From metering the precipitation in the Arctic region to drawing up a baseline data on microbial biodiversity in Kongsfjorden sediments and carrying out a biochemical evaluation and biomarker characterisation of Arctic fjord sediments, Indian researchers are into a series of scientific investigations in the icy terrains of Arctic.
Working from Himadri, country’s Arctic research station at Spitsbergen, Norway, the scientists are looking into the various aspects of life that thrives there to gain a better understanding about the climatological factors that influence the Arctic weather and its impact on climate changes elsewhere. The Arctic summer expedition, which began on June 13 will last for 41 days.
The researchers of the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Goa, specializing in atmospheric sciences, will look into the variability of precipitation over Arctic and the precipitation will be measured using Micro Rain Radar. The temperature and humidity profiles of the region will be created using a microwave radiometer profiler.
They hope to “fill the gaps in the observational data on Arctic clouds, especially during the dark winter season, by recording measurements using a ceilometer to measure the vertical profiles of multiple cloud layers,” according to a research document. The long-term monitoring of Kongsfjorden system of Arctic region for climate change studies has also been the mandate of the Centre during the current assignment.
An environmental specialist from the Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, will pay attention to the long term environmental monitoring of fjord ecosystems, especially the ecosystem of Kongsfjorden and Krossfjorden. The water and sediment chemistry with respect to climate change in the fjords will be the focus area of research. Different teams will be carrying several studies. For instance, the biochemical evaluation and biomarker characterization from Arctic fjord sediments is the task assigned to the chemical oceanographer from the Kerala University for Fisheries and Ocean Studies.
The zooplankton ecology and planktonic food web dynamics in Kongsfjorden will be studied using in-situ and satellite oceanography techniques by another team. The impact of glacial runoff and associated arctic freshening on microbial community structure will also be assessed. A case study will be carried out in Kongsfjorden.
While trying to understand the macro-benthic faunal composition at selected locations in the Kongsjorden Fjord covering a length of 15 Km from the oceanic end to the glacial end of the Fjord, another scientist from the Cochin University of Science will look into the impact of glacial run-off and associated Arctic freshening of microbial community structure of Kongsfjorden.
