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SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Monitoring seawater CO2 release from thawing permafrost mobilized by Bayelva proglacial stream RiS ID 11654

Awarded: NOK 52,999

The Arctic already shows many signs of global change, including warming, reduced sea-ice cover, permafrost thawing and related changing in freshwater and organic carbon flux from rivers. It remains to be determined how these changes will enhance or mitigate rates of air-sea CO2 flux and acidification. The aim of this joint project is to describe the ongoing change in the physical and chemical water mass properties off the Bayelva river prodelta (Ny-Ålesund) in response of the thawing permafrost and glacier retreat. Specifically, we will use moored equipment to provide a high-resolution time-series of sinking organic material, salinity, temperature, current direction/speed, turbidity and CO2. In 2021, the Institute of Polar Sciences (ISP-CNR, Italy) has deployed a mooring line (Mooring Aldo Pontremoli, MAP) equipped with a current meter, temperature sensor, turbidity sensor and a sediment trap off the Bayelva river. In 2022, ISP would like to join forces with Norwegian Polar Institute by integrating new instruments, namely pCO2 sensors to also characterize the inorganic chemistry of the carbon cycle.

Funding scheme:

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum