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This is the first time that Argentina has reported to IGCP-396, and the following covers a period more than the last year. The researchers in that country have been active in research activities on the Argentinian Continental Shelf regarding the quaternary shelf characteristics. Hitherto they have not published anything outside Argentina, and are thus keen to make known their activities to the wider scientific community. [The group has sent the Secretary of IGCP-396 several of their papers - in Spanish, covering the present decade, and these will be listed in the current year references]. Recent effort has focussed on the northern inner shelf and the first submarine geological chart will be published shortly.
Activities are discontinuous through very restricted financial support and the equipment for geological and geophysical testing, though adequate for some purposes, limits their work to depths less than 100m. The researchers make us of the Argentinian Oceanographic Vessel "Puerto Deseado" on 15 - 20 days a year.
The Argentinian group would welcome doing collaborative work with groups elsewhere.
Objectives include mapping the sediments and related biotic resources of Australia's EEZ and southern and western (cool to warm-water) continental shelves. The study also aims to gain an understanding of the oceanographic controls on continental shelf sedimentation, such as the Leeuwin Current and other boundary currents. During 1998 a cruise was held to investigate the cool water shelf of the eastern Great Australian Bight, and this will be followed in 1999 by an investigation of the Northwest Shelf, a warm water carbonate ramp and an important hydrocarbon province.
Contacts: Dr Yvonne Bone, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Adelaide; A/Prof Lindsay Collins, School of Applied Geology, Curtin University; Prof Noel James, Queens University, Ontario.
A 7 year, ARC funded study of the Houtman Abrolhos Reefs (the southern most coral reefs in the Indian Ocean) is providing new data on global sea levels, palaeoceanography and Leeuwin Current behaviour, and coral reef growth. The Quaternary growth history and seismic and subsurface structure of coral reef systems has provided data on oceanographic, climate and sea level change histories and their influence on coral reef growth, on timescales of annual change, 10,000 years and 100,000 years.
This information has contributed to a database for the planning and management of marine resources and conservation /recreation values of the reef system.
The study has been extended northward to the Ningaloo Reef, a fringing reef which lies close to a coastal zone subject to tourism pressures and tsunami impacts. These studies are providing new data on the seismic structure of the continental margin and its geological framework and history and are also vital for the establishment of management strategies for shelf coral reef ecosystems
Contact: A/Prof Lindsay Collins, School of Applied Geology, Curtin
Contacts for this project: A/Prof Lindsay Collins, School of Applied Geology, Curtin; Dr David Wood (Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Curtin).
Most of the marine activities of the Renard Centre of Marine Research - Stratigraphy Unit (Prof. Dr. Patric Jacobs, University of Gent, Belgium) during the course of 1997-1998 have been undertaken within the framework of a PhD study (Dra. Vera Van Lancker) on sediment and morphodynamics of the Belgian near-coastal zone.
As monitoring of the coastal environment is crucial, several offshore campaigns are performed on a seasonal basis, mostly on board of the national oceanographic research vessel "Belgica". Gradually built up since 1995, the database consists of sedimentological and geoacoustical data mainly comprising side-scan sonar and bathymetrical information. This integrated approach, supported by both spatial and temporal field measurements, and coupled to the forcing hydrodynamical and meteorological agents allows a better confining of process-response models with the ultimate aim to play an active role in the understanding and predictability of coastal erosion and accretion phenomena. It is expected the PhD research to be finalised by the beginning of 1999.
During the period 1997-1998 research results were presented at the international conference BORDOMER 97 (FRA) "Coastal Environment Management and Conservation", at a national meeting focussing on "Sandbanks" or as an international contribution at the Dutch national "Days of the Netherlands Centre of Coastal Research". Through working visits and a seminar an active link is maintained with the sediment-dynamics research group of the "Department of Oceanography" of the University of Southampton (UK) enabling support on sediment transport modelling. Within the framework of the exchange programme SOCRATES two foreign MSc students take part in our research activities.
