TOMSK, Sep 30 – RIA Tomsk. Scientists of Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) together with colleagues from other scientific centers and universities continue the expedition in the seas of the Eastern Arctic. Its purpose is to identify the biogeochemical and environmental effects of underwater frost melting. How is the scientific journey – in the review RIA Tomsk.
Earlier it was reported that on September, 16 Russian and foreign scientists went on an expedition on the research ship Academician Mstislav Keldysh. Their route, designed for 40 days, runs through the Arctic seas - Kara, Laptev and East Siberian.
Scientific groups
"Together with scientists the chief expert of the Department of Vice-Rector of TPU for External Relations Sergey Nikiforov is on the board, the press service of the university reported on Monday. "The scientific expedition approaches the end point of its route – Bennett Island, a small section of land in the group of Novosibirsk Islands in the North-East Sea", – his words are quoted in the message.
During the expedition its participants are engaged in research of physical, chemical, geophysical and geological aspects of variability of parameters of Arctic system "lithosphere-hydrosphere-atmosphere" in seas. Professor of TPU Igor Semiletov leads this work.
© РИА Томск. Александра Астафьева
According to the press service, the expedition includes 64 scientists, engineer, laboratory technician, technicians, who are grouped into 16 scientific units: biohydrochemistry, gas neochemistry, hydrobiology, microbial geochemistry, seismological, hydrophysical, greenhouse gases and others.
"Most of them are attended by researchers, postgraduate students and students of Tomsk Polytechnic University. There are 15 people on the board of Academician Keldysh. The Master student of the School of Nuclear Science & Engineering of TPU Sergei Plastun was even entrusted with the leadership of one of the scientific units - nuclear medicine. It explores the content of natural radioactive elements in sea water", – Nikiforov said.
The first results
The unique capabilities of the research vessel allow for a diverse range of research. Thus, the installation of the intake of running seawater of the original design was installed on the first day on the Academician Keldysh, which allows to take samples of water throughout the route.
A detachment of electrophysical sounding of the bottom from the stern lowered several "braids" – 500-meter cables with sensors to study electrophysical profiles of bottom sediments. A unit of hydrogeophysics in the area of the Wilkitsky Strait at the entrance to the Laptev Sea launched buoys with thermal sensors to the bottom of the sea, they are to be picked up on the way back.
"Interesting results have already been obtained by the joint scientific unit of hydrobiochemistry and hydrobiology. Scientists investigated the content of plastic and microplastics in the organisms of marine inhabitants. Plastic particles are found in caught jellyfish and fish", – Nikiforov said.
According to the massage, a large amount of scientific work awaits the expedition participants in connection with the study of the underwater permafrost degradation and the destabilization of methane hydrates on the shelf of the East Siberian Sea, experiments in many other areas of research. The return of the expedition is scheduled for October 21.