Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Arctic Map plots new 'gold rush'
Slashdot It! Slashdot Arctic Map plots new 'gold rush'
Submit to Reddit Submit Arctic Map plots new 'gold rush' to Reddit
Reading: Arctic Map plots new 'gold rush'Twitter This Reading: Arctic Map plots new 'gold rush'Twitter Arctic Map plots new 'gold rush'
Add to Facebook Add Arctic Map plots new 'gold rush' to Facebook

Arctic Map plots new 'gold rush'

August 06, 2008

Researchers at Durham University have drawn up the first ever 'Arctic Map' to show the disputed territories that states might lay claim to in the future.

The new map design follows a series of historical and ongoing arguments about ownership, and the race for resources, in the frozen lands and seas of the Arctic.




The potential for conflicts is increasing as the search for new oil, gas and minerals intensifies.

The move to comprehensively map the region illustrates the urgent need for clear policy-making on Arctic issues - an area rich in natural resources. The Durham map shows:

1. where boundaries have been agreed
2. where known claims are
3. the potential areas that states might claim

Director of Research at the International Boundaries Research Unit (IBRU), Martin Pratt says: "The map is the most precise depiction yet of the limits and the future dividing lines that could be drawn across the Arctic region.

"The results have huge implications for policy-making as the rush to carve up the polar region continues.

"It's a cartographic means of showing, and an attempt to collate information and predict the way in which the Arctic region may eventually be divided up. The freezing land and seas of the Arctic are likely to be getting hotter in terms of geopolitics; the Durham map aims to assist national and international policy-makers across the world."

It's a year since Russia planted a flag on the seabed, underneath the North Pole, highlighting its claim to a huge chunk of the Arctic.

The Russian demands relate to a complex area of law covered by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS). Under that law, any coastal state can claim territory 200 nautical miles (nm) from their shoreline (Exclusive Economic Zone, EEZ) and exploit the natural resources within that zone. Some coastal states have rights that extend beyond EEZ due to their continental shelf. Areas of the seabed beyond the continental shelf are referred to as 'The Area' and any world state - landlocked or not - has equal rights in this area.

The continental shelf is the part of a country's landmass that extends into the sea before dropping into the deep ocean. Under UNCLOS, if a state can prove its rights, it can exploit the resources of the sea and the seabed within its territory.

Russia claims that its continental shelf extends along a mountain chain running underneath the Arctic, known as the Lomonosov Ridge. Theoretically, if this was the case, Russia might be able to claim a vast area of territory.

The IBRU map shows what is currently possible and what might be permissible in terms of territorial claims under international law. It also highlights the areas of land and sea where clashes of interest are likely.

A new survey by the US Geological Survey estimates that a fifth of the world's undiscovered, technically-recoverable resources lie within the Arctic Circle. The Lomonosov Ridge is just one area of contention between countries. Other disputes involve Canada, USA, (Greenland) Denmark, Iceland and Norway.

The problem with claims is that they must be verified by geological, geomorphological and bathymetric analysis (sub-sea surveys), and it's not an easy or quick process to verify claims.

The new map will help politicians to understand areas of maritime jurisdiction and the methodology employed could be vital in helping to settle future sea territorial disputes.

Conservationists want laws to protect the North Pole region and climate change is likely to bring further pressure as ice melts and the seas open up to exploration.

Durham University





Science News and Science Current Events Tag Cloud
This tag cloud is a visual representation of term frequencies of random science news topics with common terms grouped together and emphasized by their display size.
Lyme Disease   Nicotine   Nanoparticles   Biofilm   Alcohol Use   Milky Way   Fossil   Gene Silencing   Brain Cells   Spinal Cord Injury   Biopsy   T Cells   Angiogenesis   DNA   Avian Flu   Lupus   Periodontal Disease   Head Neck Cancer   Brachytherapy   Sleep   Nanotubes   Carotid endarterectomy   Cardiac Arrest   Post-traumatic Stress   Ozone Layer  
Related Arctic Current Events and Arctic News Articles Arctic Current Events and Arctic News RSS Arctic Current Events and Arctic News RSS
Iowa State researchers contribute climate model to study that finds some winds decreasing
Declining wind speeds in parts of the United States could impact more than the wind power industry, say Iowa State University climate researchers.