To keep pace with the newest technologies, workshops or exhibitions are attended, both internationally (Oceanology 1998) and locally (i.e. Multibeam - Digital side-scan sonar workshop). Whenever the opportunity, the "Belgian Sea Scientific Potential" is actively promoted such as in Lisbon during the "Third European Marine Science and Technology Conference" and "EXPO'98". Also educational training and lectures are given concerning seafloor dynamics, the geology of the Belgian continental shelf or monitoring of coastal environments within the framework of the postgraduate course "Ecological Marine Management" at the Free University of Brussels (BE).
Under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Patric Jacobs, an MSc thesis student (Mrs. Natasja Brughmans) mapped in detail the surficial sediments in the Zwin estuary (northeastern part of the Belgian coast). In general sedimentation character turned out to be rather fine while facies successions mostly showed to coarsen up slightly in stead of fining up. Comparison with historical documents proved the sediment infilling of the estuary to be more complicated than might be expected from application of simple theoretical models valid for actual sedimentation processes under constant but decelerating sea-level rise. Storm-dominated sediment transport processes might largely govern estuary infilling.
Offshore campaigns 1997-1998 (Monitoring of the coastal environment)
Date | Ship | Chief Scientist |
1997/01/22 - 1997/01/22 | Jacqueline | S. Degraer (University of Gent, Section Marine Biology) |
1997/02/24 - 1997/02/28 | Belgica | V. Van Lancker (University of Gent, RCMG - Stratigraphy) |
1997/04/22 -1997/04/22 | Jacqueline | S. Degraer (University of Gent, Section Marine Biology) |
1997/04/29 - 1997/04/30 | Belgica | V. Van Lancker (University of Gent, RCMG - Stratigraphy) |
1997/05/05 - 1997/05/07 | Belgica | C. Vernemmen (University of Gent, RUMACOG) |
1997/08/26 - 1997/08/26 | Jacqueline | S. Degraer (University of Gent, Section Marine Biology) |
1997/09/08 - 1997/09/12 | Belgica | P. Jacobs (University of Gent, RCMG - Stratigraphy) |
1997/11/03 - 1997/11/07 | Belgica | V. Van Lancker (University of Gent, RCMG - Stratigraphy) |
1997/12/15 - 1997/12/18 | Belgica | V. Van Lancker (University of Gent, RCMG - Stratigraphy) |
1998/02/02 - 1998/02/04 | Belgica | V. Van Lancker (University of Gent, RCMG - Stratigraphy) |
1998/03/23 - 1998/03/27 | Belgica | V. Van Lancker (University of Gent, RCMG - Stratigraphy) |
1998/04/08 - 1998/04/08 | Oostende XI | S. Degraer (University of Gent, Section Marine Biology) |
1998/06/02 - 1998/06/03 | Belgica | A. Cattrijse (University of Gent, Section Marine Biology) |
1998/09/07 - 1998/09/11 | Belgica |
NOTE: All activity was centered on the Belgian continental shelf
Dr Van Lancker made two visits to the Oceanogrpahy Centre, Southampton, UK and gave a seminar entitled: "Chronosequential field measurements as a tool for the determination of sedimentary processes in the Belgian coastal zone." He also gave the following lectures
During the last year pollen analysis and determination of dinoflagellate cysyts was performed on a core from the north Bulgarian shelf of the Black Sea at water depth of 70m (E.Bozilova and J.Atanassova). The core length is 34m. A pollen diagram was constructed from the same core the molluscs remains were analysed ( V. Shopov). At present, the results have yet to be published. Pollen analysis is also done on a core from the south Bulgarian Shelf. (M.Lazarova).
Additional comments: We would appreciate very much to receive some financial help or assistance within the programme of the Project 396 in order to make radiocarbon dates of marine sediments. The lack of such information makes our work very difficult. Regretably there are no financial possibilities in our country and there is no such a laboratory.
