Geoseminar at University of Gothenburg
Featured photo showing Mark Peternell setting up new ikaite experiments in the IceLab at Natrium, University of Gothenburg (Photo: Gabrielle Stockmann).
After having worked as a guest researcher for a while at the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, I felt it was about time that I explained to colleagues what kind of research I’m working on. Hence, the perfect place for such scientific outreach is the weekly Geoseminars. The new laboratories at the new building Natrium provides the ideal stage for carrying out experiments that can simulate what happens to the ikaite columns of Ikka Fjord under increasing seawater temperatures. Together with colleagues Mark Peternell and Matthias Konrad-Schmolke, we have designed an experimental setup with a cold stage that can store a piece of ikaite column submerged in seawater under 0.1 C temperature control. From Ikka Fjord we know that the columns can ‘survive’ in seawater temperatures up to 6 C, but occasionally temperatures above 6 C have been observed, accompanied with mineral alteration. Through these experiments at Natrium using the cold stage together with Raman mineral identification, we hope to determine the temperatures that are critical for the long-term survival of ikaite columns in Ikka Fjord.
