Book reviews

Book Review in this Articles
Review of Otto Fabricius and the seals of Greenland. Meddelelser om Grønland: Bioscience 55 , by Finn O. Kapel (2005)
Review of Le monde polaire, mutations et transitions , under the direction of Marie-Françoise André (2005)
Review of The North Pole , by Kathan Brown (2004)
At the uttermost ends of the Earth: The physiology ofpolar fishes , edited by Anthony P. Farrell & John F. Steffensen (2005)
Review of The North Pole was here: puzzles and perils at the top of the world , by Andrew C. Revkin (2006)     

The 'common vole' in Svalbard identified as Microtus epiroticus by chromosome analysis

The chromosomes were studied in six individuals from a population of Microtus from Grumantbyen, Svalbard, and in six Microtur arualis (Pallas 1778) from Lauwersee, Holland. It was shown that the voles from Svalbard did not belong, as earlier supposed, to the species M. arualis (2n = 46) but to M . epiroticus (Ondrias, 1966) (2n = 54). We suggest that the Svalbard voles were introduced by man between 1920 and 1960 together with hay on Russian ships from the vicinity of Leningrad, USSR.     

Recent Environmental Change and Atmospheric Contamination on Svalbard as Recorded in Lake Sediments – an Introduction

This paper outlines an interdisciplinary project on recent environmental change and atmospheric contamination on the high Arctic archipelago of Svalbard (76°30′N–80°30′N). It describes the rationale and aims of the project and summarises the location, climate, geology, vegetation, and land-use of Svalbard.     

Census of breeding seabirds on the northwest coast of Svalbard 1973 and 1978

The western coast of Svalbard is one of the world's most important seabird regions (Belopol'skij 1961; Løvenskiold 1964; Norderhaug et al. 1977), due to the favourable water temperatures, light regime and amounts of mineral salts (Norderhaug et al. 1977).
Seabirds have been censused several times in this area (Kristoffersen 1962; Larsen 1965; Dhondt et al.1969; Voisin 1970; Norderhaug 1974; Sendstad 1978; Alendal et al. 1982).
Except for Larsen (1965), there is no comprehensive and quantitative survey of any part of northwestern Svalbard. Further east, Jepsen & Mobæk (1983) surveyed the area between Gråhuken and Nordaustìandet.
Recent concern about the potentially detrimental effects of planned oil exploration and increased human activities in the high Arctic has emphasized the need for more information on the ecology in these regions. This paper provides more comprehensive data on seabird populations in northwestern Svalbard, between southern Prins Karls Forland and Verlegenhuken. The results supplement the studies carried out in 1978 and 1979 by Jepsen & Mobæk (1983) between Verlegenhuken and Kong Karls Land.     

Tidal gravity variations revisited at Vostok Station, Antarctica

In 1969, prior to the discovery of the subglacial Lake Vostok, an Askania Gs-11 gravimeter was operated at Vostok Station (78.466°S, 106.832°E; 3478 m asl) to observe tidal gravity variations. To gain a better understanding of the lake's tidal dynamics, we reanalyzed these data using a Bayesian Tidal Analysis Program Grouping method (BAYTAP-G and -L programs). The obtained phase leads for the semidiurnal waves M2 (6.6 ± 2.1°) and S2 (10.1 ± 4.2°) are more pronounced than those of the diurnal waves, among which the largest phase lead (for K1) was 5.0 ± 0.5°. The obtained δ factor for M2 was 0.890 ± 0.032, significantly less than the theoretical value of 1.16. For three global ocean tide models (NAO99b, FES2004, and TPXO6.2), the estimated load tides on waves Q1, O1, P1, K1, M2, and S2 range from 0.1–0.2 μGal (Q1 and S2) to 0.6–0.7 μGal (K1). The difference in amplitude among the three models is less than 0.14 μGal (M2), and the difference in phase is generally less than 10°. In calculating the residual tide vectors using the ocean models, the TPXO6.2 model generally gave the smallest residual amplitudes. Our result for the K1 wave was anomalously large (1.36 ± 0.25 μGal), while that for the M2 wave was sufficiently small (0.37 ± 0.17 μGal). The associated uncertainty is half that reported in previous studies. It is interesting that the residual K1 tide is approximately 90° phase-leaded, while the M2 tide is approximately 180° phase-leaded (delayed). Importantly, a similar reanalysis of data collected at Asuka Station (71.5°S, 24.1°E) gave residual tides within 0.2–0.3 μGal for all major diurnal and semidiurnal waves, including the K1 wave. Therefore, the anomalous K1 residual tide observed at Vostok Station must be linked to the existence of the subglacial lake and the nature of solid–ice–water dynamics in the region.     

