The 3rd Leg of the 25th Arctic voyage of RV Polarstern is heading to northern Baffin Bay and focussed on geoscientific questions. The 34 scientists from Hannover, Bremerhaven and Leipzig are going to jointly investigate the geological structures of the region using several geophysical methods and analysing sediments samples of the seafloor. The results will improve understanding of the rift evolution of Baffin Bay and the separation of Greenland from North America starting 65 M years ago in the Earth’s history. Recent models of the plate tectonic evolution for this part of the Arctic are not well understood because only a small amount of data from the deeper Earth crust is available for this underexplored area.

Our work, which is an integrated part of the German polar research programme, aims for a better understanding of the geological development of the Circum-Arctic continents and oceans.

Together with our three Canadian guest scientists of the Geological Survey of Canada we embarked RV Polarstern on July 31st in Reykjavik and headed off towards the southern tip of Greenland on August 1st. The 8 days of transit time were filled up with preparation work on geophysical equipment and in the geological laboratories, testing all the instruments and the obligatory safety instructions as usual. Although most of us have never been or haven’t been for a long time onboard RV Polarstern, we felt like home in a very short time thanks to the comfortable conditions and the friendly and helpful ship’s crew. After finishing almost all preparatory work we started the routine data acquisition under some parts of the programme. We acquired bathymetric data and recorded our first magnetic profile.

We passed the first icebergs and are now at a position approximately 100 nm off the Canadian coast, where we carry out the last test runs of some scientific instruments. We hope for good flight conditions to pick up four marine mammal observers by helicopter from Clyde River today, before we can start seismic data acquisition. The observers will carry out continuous observation of marine mammals. By this means we will fulfill a requirement of the research permission given for our project by the Canadian government and assure that our planned work complies with the specific restrictions given by the autonomous Nunavut authorities. Although all documents about our research work were submitted on time and permission granted after careful screening by the appropriate Canadian authorities, including Nunavut institutions, we are currently still not sure whether we can carry out our survey as planned. Even though there is no port call planned during our 10-week cruise, we hope there will be a chance to meet with representatives of the local Inuit communities and to inform them, as appropriate on board, in more detail.

Everybody on board is well and sends greetings

Volkmar Damm

August 8th, 2010 off Baffin Island 6°C