Early Gelasian indicates that even in harsher climatic conditions, larch forest-tundra persisted in the areas of the Anadyr Plateau and Lake El'gygytgyn.

Vegetation response to climate changes in the eastern Arctic during the Middle Gelasian age of the Early Pleistocene

Palynological analysis of sediments from El'gygytgyn Lake document vegetation changes in the Eastern Arctic from early marine isotope stage (MIS) 74 to late MIS 80 (c.2.1–1.9 MA) and close the last remaining gap in the El'gygytgyn pollen record. Cooler climates were characterized by a mix of Larix forest-tundra, shrub Betula tundra, and herb-dominated communities. During interglaciations, Larix forests with tree Betula and Alnus, and perhaps with a minor component of Picea and tree Pinus, characterized areas that today are tundra. These forests included a rich shrub understory of Betula, Duschekia, Salix, and Pinus pumila. Although MIS 77 has been considered a “super” interglaciation, the data do not indicate that this stage was exceptionally warm. Interstadial conditions are denoted by pollen assemblages that indicate the regional vegetation was dominated by Larix forest -tundra and an absence of Pinus pumila. The palynological results from this Early Pleistocene interval demonstrate the need to: 1) modify the El'gygytgyn age model; 2) reevaluate the relationship of sediment facies to climate change; and 3) reconsider the occurrence and/or definition of “super” interglaciations.

Vitalizing logistics strategies for Tiksi Port using the interpretive structural modelling method

Tiksi Port is a Russian seaport located on the Laptev Sea shore in the Central Arctic region and holds potential as a crucial and versatile hub for the improvement of the Eastern Arctic sector. It is one of the main ports on the Northern Sea Route and can potentially become the primary point for transporting various types of cargo. Currently, Tiksi Port is shallow and incapable of receiving large sea vessels and although it was initially equipped with handling equipment, signs of decline are visible. This study aims to identify the critical logistics elements of Tiksi Port and classify them according to their level of significance in vitalizing the logistics activities of the port for further practical use. Interpretive Structural Modelling and the Matrix of Cross Impacts Multiplication Applied to a Classification (MICMAC) method was used in this study. The study findings revealed ten factors that appeared at three levels of importance. According to the analysis results, “combating oil spills” was present at Level 3, which is the first and most fundamental level to be improved. Tiksi Port officials and government ministries can use these results as a reference for development and to support the establishment of a cost-effective and agile logistics system for related companies.

Shelf-Basin Connectivity Drives Dissolved Fe and Mn Distributions in the Western Arctic Ocean: A Synoptic View into Polar Trace Metal Cycling

There have been many changes over the past few decades in the physical environment and ecosystem health of the Arctic Ocean, which is a sentinel of global warming. Bioactive trace metal data of important micronutrients for algae across the global ocean, such as iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn), are key indicators of biogeochemical change. However, trace metal data in the Arctic have been historically sparse and generally confined to ice-free regions. In 2015, three major GEOTRACES expeditions sought to resolve trace metal distributions across the Arctic, covering the western, eastern, and Canadian Arctic sectors. The diverse Arctic shelves displayed unique controls on Fe and Mn cycling due to differing chemical, biological, and physical properties. Here, we contrast the shallow, reducing Chukchi Shelf in the western Arctic with the tidally forced, advective Canadian Arctic and the deeper, less productive Barents Shelf in the eastern Arctic. Reductive dissolution and physical resuspension both proved to be large sources of Fe and Mn to the Arctic and the North Atlantic outflow. In the isolated intermediate and deep waters, one-dimensional scavenging in the western and eastern Arctic contrasts with vertical biological signals in Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea.

Assessing climate change vulnerability in Canadian marine conservation networks: implications for conservation planning and resilience

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are critical in safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem functions under climate change. The long-term effectiveness of these static conservation measures will depend on how well they represent current and future ocean changes. Here, we use the Climate Risk Index for Biodiversity to assess the vulnerability representation of marine ecosystems within the Canadian marine conservation network (CMCN) under two divergent emissions scenarios. We found that MPAs best represent climate vulnerability in Atlantic Canada (85% representativity overall, and 93% in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence under low emissions), followed by the Pacific (78%) and Arctic (63%; lowest in the Eastern Arctic (41% under high emissions) regions). Notably, MPAs with lower climate vulnerability are proportionally overrepresented in the CMCN. Broad-scale geographic targets employed in the Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy network planning process achieve over 90% representativity of climate vulnerabilities, underscoring the importance of ensuring habitat representativity and geographic distribution in conservation planning to enhance climate resilience, even if not explicitly prioritized. Moving towards Canada’s target to protect 30% of its waters by 2030, prioritizing representativity and designation of MPAs in currently underrepresented climate-vulnerable regions may be crucial to enhancing the resilience of the CMCN amidst an ever-changing climate.