During the past year, all members of IGCP 396 CNWG as always actively engage the scientific researches and national/international cooperation and exchange of continental shelves in the Quaternary: interpretation, correlation and application, with focus on the seas of and neighboring China.
Three national symposia related to IGCP 396 CNWG were held in Dalian, Huangshan and Nanjing, 1998. IGCP 396 CNWG members submitted papers and delivered talks. CNWG members apparently have become the core research capacity of IGCP 396 in China. With the implementation of ODP in the South China Sea early of 1999, many of CNWG members will participate the land-based researches which will target on the interpretation of marginal sea (including continental shelf ) record of the East-Asian monsoon derived from the uplift of the Tibetan.
One point worth of mention is that with the rapid economic development of China, especially in its coastal area, resources and environmental issues are becoming more and more important. Therefore, marine and geological scientists in China are faced the new challenges and began to serve themselves in the area. CNWG made a great effort to bid for hosting the1999 IGCP 396 annual meeting. However, as South Africa has its great advantage over China, that is it is in another continent and it will host INQUA. So it won the bid rationally. Athouth this is not good new for the Chinese colleagues, they will be happy to go to Cape Town in 1999 and meet all of IGCP 396 colleagues there.
Studies on the Continental Shelves in the Quaternary is driven by different French universities and by The French Institute of Oceanography (Ifremer).
The Main topics of the Continental shelves studies in the Quaternary consist of
The continental shelves from France are studied through different projects:
In the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Hong Kong, four new funded research projects under the leadership of the writer were initiated. They include:
Three higher degree projects under the supervision of the writer are currently in progress. They are:
One M.Phil. project on magnetic properties of sea-floor sediments by Mr C.H. Yeung under the supervision of a colleague Dr L.S.Chan is currently in the examination stage.
At the 2nd Annual Meeting of IGCP Project-396 held at Durham, U.K. in July 1997, India has been elected as venue and National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa, as host for the 3rd Annual Meeting being held now in October 1998.
Besides oral, poster sessions, Working and Business Group Meetings, a one-day workshop on frontier research areas of continental shelves has been conducted during this international meet.
Research related to the IGCP Project-396 is being carried out at National Institute of Oceanography, Goa and Geological Survey of India (GSI), besides, at several Universities along the east and west coasts of India. The current investigations at National Institute of Oceanography are concentrated along the western and eastern continental margins of India.
Western continental margin of India
List of projects (Carried out in universities and scientific institutions in Israel. The list includes old projects with on-going follow-ups).
As Italy is a country surrounded by sea, most of the main cities are situated on the coast and a lot of economic activities occur on the shelf, as fishing, navigation, and tourism. Hydrocarbon (especially gas) exploration and exploitation take place on the shallow seas of the Adriatic and Sicily Channel (some hundreds of rigs operated there since the 60's).
Tectonics is very active so the tsunami risk is real (the 1908 Messina tsunami caused several thousands of causalities). Beach erosion is a main problem on most of the Italian regions; some exploitation of relict sand on the shelf occur in northern Adriatic for Venice beach nourishment (several hundred thousand of m3 dredged) while researches are going on for the beaches near Rome.
Concerns about sea level rise caused/increased by localised subsidence arose especially in the northern Adriatic (Po river delta and Venice).
For all the previous reasons, the study of continental shelves has been actively promoted by the Italian Universities and Research Institutes.
After the pioneering work of Raimondo Selli and its fellows (Colantoni, Fabbri, Gallignani) in the 50's and 60's, the study of Italian continental shelves was driven in the 70's by a large national project on "Oceanografia e Fondi Marini" (Oceanography and seafloor), funded by National Research Council of Italy (CNR), that investigated most of the Italian Seas and shelves.