Space shuttle science shows how 1908 Tunguska explosion was caused by a comet
The mysterious 1908 Tunguska explosion that leveled 830 square miles of Siberian forest was almost certainly caused by a comet entering the Earth's atmosphere, says new Cornell University research.

Ice Sheets Can Retreat
Modern glaciers, such as those making up the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, are capable of undergoing periods of rapid shrinkage or retreat, according to new findings by paleoclimatologists at the University at Buffalo.

New tracking approach will help protect polar bears
A new approach to tracking polar bears, developed by Queen's University researchers, will shed more light on the potentially endangered Arctic animal and help boost the economy of Canada's north.

Mercury in Mackenzie River delta dramatically higher than previously believed
University of Alberta researchers conducting a water study in the Mackenzie River Delta have found a dramatically higher delivery of mercury from the Mackenzie River to the Arctic Ocean than determined in previous studies.

Alaska researchers contribute to national climate change report
Two University of the Alaska Fairbanks researchers are among key contributors to a new national report that details visible effects of climate change in the United States and how today's choices stand to affect the future.

1 moose, 2 moose: Scientist seeks correction in number of species
It is a misinterpretation of the application of the bedrock of scientific naming with regard to the number of moose species that Kris Hundertmark, a University of Alaska Fairbanks wildlife geneticist at the Institute of Arctic Biology, seeks to correct.

First ever worldwide census analysis of caribou/reindeer numbers reveals dramatic decline
Caribou and reindeer numbers worldwide have plunged almost 60% in the last three decades.

Study: Greenland ice sheet larger contributor to sea-level rise
The Greenland ice sheet is melting faster than expected according to a new study led by a University of Alaska Fairbanks researcher and published in the journal Hydrological Processes.

Scientists should look at their own carbon footprint
Scientists studying the impact of climate change on the Arctic need to consider ways to reduce their own carbon footprints, says a researcher who regularly flies north to study the health of caribou.
More Arctic Current Events and Arctic News Articles
Arctic Dreams

Arctic Dreams
by Barry Lopez (Author)

Barry Lopez's National Book Award-winning classic study of the Far North is widely considered his masterpiece.

Lopez offers a thorough examination of this obscure world-its terrain, its wildlife, its history of Eskimo natives and intrepid explorers who have arrived on their icy shores. But what turns this marvelous work of natural history into a breathtaking study of profound originality is his unique meditation on how the landscape can shape our imagination, desires, and dreams. Its prose as hauntingly pure as the land it describes, Arctic Dreams is nothing less than an indelible classic of modern literature.


Arctic Lights, Arctic Nights

Arctic Lights, Arctic Nights
by Debbie Miller (Author), Debbie S. Miller (Author), Jon Van Zyle (Illustrator)

Imagine a land where the sun rises at 1:58 a.m. in the summer and shines for less than four hours on a winter’s day.  The animals in the wilderness near Fairbanks, Alaska, witness some of the world’s greatest temperature extremes and light variations ever year.  At an average low of -16 degrees Fahrenheit, the winters may be unpleasantly frigid, but the light shows are always glorious!

NOVA: Arctic Passage

NOVA: Arctic Passage
Starring: Artist Not Provided

In this two-hour mini-series, NOVA dramatizes two extraordinary sagas in the quest for the Northwest Passage, the legendary Arctic sea route between the Atlantic and the Pacific that was the prize objective of merchants and adventurers for centuries.

