Day 18 (2 Jul)

Location: 64º32'N - 05º56'W

Weather: sunny

Wind: 14 knots

Dear Teacher Colleagues,

Today, as we prepared to cross over the Arctic Circle, we are nearing the end of a long transit period between the Charlie Gibbs fault and the Vöring Plateau. This provides us with more time to learn more about the specific scientific projects that are being conducted in concert with the goals of this mission. Both the chief scientists and the graduate students have provided us with very interesting lectures.

A complete rainbow during transit between the Charlie Gibbs fault and the Vöring Plateau

A chief scientist or a PhD student presented first; and then a masters student. These lectures help us to more clearly understand the goal of the AMOCINT Project. The masters students presentations include research covering other areas of oceanographic, biological and geological research. These presentations are also a good opportunity for the students to practice presenting their research.

First, co-chief scientist Kikki (Helga) Kleiven presented information about the overall goals of the AMOCINT project (which focus on reconstructing past deep ocean circulation patterns during interglacial periods to better understand how patterns may change in the future), general information about oceanography, ocean sediments, circulation patterns, and rapid climate change.

Two days ago, chief scientist Catherine Kissel explained the importance of the past vectorial variation of magnetic field as stratigraphic tool. The paleomagnetism record can be used to determine leads and lags in the climate record, and accurately correlate climate records from sediments and ice cores. The Earth's magnetic field generated in the core can be measured on the surface. The magnetic field is global and independent of climate, and can be measured in different materials. The study of paleomagnetism in lava flows leads to the reconstruction of past magnetism, and the magnetism of sediments gives information about their sources and environmental changes.

A PhD students Charline Marzin, along with two other PhD students, Stefano Bonelli and Laure Resplandy, also presented a series of two talks about ocean and climate modeling, as well as the recent IPCC report. We will discuss these topics further in the next email.