Russernes Syn På Oppdagelsen av Spitsbergen

I vesten er det alminnelig anerkjent at Spitsbergen ble oppdaget i 1596 av en hollandsk ekspedisjon med W. Barents som skipper. Imidlertid finnes det i Islandske Annaler en beretning om at i 1194 ble«Svalbards funndr» — Dette gjentas i 8 forskjellige håndskrifter. «Svalbard omtales videre i Sturlaboks innledning til Landnåma, Olav Trygvasons saga, Hauksbok og i Ivar Bårdsens saga. 1 disse skrifter, som delvis er avhengige av hverandre, gis det temmelig likelydende kursforskrifter i forbindelse med seilas til Svalbard» (Ingstad, 1948, p. 21). Svalbard ligger «nord i havbotten». (For øvrig se Mathisen, 1957, p. 7, 8).     

Radiation climate variability in Svalbard: surface and satellite observations

This paper performs a climatological investigation of the surface radiation budget (SRB) in Svalbard, on the basis of the Norwegian Polar Institute's radiation measurements from Ny-Ålesund (1981-1997) and the NASA/Langley Surface Radiation Budget Dataset (1983-1991). The radiation climate is related to meteorological conditions and surface properties, and compared to surface radiation fluxes measured from space. The natural variability of the short-wave and long-wave radiation fluxes in Ny-Ålesund is generally governed by the large annual variation in the incoming light with polar night and polar day conditions, the large changes of surface albedo - especially during spring - and the atmospheric circulation with frequent cyclone passages during winter with alternating periods of warm, humid maritime air from the south and cold, dry Arctic air from the north.
Comparison with the satellite derived surface radiation fluxes shows that NyÅlesund is to a large extent influenced by the "ocean" climate to the west of Svalbard during the summer and autumn, but has a more "continental" radiation climate representative of the more central parts of the island during winter and spring. Ny-Ålesund is located in a fiord on the north-west coast of Svalbard, where the ocean cloud cover and the Arctic sea fog play an important role during the summer. During the winter and spring, however, the fiords are frozen and the drift ice covers a large extent of the surrounding ocean.     

Oppføringen av Isfjord Radio,automatiske radiofyr og fyrbelysning på svalbard 1946

Isfjord Radio og Isfjord Fyr samt blinklanternene på Festningen og Vestpynten ble oppført av Norges Svalbard- og Ishavs-undersøkelser i 1933. (Se Anders K. Orvin. Isfjord Fyr og Radiostasjon. — Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift, bind V, hefte 2, 1934.)

Isfjord Radio hadde eom oppgave å betjene skipsfarten på Svalbard. ved siden av at den sendte værmeldinger.

Under evakueringen av Svalbard i 1941 ble imidlertid både Isfjord Radio og Isfjord Fyr totalt ødelagt. Da krigen var slutt, ble arbeidet ved de norske kullgruver på Svalbard gjenopptatt allerede i 1945. Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani gikk straks i gang med gjenoppbygging av de ødelagte gruvebyer og anlegg ved Adventfjorden i Isfjorden og Sveagruva innerst inne i Van Mijenfjorden i Bellsund, og Kings Bay Kull Comp. begynte arbeidet ved Ny-Alesund i Kongsfjorden.     

