CNR, OGS and INGV protagonists in frontier research in the Arctic with the ARCA project, aimed at better understanding the climate system and its changes by investigating past extreme events and the processes that generated them
The last great melting of the Arctic ice sheet dates back to about 14 thousand years ago, causing large volumes of cold and fresh water to enter the oceans, altering oceanic circulation and triggering climate and environmental upheaval up to the tropics. The confirmation comes from research within the ARCA Project (ARctic: present Climatic change and pAst extreme events), the results of which were presented today at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Rome.
The project, funded by the Ministry of Education, University and Research, involved the National Research Council (CNR), as coordinator, the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics (OGS) and the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) with the aim of better understanding the mechanisms that regulate the melting of the Arctic polar ice cap and the flow of glacial meltwater in the oceans, as important factors capable of forcing climate change.
“Since 20 years ago, during the last deglaciation, these changes in ocean circulation have caused cooling phases in northern Europe. Until then, the ice cap occupied the entire North Sea and extended as far as northern Europe. By melting it has altered the environmental balance, giving rise to particularly cold periods. The glacial melt waters have also caused the transfer of large quantities of sediments and sudden rises in the global level of the oceans, such as the impressive event that occurred 14 years ago: on the occasion of which coral reefs in tropical areas recorded an increase of about 20 meters above sea level in just 340 years. For the first time we have found evidence of that catastrophic event in the geological records of the polar areas”, explain Michele Rebesco and Renata G. Lucchi of OGS who coordinated the project activities aimed at accurately reconstructing the extreme melting events of the Arctic glaciers through oceanographic, geophysical and geological surveys aboard the vessel OGS-Explora and other foreign research vessels.
"The mechanisms that regulate the melting of the Arctic polar ice cap and the flow of glacial meltwater in the oceans are very complex and their understanding requires the integration of multidisciplinary skills", explains Stefano Aliani, oceanographer of the CNR Institute of Marine Sciences who coordinated the integration of the activities carried out by the various research groups. "The comparison between the results obtained through the observations of the present and what has been reconstructed for the past, allows us to verify the strengths and weaknesses of the models developed".
“The interaction between the oceans and the large outlet glaciers in the polar regions contributes to the global balance of sea level”, explains Stefania Danesi, geophysicist at INGV. "Through the study of seismic data collected by the regional seismic network GLISN (Greenland Ice Sheet Monitoring Network) it is possible to observe calving events of large icebergs and, with the joint analysis of satellite images, it is possible to estimate the spatial and temporal variations of the of ice loss from major active fronts”.
The Arctic is warming faster than anywhere else on Earth, resulting in equally rapid environmental change. In recent years in particular, an acceleration of changes is evident, to the point that the possibility of a recurrence of extreme events is no longer a remote hypothesis. A full understanding of the climate system and the forces driving it is an essential condition for being able to predict realistic short-medium term scenarios.
Further information: http://www.arcaproject.it/index.php/en/
Credits: Michele Rebesco, OGS National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics
Caption: In the background the Tempelfjorden glacier, Svalbard archipelago