Research vessel Professor Molchanov’s research mission

Research cluster: oceanology

Oceanological studies in the offshore waters of the White and the Barents Seas

Purposes:

The expedition targets to obtain the complex information about the hydrological regime in the White and the Barents Seas, about the variability of flow characteristics and its influencing factors.

Task:

Oceanographic remote sensing of the water column sections (standard and permanent) in the White and the Barents Seas.

Research cluster: geography

Studying geomorphology of the shore areas of the Arctic seas

Purpose:

To explore the coastal and nearshore zones of the Barents and the White Seas

Task:

Identification and description of the type of shore (abrasion, accumulative, thermoabrasion, glacial, technogenic) within core section of the continental shelf and Arctic isles.

Exploring the natural and anthropogenically influenced landscapes in the coastal areas of the Barents and the White Seas

Purpose:

Identification of the natural and anthropogenically influenced landscapes of unique value for tourism and outreach programme on the history of discovery, development and exploration of the White and the Barents Seas.

Tasks:

  1. To collect, systematize and analyze the information about the state of natural and anthropogenically influenced landscapes in the coastal areas of the Barents and the White Seas.
  2. To design the educational tour itineraries covering the coasts of the Barents and White Seas.

Research cluster: meteorology

Meteorological investigations

Purposes:

Analysis, as part of climate change monitoring in the Arctic, of the variability of meteorological parameters and radiative balance, of the ozone layer and gas composition of the atmosphere air.

Tasks:

  1. to perform standard meteorological and actinometric observations;
  2. to measure ozone and carbon dioxide concentrations en-route.

Research cluster: seismology

Seismological studies of the Arctic areas on board the research vessel Professor Molchanov

Purpose:

To analyze the seismic situation in the western sector of the Arctic Region and to select locations for stationary seismic stations.

Tasks:

  1. Analysis of existing microseismic background in the area under observation;
  2. Assessment of availability of required infrastructure (electricity, engineering facilities, communication, etc.) in the places suggested for locating the stations;
  3. Identification of possible ways of communicating seismometric data;
  4. Installation, for 1-month period, of temporary seismic station at Cape Zhelaniye, Severnyi island, Novaya Zemlya archipelago.

Research cluster: hydrochemistry

Hydrochemical analysis of waters of the Arctic seas

Purpose:

Analysis of current state of hydrochemical structure of the Barent and the White Sea waters, as well as of the influence of processes relating to climate change.

Tasks:

  1. to obtain up-to-date data on the changes in the water quality key parameter values (pH, dissolved oxygen content, cationic composition, biogenic elements, salinity, Eh) at the standard depths of seas in summer season;
  2. to evaluate the influence of the Atlantic water mass on hydrochemical structure;
  3. to analyze the influence of ice cover on the hydrochemical parameters distribution and hydrochemical processes.

Research cluster: bioresources

Studying the bioresources of the Arctic seas and coastal zones

Purpose:

Analysis of distribution, properties and ecological characteristics of the bioresources available in offshore waters and coasts of the Barents and the White Seas.

Tasks:

  1. to evaluate the distribution and species diversity of diatomic algae inhabiting the Barents and the White Seas;
  2. to analyze the distribution and physicochemical properties of kelps inhabiting the Barents and the White Seas;
  3. to perform a search of new sources of chitine and other biologically active compounds available in the Barents and the White Seas;
  4. to analyze the content of heavy metals and petroleum products in soil and vegetation covering the Arctic isles.

Research cluster: glaciology

Studying the ice situation in the circumpolar areas

Purpose:

To study electrophysical properties of water and ice in spring-summer period.

Tasks:

  1. Analysis of literature on ice conditions in the northern latitudes;
  2. Observation of ice situation in the Barents Sea during the expedition;
  3. Study of sea water and ice electrophysical properties versus frequency response characteristics at various depths.

Research cluster: radiology

Radiological assessment of the Arctic and sub-Arctic areas

Purpose:

To obtain quantitative information on radioactive isotopes of tritium, polonium-210, beryllium -7, caesium -137, thorium -232, radium -226, kalium -40, uranium in the Barents Sea environment en-route White Sea - Spitsbergen – Franz Joseph Land – White Sea.

- Analysis of radioactive isotopes in atmospheric fallout (snow) en-route White Sea - Spitsbergen – Franz Joseph Land – White Sea.

Tasks:

Comprehensive analysis of the White Sea waters

Obtaining full-scale materials in the offshore waters of the White Sea

Purpose:

Oceanographical, meteorological, hydrochemical and hydrobiological investigations in the White Sea.

Tasks:

  1. Time and spatial analysis of changes in characteristics under study.
  2. Assessment of the time patterns of marine pollution.Text here....