International Conference: Morphology and Geological Nature of Deep
Seabed and Submarine Elevations in the Arctic Basin: Controversial
Scientific Issues in Context of UNCLOS/Article 76
St. Petersburg, Russia
29 June - 5 July 2003
For more information contact the secretariat at the address below or
grikurov [at] mail.lanck.net or grikurov [at] vniio.ru
First Circular
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: Morphology and Geological Nature of Deep
Seabed and Submarine Elevations in the Arctic Basin: Controversial
Scientific Issues in Context of UNCLOS/Article 76
ROUND TABLE of experts from Circum-Arctic countries and other interested
parties: Research activities relevant to determination of continental
margin limits in the Arctic Ocean: coordination and cooperation
LOCATION: St. Petersburg, Russia
ANTICIPATED DATES: 29 June - 5 July 2003
ORGANIZERS:
-Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) of the Russian Federation
(All-Russia Research Institute for Geology and Mineral Resources of the
World Ocean "VNIIOkeangeologia", Polar Marine Geological Research
Expedition, "Sevmorgeo")
-Ministry of Defense (MoD) of the Russian Federation (Head Department
of Navigation and Oceanography, State Research Navigation Hydrographic
Institute)
-Administration of St. Petersburg (Committee for Science and High
School) -Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) (Institute of Lithosphere of
Marginal and Inland Seas, VNIIOkeangeologia)
-Federal Survey of Russia for Hydrometeorology and Environmental
Monitoring (Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute)
-Federal Survey for Geodesy and Cartography of Russia ("Aerogeodezia")
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE:
I.F. Glumov - Deputy Minister of Natural Resources of the Russian
Federation (chair)
R.R. Murzin - Head, Department of Offshore and World Ocean Resources,
MNR (deputy chair)
Admiral A.A. Komaritzyn - Chief, Head Department of Navigation and
Oceanography, MoD (deputy chair)
A.D. Viktorov - Chair, Committee for Science and High School of St.
Petersburg Administration (deputy chair)
V.D. Kaminsky - Director, VNIIOkeangeologia (deputy chair)
N.A. Bogdanov - Director, IL RAS
I.E. Frolov - Director, SRC AARI
G.E. Grikurov - Deputy director, VNIIOkeangeologia
V.A. Katsev - Deputy director, SE "Sevmorgeo"
N.A. Nesterov - Division head, HDNO
A.B. Oparin - Chief, RC SRNHI RF, MoD
V.V. Postnov - Division head, Legal Department, MFA
Yu.V. Sorokin - Division head, Department of Offshore and World Ocean
Resources, MNR
A.V. Yuskevich - Director, SE "Aerogeodezia"
E.N. Zatsepin - Chief geophysicist, SE PMGRE
SECRETARIAT:
E.A. Miloradovskaya
VNIIOkeangeologia
Phone: 7-812-114-8218
Fax: 7-812-114-1470
Email: miloradovskaya [at] mail.ru
Establishing limits of continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean beyond 200
nautical miles in accordance with Article 76 of UNCLOS appears a highly
complex procedure requiring a thorough analysis of a wide variety of
numerous data, and especially the evidence reaffirming that the claimed
area belongs to continental margin in the sense perceived by article 76.
Such evidence is, in turn, to a large extent based on scientific
interpretations of a large spectrum of observation data acquired by
different research disciplines - hydrography, geomorphology, geophysics,
and geology.
The conference will in the first place address those most controversial
issues of structure and history of the Arctic Ocean for which an
international consensus, if could be achieved, might constitute a basis
for application of the Article 76 provisions for determination of the
outer limit of continental margin in the Arctic region. Evidently, the
existing controversies cannot be resolved without purposeful field
studies in key areas of the high Arctic. The second principal goal of
the conference is therefore seen as round table negotiations between
experts from different countries interested in cost-effective execution
of complex and expensive multidisciplinary expeditions and prepared to
preliminary consider the options for their joint implementation.
