Laptev Sea System: the Transpolar System of the Arctic Ocean

GEOMAR Laptev Sea Program was described by Heidi Kassens. Heidi presented an overview of the Russian-German erman research project „Laptev Sea System: the Transpolar System of the Arctic Ocean" which aims to assess how climate change will affect the highly sensitive Arctic environment and in how far the changes will be of consequence for Europe. Research areas are the Laptev Sea as the most important area of sea-ice production and the Fram Strait as the only deepwater and intermediate water connection between the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean (Figure 13). The Transpolar Drift connects both regions. At the same time, the Russian partner institution, the State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, St. Petersburg, implements multidisciplinary investigations in the Central Arctic Ocean as the key research topic of their research program „Arctic Basin Cluster". She presented some scientific highlights of the TRANSDRIFT expeditions to the Laptev Sea and she informed about the upcoming expedition TRANSDRIFT XXII onboard Viktor Buynitskiy in August and September 2014. She is proposing a NABOS/System-Laptev-Sea workshop in 2015 to merge the results of the projects. Figure 13: Station map of TRANSDRIFT XXI (22.8. – 20.9.2013

Personal Geographies inspired by Medieval Mappa Mundi

Students are challenged to look at maps from an artistic perspective by investigating several examples that go outside the standard geographical use of a map. This lesson starts with investigating symbols, to thinking about personal places of experience and interest, to finally creating a map of their own based on their exploration. The layout of their personal geography map is loosely inspired by medieval Italian mappa mundi created by Giovanni Leardo

From Ephemeral Planning to Permanent Urbanism: An Urban Planning Theory of Mega-Events

Mega-events like the Olympic Games are powerful forces that shape cities. In the wake of mega-events, a variety of positive and negative legacies have remained in host cities. In order to bring some theoretical clarity to debates about legacy creation, I introduce the concepts of the mega-event utopia, dystopia and heterotopia. A mega-event utopia is ideal and imaginary urbanism embracing abstract concepts about economies, socio-political systems, spaces, and societies in the host during events. The mega-event utopia (in contrast to other utopian visions other stakeholders may hold) is dictated by the desires of the mega-event owners irrespective of the realities in the event host. In short, a mega-event utopia is the perfect event host from the owner’s perspective. Mega-event utopias are suggested as a theoretical model for the systematic transformation of their host cities. As large-scale events progress as ever more powerful transformers into this century, mega-event dystopias have emerged as negatives of these idealistic utopias. As hybrid post-event landscapes, mega-event heterotopias manifest the temporary mega-event utopia as legacy imprints into the long-term realities in hosting cities. Using the Olympic utopia as an example of a mega-event utopia, I theorize utopian visions around four urban traits: economy, image, infrastructure and society. Through the concept of the mega-event legacy utopia, I also provide some insight toward the operationalization of the four urban traits for a city’s economic development, local place marketing, urban development, and public participation

Evolution of postglacial vegetation in the Western Laptev Sea region (Siberian Arctic)

On the basis of a detailed study of the pollen-spore spectra and a detailed radiocarbon chronology of a sediment core obtained from the western outer Laptev Sea shelf, the long-term and high-resolution changes of vegetation in the northwestern Laptev Sea region were reconstructed for the last 12.0 cal. ka. Three major phases in the development of paleoenvironments and vegetation on the surrounding hinterland and the exposed Laptev Sea shelf were recognized. The period between 12.0 and 10.3 cal. ka BP was characterized by predominance of grass-sedge and moss tundra. Rapid expansion of herbaceous tundra with dwarf birch and alder started at about 10.3 and lasted until 8.0 cal. ka. Pollen spectra from this time interval evidence the warmest and most favorable climate conditions. After 8.0 cal. ka mosses and lichen vegetation with scare herbs typical for the modern arctic tundra dominated. German: Auf der Grundlage detaillierter Pollen- und Sporenspektren aus einem 14C-datierten Sedimentkern vom äußeren Schelf des westlichen Laptewmeeres wurden die langfristigen und hochaufgelösten Veränderungen der Vegetation in den letzten 12 cal. ka in der nordwestlichen Laptewmeer-Region rekonstruiert. Es wurden drei Hauptphasen der Entwicklung von Umwelt und Vegetation im umgebenden Hinterland erkannt. Die Zeit zwischen 12,0 und 10,3 cal. ka BP war charakterisiert durch Riedgras- und Moos-Tundra. Rasche Ausdehnung der Kraut-Tundra mit Zwergbirke und Erle begann etwa um 10,3 cal. ka und dauerte bis 8,0 cal. ka. Pollenspektren aus diesem Zeitintervall beschreiben die wärmsten und besten Klimabedingungen. Nach 8,0 cal. ka dominierte die für die heutige arktische Tundra typische Moos- und Flechtenvegetation mit wenigen Kräutern

Largest early career scientists workshop on Polar marine research - IMPETUS 2008: Polar Observations and Monitoring

Eighty-five young researchers from 20 countries met in Russia to learn about the latest techniques in polar ocean observation and monitoring and to discuss the advantages and limits of various techniques, methods of data transmission, and joint research projects. IMPETUS 2008, the largest workshop ever held for early career scientists in polar marine research, was organized by the Otto Schmidt Laboratory for Polar and Marine Research at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, in Saint Petersburg; the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists; and the Permafrost Young Researchers Network

ARK-XIV/b - TRANSDRIFT V in die Laptevsee : Wochenberichte

Weekly reports for RV Polarstern expedition ARK-XIV/1b (1998-07-28 - 1998-07-28, Tiksi - Tromsö