СТРУКТУРНО-ГЕОДИНАМИЧЕСКИЕ СИСТЕМЫ ВОСТОЧНОЙ АРКТИКИ

The research considered in the article was aimed at studying the structure and evolution of the Eastern Arctic structural-geodynamic systems. The tectonic model of the base of the Eastern Arctic plate section determines their vertical zonality in terms of structure and tectonics based on the interpretation of seismic and other geophysical survey data correlated with varying degrees of reliability with the studied sections in the adjacent or remote areas. Accordingly, the models of vertical structure and formational composition built on this basis are largely hypothetical and tend to change (even fundamentally) as geological and geophysical information accumulates. Geodynamic analysis of formation of the Eastern Arctic structural-geodynamic systems was based on tectonic-geodynamic paleoreconstructions reflecting interactions among blocks of the consolidated crust. The results obtained made it possible to significantly update, expand and, in some cases, refine the understanding of the structure of the basement and individual reference horizons of the sedimentary cover in this part of the water area. It was also concluded that the East Arctic waters are of significant interest in terms of hydrocarbon exploration, however, the assessment of their hydrocarbon potential is difficult due to poor geophysical knowledge and lack of wells.

Environmental Changes in the Eastern Arctic during Marine Isotope Stages 80 and 81

Palynological analysis of a 317-m-long sediment core obtained from Lake El'gygytgyn (67° 30' N, 172° 05' E) located in the Eastern Arctic documents the changes in vegetation between 2.103 and 2.146 Ma. This interval encompasses marine isotope stages (MIS) 80 and 81 and includes the Reunion paleomagnetic event, an important chronological event within MIS 81. Seven pollen zones depict the varying plant communities associated with interglacial, interstadial, and glacial intervals. The warmest climatic conditions occurred during MIS 81 (pollen zone E2) when coniferous forests dominated the landscape. These forests also included moderately thermophilous broadleaf trees and shrubs. The interstade (MIS 81, pollen zone E3) is characterized by open larch forests and forest-tundra. During the period of deepest climatic cooling, which occurred at the end of MIS 80 (pollen zone E7), larch forest-tundra and shrub tundra were present across the region. The palynological analysis of sediments from Lake El'gygytgyn illustrates the varying responses of vegetation to a wide range of climatic conditions and suggests that modern Arctic communities may disappear in the future as a result of global warming.

Morphology and evolution of Eastern Arctic structure and geodynamics

Morphology and evolution of Eastern Arctic structure and geodynamics

Алгоритм одоления монопрофильности арктического города: случай Норильска

The research question of the article — identifying ways to overcome the single-industry nature of the city of Norilsk — have been concretized by solving the following tasks: to substantiate the “specificness” of Norilsk among the largest Arctic cities of Russia; to determine the role of the agglomeration effect in strengthening the support of Norilsk for the projects of Taimyr and the entire Eastern Arctic; to deter-mine the potential of Norilsk Nickel’s service structures and urban entrepreneurship for new mining and infrastructure projects in the Eastern Arctic; propose mechanisms for implementing the Norilsk Support Strategy. The methodological base of the study was formed by the concepts of technological modes, development blocking of old-industrial / mono-industrial territories and supportive settlements. Main results: Norilsk is the most specific among the largest Arctic cities of Russia according to the composite index, made up of nine key demographic, economic, socio-cultural indicators. Non-standard approaches are needed to diversify its economy. The agglomeration effect can constructively contribute to Norilsk’s transformation from a single-industry city into a base city for the development of the Eastern Arctic. The most important areas of structural transformation of Norilsk’s economy include strengthening the practice-orientation and geographical expansion of consumers of services of the local scientific and educational complex; establishment of an entrepreneurial layer in new industries and types of production activities; and entry of the city's entrepreneurship together with the plant's service structures into the market of projects and settlements in the Eastern Arctic. The main mechanisms for the implementation of the Norilsk Strategy: “mirror” actions in the eastern Arctic of the city and the Norilsk Nickel combine; transformation of Norilsk into a center for the provision of security services for the territories of the eastern Arctic; a center of formation of the Arctic cruise tourism from Dudinka to Anadyr; a center for accumulating best practices of renovation of the Arctic housing and communal services for their replication in the cities and towns of the Eastern Arctic. Recognition of Norilsk’s success in becoming a base city in the Eastern Arctic will be an increase in its administrative status: transformation into a city of federal significance.

Extreme Geomagnetic Disturbances (GMDs) Observed in Eastern Arctic Canada: Occurrence Characteristics and Solar Cycle Dependence

AbstractExtreme (>20 nT/s) geomagnetic disturbances (GMDs, also denoted as MPEs—magnetic perturbation events)—impulsive nighttime disturbances with time scale ∼5–10 min, have sufficient amplitude to cause bursts of geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) that can damage technical infrastructure. In this study, we present occurrence statistics for extreme GMD events from five stations in the MACCS and AUTUMNX magnetometer arrays in Arctic Canada at magnetic latitudes ranging from 65° to 75°. We report all large (≥6 nT/s) and extreme GMDs from these stations from 2011 through 2022 to analyze variations of GMD activity over a full solar cycle and compare them to those found in three earlier studies. GMD activity between 2011 and 2022 did not closely follow the sunspot cycle, but instead was lowest during its rising phase and maximum (2011–2014) and highest during the early declining phase (2015–2017). Most of these GMDs, especially the most extreme, were associated with high‐speed solar wind streams (Vsw >600 km/s) and steady solar wind pressure. All extreme GMDs occurred within 80 min after substorm onsets, but few within 5 min. Multistation data often revealed a poleward progression of GMDs, consistent with a tailward retreat of the magnetotail reconnection region. These observations indicate that extreme GIC hazard conditions can occur for a variety of solar wind drivers and geomagnetic conditions, not only for fast‐coronal mass ejection driven storms.

The Geological Characteristics of a Subpermafrost Gas Hydrate Reservoir on the Taimyr Shelf of the Kara Sea (Eastern Arctic)

The Geological Characteristics of a Subpermafrost Gas Hydrate Reservoir on the Taimyr Shelf of the Kara Sea (Eastern Arctic)

Radium Isotopes as Tracers of Shelf‐Basin Exchange Processes in the Eastern Arctic Ocean

AbstractRadium isotopes, which are sourced from sediments, are useful tools for studying potential climate‐driven changes in the transfer of shelf‐derived elements to the open Arctic Ocean. Here we present observations of radium‐228 and radium‐226 from the Siberian Arctic, focusing on the shelf‐basin boundary north of the Laptev and East Siberian Seas. Water isotopes and nutrients are used to deconvolve the contributions from different water masses in the study region, and modeled currents and water parcel back‐trajectories provide insights on water pathways and residence times. High radium levels and fractions of meteoric water, along with modeled water parcel back‐trajectories, indicate that shelf‐ and river‐influenced water left the East Siberian Shelf around 170°E in 2021; this is likely where the Transpolar Drift was entering the central Arctic. A transect extending from the East Siberian Slope into the basin is used to estimate a radium‐228 flux of 2.67 × 107 atoms m−2 d−1 (possible range of 1.23 × 107–1.04 × 108 atoms m−2 d−1) from slope sediments, which is comparable to slope fluxes in other regions of the world. A box model is used to determine that the flux of radium‐228 from the Laptev and East Siberian Shelves is 9.03 × 107 atoms m−2 d−1 (possible range of 3.87 × 107–1.56 × 108 atoms m−2 d−1), similar to previously estimated fluxes from the Chukchi Shelf. These three shelves contribute a disproportionately high amount of radium to the Arctic, highlighting their importance in regulating the chemistry of Arctic surface waters.

Структура и эволюция углеводородных систем окраинных морей Северного Ледовитого океана (Восточная Арктика)

The article presents the results of studying the structure and evolution of hydrocarbon systems in the marginal seas of the Eastern Arctic — the Chukchi, East Siberian and Laptev Seas. The authors assess the hydrocarbon potential of the studied water areas basing on the results of the basin analysis and numerical modeling. Three promising sedimentary complexes Aptian–Upper Cretaceous, Paleocene–Eocene, and Oligocene–Lower Miocene are predicted in the composition of the sedimentary cover. It is shown that the development of hydrocarbon systems is determined mainly by the rate of sinking of the basins and the thickness of the formed overburden complexes. The main centers of hydrocarbon generation of the Aptian–Upper Cretaceous perspective complex are located in the North Chukchi trough, while those of the Paleocene–Eocene and Oligocene–Lower Miocene complex are located in the Laptev Sea basin. The most likely areas of hydrocarbon accumulation in the reservoirs of the Aptian–Upper Cretaceous complex are the marginal parts of the North Chukchi and East Siberian basins, where deposits are expected at a depth of ~5 km. In the Laptev Sea basin, in addition to the marginal zones, there is a large accumulation area in its central part with deposits predicted at a depth of ≥5 km. In the Paleogene (Paleocene–Eocene) complex, hydrocarbon accumulations are predicted mainly in the central parts of the studied basins and, to a lesser extent, in the near-side parts. The occurrence depths of promising objects vary from 5–6 km in the central parts to 2–3 km in the near-side ones. In the Oligocene-Lower Miocene complex, hydrocarbon accumulations are expected mainly within the Laptev Sea basin at depths of 3–5 km. Significant hydrocarbon potential may be associated with Paleogene clinoform deposits.

Biometric Characteristics of Live Weight in Reindeer Populations of the Eastern Arctic and Subarctic

Purpose: the study of biometric data on live weight and their significance for artificial selection in the population of the northern deer (Rangifertarandus L.) ..Materials and methods. Information was used from annual reports of reindeer herding of the North of the Far East. The methods of variation statistics that are generally accepted in zootechnical research were applied. Extreme (LIM) and average values (M) of the sign, trust boundaries of the general average (M ± t ∙ m), the average square deviation (σ), the coefficient of variation (CV), the boundaries of the extreme class variation (M ± 2σ) are determined. Associations of a live mass of sexual age groups in the population of the northern deer were established by calculating the correlation coefficients (R) and rectilinear regression (B).Results. The consolidated correlation coefficient (RSV), reflecting the level of direct linear connection of the live weight of calves with a mass of uterus and manufacturers, was ≈ 0.7, which relates to the degree of close dependence. Using the regression equation (y = a+bx) calculated the predicted average size of the live weight of young animals in the average live weight of the importance. The data allow you to establish the threshold of selection of tribal animals in order to obtain offspring with a given value of the sign. In the study, the impact on the live mass of the season, year, range, and farms is leveled. It was established that throughout the generations a living mass is a stable phenotypic sign. Biometric data on live weight, as a quantitative attitude, indirectly reflect the state and movement of group genetic information in the populations of deer of the Far North-East of Russia.

Development of a Network of Landing Sites and Heliports: Ensuring Aviation Accessibility of Settlements in the Arctic Regions

While considering the problems of ensuring aviation accessibility of remote settlements in the regions of the Eastern Arctic Area of Russia, the study has concretised the concept of aviation accessibility of a settlement.The analysis of aviation mobility of the population of the Arctic zone of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) was carried out. It has been established that the lack of a sufficient number of landing sites is a limiting factor in performance of regular flights between settlements and the centres of the Arctic regions. Under these conditions, local flights are carried out mainly by MI-8 helicopters which are expensive in operation, with extremely low regularity and not full load.To justify the construction of a network of landing sites in the Arctic region, a methodology has been developed for predicting seasonal distribution of passenger flows within local air transportation. This methodology is based on Ward’s hierarchical clustering method, which allows, considering many criteria, to divide all settlements into clusters, in each of which the demand for air transportation is present during a certain number of months.It is substantiated that construction of a landing site in a settlement is necessary if there is a demand for air transportation for more than five months a year. Using the example of 65 Arctic settlements of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), five clusters were identified. For three of them the need to build landing sites is proved. The zones of gravity of regional airports with a range of 150 km were determined, considering the possibility to get from the settlement to the airport in 3–4 hours. Based on the results of clustering and identification of gravity areas of regional airports, a predictable network of landing sites in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) was built.

Ice-rafted dropstones at midlatitudes in the Cretaceous of continental Iberia

Abstract The Cretaceous is widely considered to have been a period subjected to super-greenhouse conditions. Here, we provide multiscale sedimentologic evidence of glaciers developing at mid-paleolatitudes (~45°N) in continental Iberia during the Hauterivian cold snap. Striated and faceted ice-rafted glacial dropstones (cobble to boulder size) and striated and grooved silt- to sand-sized grains (ice-rafted debris [IRD]) occur in a lacustrine sequence of the Enciso Group in the eastern Cameros Basin, Spain. The ice-rafted materials constitute the first evidence reported for a Cretaceous continental cryospheric record in Europe, and they are attributed to calving of glacier snouts, releasing icebergs into an ice-contact lake. The sedimentary succession resembles glacial-deglacial records in lakes overridden by the late Pleistocene Laurentide Ice Sheet in eastern Arctic Canada. The Iberian glacial succession was coeval with plateau permafrost in Asia and IRD records in the Arctic and Australia, revealing a stronger than previously thought cryosphere during the global Hauterivian cold snap.