At present CNR is the leading Institution in this field, with two Institutes dedicated to marine geology (some hundred people mainly working in Bologna and Naples) and a Research Vessel (N/O Urania) operating continuously on the Italian seas. Shelf researches are still done in the Universities as well as by other research institutions as Osservatorio Geofisico Sperimentale of Trieste, Servizio Geologico Nazionale and ENEA (National Board for Alternative Energy Resources).
In the table hereafter a list of the research groups operating in Italian continental shelves is reported. The names of the leaders, the main study areas, the scientific aspects they are (or were) focused on, and their current status of activity (only in respect to the shelf studies) are only indicative and do not aim to be exhaustive.
No foreign groups are working on the Italian continental shelves (some is working on the basins); Italian groups working abroad on shelves include Univ. of Trieste (Brambati) for seafloor sedimentology and geological mapping of Magellan Strait, Univ. of Trieste (Finetti) for exploration seismics in the Black Sea and Antarctica, Osservatorio Geofisico Sperimentale (..) HR seismics in Antarctica.
The following is a list of people who are currently active in Continental Shelf Research in Italy in recent years
INSTITUTION | PEOPLE | MAIN AREAS | TOPICS | |
Univ. of ROMA + CNR of Roma | Chiocci, Tortora, Bellotti, La Monica | Tuscany shelf, Latium shelf,Calabria shelf | HR seismics/sequence stratigraphy, deltaic sedimentation, shelf dynamics, sedimentary processes, marine geotechnics, geological mapping 1/50.000 | |
CNR NAPOLI | D'Argenio, de Alteriis, Sacchi, Budillon | Gulf of Napoli, Southern Adriatic Sea, Campania shelf | HR seismic stratigraphy, miltichannel seismics, structural land/sea correlation, magnetic susceptibility, geological mapping 1/50.000 | |
University of PALERMO | Catalano, Agate | Sicily Channel, South Tyrrhenian Sea | 3rd order sequence stratigraphy and correlation with land outcrop | |
CNR BOLOGNA | Trincardi, Roveri | Adriatic Sea, Calabria. Tuscany | HR seismic/sequence stratigraphy, Shelf coring and dating | /tr>|
CNR BOLOGNA | Marani | North Adriatic | Holocene evolution of Po River delta | |
CNR BOLOGNA | Frascari | Adriatic Sea | Geochemistry/ polluttant dispersion | |
Univ. BOLOGNA | Romagnoli | Etna/Eolian Isl. | Submarine volcanology | |
Univ. of TRIESTE | Finetti | Italian Seas, Black Sea, Antartica Exploration seismics, deep crust | structural geology | |
Oss. Geof. Sperim. TRIESTE | Antartica HR seismics, gas occurence in the shelf | |||
ENEA | Antonioli | Tyrrhenian Sea | Submarine geology/ sea level curve | |
Serv. Geologico | D'Angelo | Italian seas | Geological mapping 1/50.000 |
The National Committee for Quaternary Research of Japan and Japan Association for Quaternary Research had an International Symposium on Quaternary Environmental Change in the Asia and Western Pacific Region on 14-17 Octover, 1997.
In the syposium, IGCP-396 had a special session on coastal dynamics: late Quaternary changes of deltas and continental shelves. 13 papers were presented from USA, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Korea, and Japan. The proceedings of this session will be published from a special issue of the Journal of Asian Earth Science jointly organized with IGCP-367 session in the symposium.
The Geological Survey of Japan and JISTEC are organizing an International Workshop on Land-Sea Link in Asia to be held in Tsukuba on 15-19 October, 1999. IGCP-396 is supporting this workshop. This meeting will be in memory of Emeritus Professor K.O. Emery, who was a honorary adviser to IGCP 396. A special session on the Yellow Sea and East China Sea is planned on 16 October, 1999.
Though Japanese working group did not have a meeting, information and news of IGCP-396 in Japan have been announced using an official news letter "Daiyonki-Tsuushin" of Japan Association for Quaternary Research.
contact geo.micro@uea.ac.uk