Arctic Region
The Arctic Ocean's extensive submarine continental shelves and adjacent landmasses contain vast ore deposits, excellent subsurface reservoirs and proven hydrocarbon systems, all of which may be needed for tackling the energy transition. The region is also important because it contains well-preserved palaeoclimate records and is itself sensitive to climatic perturbations, and so is an ideal place to monitor anthropogenic climate change. The geology and tectonics of the region have controlled the distribution of its resources and have influenced past climate. The drivers for the opening of the Arctic Ocean are complex and disputed; this is because much of the evidence is either concealed below sea-level or ice caps, and is further obscured by recurrent terrane displacement. As a consequence, regional syntheses combined with targeted field observations from key areas across the Arctic region are necessary to forward models for Arctic Ocean opening and the development of its resources.
Map of Region
Active Research Projects
Most Recent Reports
- A review of the crystalline basement of the Barents Shelf and adjacent areas
- Source rock characteristics of Cretaceous mudstone in the Anderson Basin
- Chronostratigraphic constraints for Triassic sand dispersal on the western Barents Shelf
- Late Carboniferous to Early Permian reservoir development on the Stappen High: New insight from field and photogrammetric surveys of Bjørnøya
- Geological history of Bjørnøya through virtual outcrop models