Book Reviews

Encyclopaedia of Astronomy G. E. Satterthwaite
Cosmology—heories of the Universe J. Charon
Global Geophysics R. H. Tucker, A. H. Cook, H. M. Iyer and F. D. Stacey
Notes on Geomagnetic Observatory and Survey Practice K. A. Wienert
Methoden der Satellitengeodlisie K.Arnold
History of the Earth's Magnetic Field David W. Strangway
Textbook of Lithology Kern C. Jackson
Understanding the Earth Edited by I. G. Gass, P. J. Smith and R. C. L. Wilson     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
Allochthonous Terranes J. F. Dewey, I. G. Gass, G. B. Curry, N. B. W. Harris and A. M. C. Sengör.
Interior Cratonic Basins M. W. Leighton, D. R. Kolata, D. F. Oltz and, J. J. Eidel (eds)
Active Margin Basins K. T. Biddle (ed.)     

Waste Mica as Alternative Source of Plant-Available Potassium: Evaluation of Agronomic Potential Through Chemical and Biological Methods

The potassium supplying capacity of the waste mica powder (WMP) was evaluated through chemical and biological means. Four different size fractions of the WMP were studied in laboratory by different chemical extractants. At the same time, experiment of the plant growth was conducted in pot using K-deficient soil. The K release from the WMP by different extractants followed an increasing trend with an increase in the fineness of the particles. The highest K release was recorded by boiling 1 M HNO₃ (376.4–1726.4 mg kg^?1) followed by 1 M ammonium acetate (33.5–226.5 mg kg^?1), 0.01 M citric acid (31.6–158.3 mg kg^?1) and water (12.0–112.0 mg kg^?1) irrespective of the various size fractions. Significantly, higher cumulative K release from the WMP in successive extraction was recorded with 1 M boiling HNO₃ that predicts its slow-release property. The K release by different extractants was correlated significantly and positively with the biomass yield and K uptake by plants. 1 M boiling HNO₃ extractable K showed higher correlation values with the biomass yield and K uptake. Therefore, it suggests that the extractant might be a better indicator of K supplying capacity of the WMP. The plant intervention was able to extract 32.8% of total K from the WMP simultaneously improving the exchangeable and non-exchangeable K pool in soil. These above-mentioned results conclude that plants can get access to a significant amount of K from the WMP and it could be an effective source of K in highly weathered tropical soils under K deficiency.

     

Book Reviews

The Use of Artificial Satellites for Geodesy S. W. Henriksen, A. Mancini and B. H. Chovitz (Editors)
(Geophysical Monograph No. 15, American Geophysical Union, – xii + 298pp. 1972) A. H. C ook
The Moon Editors S. K. Runcorn and H. C. Urey I.A.U. Symposium No. 47 A. J. M eadows     

Metamorphism of the Mullerneset Formation, St. Jonsfjorden, Svalbard

The metamorphism of upper greenschist facies metasediments exposed in the extreme southwestern portion of St. Jonsjorden, Svalbard, is described. The rocks form part of the Mullerneset Formation of the late Precambrian age Kongsvegen Group and constitute a portion of the central-western Spitsbergen Cale-donides. Four deformations (D, -D4) and two metamorphic episodes (Mi and M2) have affected the rocks of the Mullerneset area. Mi was a prograde event which was initiated prior to the onset of the Di and continued through this deformation. Pre-Dt metamorphism reached biotite grade whereas garnet grade was attained syn-Di. M2 was a lower-middle greenschist facies metamorphism associated with D2. The results of quantitative geothermometry in the pelitic rocks show that peak Mi metamorphic temperatures decrease southwards across the field area from about 540°C to 510°C. Geobarometry and estimates of depth of burial indicate that Mi pressures were in the range of 5–7 kb. The data are consistent with geothermal gradients in the range of 21 ± 4°C/km to 24 ± 5°C/km. M2 metamorphic conditions are not precisely determinable but temperatures and pressures were probably less than those attained during Mi. It is suggested that the rocks of central-western Spitsbergen were originally deposited in an aulacogen before the initiation of Caledonian diastrophism.     

