In the race for the Arctic there is Canada, United States, and Russia all staking claim on the increasingly accessible Northwest Passage and the mineral rights for the region. You have Canada
building up a polar fleet and Arctic bases at the cost of several billion dollars. You have the
Russians planting flags on the polar floor in
sham expeditions which has
Russian experts divided on the implications.
Now it is the U.S. who is pursuing the Arctic. NOAA's Office of Coast Survey, in partnership with the University of New Hampshire's Joint Hydrographic Center and the National Science Foundation, will embark on a four-week cruise to map a portion of the Arctic sea floor starting Aug. 17.
This is, in fact, the third expedition in a series of cruises aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter HEALY designed to map the sea floor on the northern Chukchi Cap. Scientists will explore this poorly known region to better understand its morphology and the potential for including this area within the United States' extended continental shelf under the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
But don't forget the Danes...
Meantime a Danish expedition is seeking evidence that the Lomonosov Ridge, a 1,240-mile underwater mountain range, is attached to the Danish territory of Greenland, that would open the way for Danish claim under UNCLOS that could stretch all the way the North Pole. Interestingly, the Danish expedition will travel aboard the Swedish icebreaker Oden, which will be assisted by a Russian nuclear icebreaker.
And in what many are calling a bizarre turn of events Peter and I are claiming the Arctic for DSN.
Craig is temporarily a post-doctoral fellow at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute who is looking for a permanent position. He spends most of his time balancing his overwhelming geekdom with normalcy so he can function in the real world. Luckily his wife likes his geekiness.
Peter Etnoyer is a Graduate Research Associate at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. He studies deep corals and ocean fronts, and he loves to be on the water.
Kevin Zelnio is a Graduate Student Researcher at Penn State studying the ecology of hydrothermal vent and methane seep communities. He raises awareness of the plight of the spineless through folk music.
Comments
Go Canada! W00t!
Posted by: sinned34 | August 15, 2007 12:55 PM
Wow, I had no idea Deep Sea News was a player in the race to bag the North pole. Cool... Keep a close eye on the Ruskies they lick to elbow while in waiting in line.
I have ichat on all tonight if you want to try it out. AIM: Slucky.
Word...
Posted by: land dude | August 15, 2007 7:39 PM
U.S. Readies for Polar Warfare
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/06/us_readies_for_.html
Posted by: Kiki | August 16, 2007 10:18 AM
Did you hear? On the way to the North Pole, the Russians may have stopped by the Titanic! Yes, it seems a news report "enhanced" their story with footage from the Titanic movie.
In all of this, though, I just worry about the ocean and everything that lives in it. I moved to Vancouver Island and learned to scuba dive not that long ago, but I already hear stories of how the ocean, the fish, the sharks "used to be". More traffic in one of the few places still somewhat untouched is only going to lead to serious problems.
Posted by: Genifer | August 23, 2007 12:16 PM