On June 10-11, the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) hosted the 16th International Symposium on Polar Sciences in Incheon, Korea. The symposium brought together ~144 scientists from the broad fields of both ridge and climate research, representing 11 countries around the globe. The meeting was timely, with the expected launch this week of the new Korean research icebreaker R/V Araon, with sea trials planned for November 2009. The energy in anticipation of the opportunities for expanding Korea’s ocean science programs and collaborating with other nations was palpable immediately in the opening address and throughout the two days of presentations and workshop discussions. For the full workshop program, please see:
http://symposium.kopri.re.kr/
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Participants at the 2009 Symposium at KOPRI in Incheon, Korea. |
The workshop program on ridge research was organized by Sung-Hyun Park, Korea’s Steering Committee member in InterRidge. An objective of this program was to forge collaborations for the Korean Polar Ridge program (KOPRIDGE) which is planned to explore for hydrothermal activity at the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge over the next several years. Presentations were also given for other ridge and submarine volcanic systems from the Bransfield Strait in the Southern Ocean to the Gakkel Ridge in the Arctic.
InterRidge contributions included:
- Jian Lin, InterRidge Chair, gave a keynote presentation on “Major opportunities for international multi-disciplinary research and exploration of the global mid-ocean ridge system;”
- Y. John Chen, InterRidge Steering Committee member, provided a presentation entitled "Recent progress in mid-ocean ridge research in China;”
- Sang-Mook Lee, former InterRidge Steering Committee member, spoke on “Comparisons between back-arc basin and mid-ocean ridges;”
- Stace Beaulieu, InterRidge Coordinator, gave an overview of vent faunal biogeography and presented “Larval supply, colonization, and faunal community development at hydrothermal vents on the East Pacific Rise;”
- talks and posters from InterRidge members from France and USA:
- Anne Briais gave presentations on “The Pacific-Antarctic Ridge: Geophysical and geochemical results from the French expeditions obtained with R/V L'Atalante (1996 and 2002)” and “The tectonic evolution of the Pacific Antarctic Ridge, recent changes in plate motion, intraplate tectonics and axial morphology;”
- Dana Yoerger gave an invited lecture on “Autonomous discovery, mapping, and sampling of deep-sea hydrothermal vents;”
- Robert (Bob) Dziak, presented “Tectono-magmatic activity and ice dynamics in the
Bransfield Strait Back-arc Basin, Antarctica;”
- Ed Baker showed a poster on “Exploration strategies for polar environments: High-resolution mapping of hydrothermal discharge using an autonomous underwater vehicle.”
Additional ridge studies were presented from the international community, including:
- From Korea – Won-Sang Lee presented “Hydroacoustic monitoring in the Scotia Sea, Antactica” and Sukyoung Yun presented “Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge earthquake sequences from cross-correlation analysis of hydroacoustic data;”
- From Japan – Yoshikumi Nogi presented “Japanese marine geophysical and geological research activities in the Antarctic Ocean;”
- From USA - Ken Sims gave presentations on “Application of U- and Th decay series disequilibria to dating submarine basalts” and “Generation of 231Pa, 226Ra, 238U, and 230Th excesses in Arctic mid-ocean ridge basalts from the Kolbeinsey, Mohns, Knipovich, and Gakkel Ridges” and Joe Haxel presented a poster on “Regional comparisons of deep-ocean sound from the Bransfield Strait and Scotia Sea.”
We thank Dr. Park and KOPRI for inviting InterRidge to participate in the Symposium, and we look forward to many years ahead of international collaboration in ridge research enabled by the R/V Araon.
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Stace Beaulieu introduces the InterRidge science working groups. |
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Dana Yoerger gave an invited lecture on “Autonomous discovery, mapping, and sampling of deep-sea hydrothermal vents." |
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Bob Dziak, Ed Baker, Minkyu Park, and Joe Haxel at the 2009 KOPRI Symposium. |