Deep permafrost boreholes in western Svalbard,northern Sweden and southern Norway

The first deep permafrost boreholes (>10 m) ever drilled in Scandinavia for climatic studies constitute part of a transect of deep mountain permafrost boreholes through the mountains of Europe established under the EU PACE (Permafrost and Climate in Europe) Project. In Scandinavia, PACE boreholes are located at Juvvasshøe, southern Norway, Tarfalaryggen in northern Sweden, and northernmost in the transect at Janssonhaugen, western Svalbard. This paper outlines the aims and objectives of the PACE programme, and describes in detail the Svalbard and Scandinavian permafrost boreholes.     

北冰洋陆架的划界现状

北冰洋面积约1 300×10⁴ km²,周边国家对200 M（海里）大陆架及专属经济区的划界现状及对200 M外大陆架的诉求,对于我们参与北极科考具有十分重要的参考意义。大陆架与专属经济区的划界,美国与苏联已签署协定,美国国会已批准,但前苏联和俄罗斯未批准,这直接导致两国的海域争议不断。俄罗斯与挪威也已签署协议。美国与加拿大之间未签署协议,争议区超过7 000 M²。丹麦与加拿大已签署协议,完成划界,但存在汉斯岛的主权争议。挪威与丹麦及挪威与冰岛已完成划界。根据《联合国海洋法公约》第76条规定,北冰洋周边国家拥有确定北冰洋200 M外大陆架的权利。俄罗斯和挪威已提交200 M外大陆架划界方案,挪威对南森海盆西部的划界方案已得到大陆架界限委员会原则同意,但俄罗斯方案仍有很大的争议。作为《斯瓦尔巴条约》的签署国,斯瓦尔巴协定区,我们有权进入;因美国没有签署《联合国海洋法公约》,阿拉斯加北部大陆架及200 M外的楚科奇海台,都是我们进行科考的选择。此外,也可以通过国际合作,参与不同海域的科考和研究。     

Total mercury in hair of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from Greenland and Svalbard

Concentrations (ppm = ug/g dry weight) of total mercury (Hg) were determined in hair of polar bears ( Ursus maritimus) from northwestern Greenland (N = 22; period of sampling: 1978-1989), eastern Greenland (N = 44: 1984-1989) and Svalbard (N = 31; 1980). For subadults (2-6 years of life), adults (7-10 years). and old bears (>10 years), concentrations of total Hg in hair were not found to be dependent on age or sex. A decreasing trend in Hg concentrations was found from west to east. The mean concentrations of total Hg in hair (cubs of the year and yearlings excluded) were: northwestern Greenland, x = 8.38 ppm (min.-max.: 4.71-14.19 ppm. N = 21); eastern Greenland: x = 4.58 ppm (min.-max.: 2.50-8.83 ppm. N = 41); and Svalbard, x = 1.98 ppm (min.-max.: 1.02-4.55 ppm, N = 29). Concentrations found in northwestern Greenland were similar to those reported by others from the hair of polar bears sampled within management zone F of the eastern Canadian High Arctic. Concentrations of total Hg in polar bear hair from eastern Greenland were similar to concentrations found by others in contemporary (1988) material collected during spring in western Svalbard. However, the mean concentration of total Hg in the 1980 Svalbard material, which was collected during July-September, was significantly lower than concentrations found in samples taken during late winter and spring in eastern Greenland and at Svalbard, respectively. Presumably the relatively low concentrations found in the 1980 Svalbard sample arc attributable to the period of moult and hence a larger proportion of newly grown hair in the individual samples. In a subsample consisting of internal tissues from 19 polar bears from eastern Greenland (1984-1987), concentrations of total Hg in hair correlated positively with concentrations of total Hg (wet weight) in muscle (N = 6), liver (N = 19) and kidney (N = 19) tissue. For liver and kidney tissue these relationships were statistically significant.     

