Calypso corer
This up to 20m core will give researchers a larger window into the deep biosphere.
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The first part of this summer's research cruise, 24 June – 2 July, led by Haflidi Haflidason, will employ the Calypso coring technology to extract up to 20m sediment cores.
The goal is to take several Calypso cores from different target locations. CGB researchers are most interested in cores from the rift valley in the Mohn's and Knipovich ridges; from near Loki’s Castle and northwest along the Knipovich Ridge. The Calypso corer on the G.O.Sars is capable of taking cores that are up to 22m deep. However, successful deployment of the Calypso corer requires good weather, a great deal of technical skill – and a little luck with location!
CGB researchers, supported by the H2Deep Project, are interested in learning more about the sediment history: physical data such as layer composition and temperature gradients, fluid composition from the different zones and information about any changes in the composition of the biosphere with depth. The data will provide more information about the hydrothermal and water-rock interactions in this area, as well as potentially unique information about the deep biosphere here. Ingunn, Tamara, Kirsten, Ingeborg, Shanshan, Steffen and Frida Lise will represent CGB on this leg. UiB coring expert, Stig Monsen will be along to lead the coring work.
By going nearly 20m into the sea floor sediments, the Calypso corer will greatly expand the information researchers have about the geological history of this area. A 20m core may represent several to many hundreds of thousands of years of sea floor history. (read about the shorter Gravity corer)
The arctic mid-ocean ridges are relatively unique in that they are located near, and in places have actually been subject to significant sedimentation from the various ice ages. For geologists, sediment cores provide a treasure trove of information about past geological activity: glacial, volcanic, venting etc.
Recently biologists have been becoming increasingly interested in sediment core information as providing unique opportunities to study the composition of the deep biosphere – how geological events and the resulting changes in sediment composition have led to differences in community structure.
Learn more about the Calypso corer and about the H2Deep project.