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound, 3.5 Grams

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound, 3.5 Grams
by Artic Silver

Arctic Silver 5 premium thermal compound, with 99.9% pure micronized silver, is specifically designed to maximize the thermal conductivity between today's high-powered processors and high-performance cooling assemblies. Arctic Silver 5 uses three unique shapes and sizes of near-pure silver particles to maximize particle-to-particle contact area and thermal transfer. It can reduce CPU core temperatures by up to 50°F over standard silicone thermal pastes. Controlled triple phase viscosity allows Arctic Silver 5 to fill, over time, microscopic valleys and gaps in CPU and heatsink surfaces. One 3.5g tube can cover up to 25 CPU cores.

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
by Arctic Monkeys

Musically, there are bits of The Stone Roses, "What's The Story Morning Glory", and "Nevermind". As catchy as those reference points are, it's the songwriting that has won the band a fiercely dedicated following; a mix of the observational storytelling of Davies and Weller crossed with the harsher documentary eye of Mike Skinner of The Streets and "Ghost Town" era Specials. Two #1 UK singles. Press already lined up with Rolling Stone, Spin, Entertainment Weekly, and Interview, to name a few. Three more US/Canadian tours planned for this year, including headlining Domino's label showcase at SXSW.

The Arctic Queen

The Arctic Queen
by Public Domain Books

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

The Last Imaginary Place: A Human History of the Arctic World

The Last Imaginary Place: A Human History of the Arctic World
by Robert McGhee (Author)

The Arctic of towering icebergs and midnight sun, of flaming auroras and endless winter nights, has long provoked flights of the imagination. Now, in The Last Imaginary Place, renowned archeologist Robert McGhee lifts the veil to reveal the true Arctic world. Based on thirty years of work with native peoples of the Arctic and travel in the region, McGhee’s account dispels notions of the frozen land as an exotic, remote world that exists apart from civilization.

Between the frigid reality and lurid fantasy lies McGhee’s true interest, the people who throughout human history have called the Arctic home. He paints a vivid portrait of Viking farmers, entrepreneurial Inuit, and Western explorers who have been seduced by the natural wealth and haunting...

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound, 3.5grams with ArctiClean 60ml Kit (includes 30ml ArctiClean 1 and 30ml ArctiClean 2) with Bonus DB Roth Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound, 3.5grams with ArctiClean 60ml Kit (includes 30ml ArctiClean 1 and 30ml ArctiClean 2) with Bonus DB Roth Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
by Arctic Silver

*Arctic Silver 5 With its unique high-density filling of micronized silver and enhanced thermally conductive ceramic particles is optimized for use between modern high-power CPUs and high performance heatsinks or water-cooling solutions. *ArctiClean is a two-step cleaning process that removes existing thermal grease or pads and prepares the thermal surface for a fresh application of thermal interface material. ArctiClean 1 Thermal Material Remover quickly emulsifies and dissolves the existing thermal grease or pad from the CPU and/or heatsink so that it can easily be removed with a clean cloth or paper towel. A few drops of ArctiClean 2 Thermal Surface Purifier and some gentle wiping then removes the remaining residue and inhibits flash corrosion on copper or aluminum. *Bonus MicroFiber...

Safari LTD Arctic Toob

Safari LTD Arctic Toob
by Safari

Museum-quality replicas from Safari Ltd. Safari Ltd Toob replicas range in size from 1.5 to 3 inches. These replicas fall in that range.

Arctic Tale

Arctic Tale
by Zoo Games

The gameplay will evolve as the animal's age over eleven stages that take the player from snowy mountains, across turbulent ice sheets that are ravaged by blizzards, and into the frigid oceans that are patrolled by deadly killer whales. The stages alternate between free-roaming areas containing several mini-games to travel zones, which involve the player taking actions to get from one area to another. The travel zones could be anything from descending a cliff face from the mountains to the ice sheets below or surviving in the open ocean as a storm rages around you.

© 2009 BrightSurf.com