The conference format is envisaged as a succession of daily plenary
meetings, each consisting of invited talks on pre-formulated subjects
(morning sessions), and open floor discussion of these presentations
(afternoon sessions). Proposals for additional field studies needed to
tackle the problems addressed in the invited lectures and during open
floor discussions may also be briefly presented. A reasonable amount (up
to 2-3) of alternative contributions on the same subject by different
(groups of) authors will be welcomed. Following the plenary sessions,
the participants will be invited to round table negotiations focusing on
detailed formulation of proposals concerning the future cooperative
expeditions to the high Arctic and/or other international activities
that may facilitate developing a common position in regard of
delimitation of legal continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean.
The Organizing Committee took the liberty to propose several topics that
are believed to embrace the main controversial issues and may therefore
be offered for consideration as primary subjects for plenary talks
and/or discussions during the conference, as well as basic constraints
for round table agenda (see the annex). No doubt the suggested list is
not exhaustive, and the Organizing Committee strongly hopes to receive
from Russian and foreign scientific community an early feedback to the
first circular as comments and recommendations that will be gratefully
acknowledged during subsequent preparations to the conference. In the
first place we look forward to opinions in regard of the proposed
(and/or additional) invited contributions and tips about their potential
authors, but the signals from volunteers to give one or another of the
specified invited talks will be especially appreciated. This information
will be digested in the second circular that will be sent to all
responders to the first circular and contain more detailed description
of organizational issues, including application forms, etc.
In spring and summer of 2003 the city of St. Petersburg will celebrate
its 300 year anniversary. There will be a variety of festivities, and
Organizing Committee intends to include the conference participants
among city guests eligible for attending the special events, museums,
performances, excursions, etc.
Welcome to St. Petersburg!
ANNEX:
Titles of invited papers proposed by the Organizing Committee:
- Geologic history of the Arctic Ocean: existing evidence against
interpretations and hypotheses (a review) - Arctic Ocean - a potential special area for application of Article
76: scientific and legal arguments (a review) - IBCAO and new 1:2,500,000 bathymetric map published by HDNO -
principal sources of knowledge about the bottom relief of the Arctic
Ocean (intercomparison and significance of further upgrading the
bathymetric base for scientific and applied purposes) (a review) 4. A reconstruction of hydrological regime in the Arctic since LGM:
distribution and movement of land and sea ice in relation to climate
change (a review) - Role of ice rafting in recent sedimentation in the Arctic Basin
- Determination of position of FoS and 2,500 m isobath: data sets,
methodology of data processing and validity of interpretation 7. Geomorphology of major bathymetric highs and lows in the Amerasian
Basin and the criteria for their categorization under article 76 - Morphostructural provinces in the Arctic Ocean: crustal
heterogeneities and their manifestation in various data sets - Tectonic factors in formation of modern bottom relief of the Arctic
Ocean - The Eurasia Basin: specific features of basement and cover structure
and their paleotectonic interpretation - Geomorphology, potential fields, crustal structure and geodynamic
environment in the conjunction of Gakkel & Lomonosov Ridges, Mendeleev
Rise and Chukchi Borderland with Arctic shelf of Asia and North America - Morphology and crustal structure of the Lomonosov Ridge: is there
convincing evidence for its direct adherence to the Barents-Kara
continental margin prior to formation of the Eurasian oceanic basin? - Genesis of bottom sediments in the Amerasian Basin and their
importance for identifying geotectonic nature of bathymetric highs in
the central Arctic Ocean 14. Alpha Ridge and Mendeleev Rise - common features and dissimilarities
(geomorphology, potential fields data, crustal structure, LIP
affinities)
Review talks - up to 45-50 min.
Other plenary presentations - up to 25-30 min.
Open floor contributions - up to 10-15 min.
Round table schedule - in subsequent circulars
For more information contact secretariat at the address above or
grikurov [at] mail.lanck.net or grikurov [at] vniio.ru