日侧极光卵的可见光多波段观测特征——中国北极黄河站首次极光观测初步分析

中国在斯瓦尔巴特(Svalbard)群岛新奥尔松(Ny-Alesund)地区建立了一个永久性科学考察站--北极黄河站。北极黄河站(78．92°N,11．93 °E)的修正磁纬为76．24°。2003年11月黄河站建立了一套多波段(427．8nm,557．7nm,630．0nm)单色极光全天空CCD成像观测系统,并于2003年12月11日-2004年2月25日极夜期开展了首次极光越冬观测,获得了1200多小时的连续观测数据。利用这1200多小时观测数据制作了以时间为横轴的南北向极光活动图,对日侧极光卵的极光活动特征进行了研究。初步分析发现,沿日侧极光卵不论磁静日还是磁扰日,在三个波段上都同时观测到了四个重复出现的极光活动区,即0900MLT(磁地方时)附近的 A区、1330MLT的B区和1630MLT的C区以及1200MLT附近的G区。A区内的极光活动由低纬向高纬运动,强度逐渐变弱,形态由较宽的弧状极光向冕状极光演变;B区内的极光活动由高纬向低纬方向运动,形态呈现为冕状极光向较窄的极光弧的演变,极光强度逐渐增强;C区极光活动向高纬方向展宽,强度逐渐变弱,极光由单弧向多重弧演化;而在A与B之间存在一个纬度范围相对较窄的极光活动区G区,该区的极光呈现暗弱的冕状极光。日侧极光活动随时间从午前、正午到午后呈现出一个系统的光谱变化:绿色-红色-绿色。A区的位置出现在卫星探测的午前极光峰之中;而正午附近极光强度暗弱的G区,可部分地解释卫星观测的所谓“正午极光空白区”;卫星观测到的1500MLT附近的“极光热点”区在地面观测中可以区分为以红色极光为主的B区和以绿色极光为主的C区。     

Tidligere utforskning av området mellem Isfjorden og Wijdebay på Svalbard

I forbindelse med den foranstående artikkel fra Svalbardekspedisjonen 1924 av konservator Johannes Lid om: Mariskardet på Svalbard, og om krokiet over området mellem Dicksonbay og Wijdebay, skal jeg her gi en kort oversikt over den tidligere utforskning av dette område.     

Charophytes from the warm springs of Svalbard

Two of Svalbard' Trollkjeldane (Troll Springs) have a luxuriant vegetation of charophytes. This article is based on material collected in the Trollkjeldane by Sissel Aarvik, of the Office of the Sysselmann (Governor) of Svalbard, on 28 August 1992 and 16 August 1993. Chara canescens is described, based on living material. The Svalbard specimens have been named Chara canescens f. spitsbergensis comb. nov., which is synonymous with Chara aspera f. spitsbergensis Nordstedt. An imperfect charophyte is described here as a new subspecies of C. canescens: Chara canescens subsp. hoelii, named after Adolf Hoel, who first collected specimens of this subspecies. It is believed that this subspecies originates from Chara canescens, presumably by a genetic reorganization or a mutation of the species. A new subspecies is justified because of the ecorticate internodes, the incomplete or lacking cortex of the branchlets, the occurrence of accessory branchlets and the special bulbils found in this taxon. These are interpreted as characteristics with positive selective value in the special environment of the spring, where asexual reproduction by bulbils presumably has the same selective value as the parthenogenic reproduction by oospores in Chara canescens f. spitsber- gensis.
In a growth experiment, the best growth of C. canescens f. spits- bergensis from the springs was obtained in water with relatively low salt content.
Growing tourism in Svalbard threatens to the springs; more active protection must be evaluated. There is also an urgent need to survey the springs in more detail.