The coast between Kangerdlugssuaq (68°15'N) and Kangerdlugssuatsiaq (66°05'N) was mapped from the 80 ton cutter Tycho Brahe using 16 ft inflatable rubber dinghies in August 1977 (Bridgwater et al., 1978). The coast was exceptionally clear of sea ice and it was possibie to visit several localities which have not been accessibie by sea since Wager's journey in 1930 (Wager, 1934). The region consists of Archaean gneisses intruded by Tertiary plutonic complexes and dense swarms of basic dykes intruded in an en echelon pattern parallel to the coast (figs 1 & 30).
The preliminary results of a reconnaissance survey of the coast between Kangerdlugssuaq and Angmagssalik are summarized. The Archaean gneiss complex between Kangerdlugssuaq and Kap Japetus Steenstrup is fairly uniform and comprises granitoid gneisses with inclusions of supracrustal rocks, layered basic igneous complexes and older gneisses. Inland areas generally show low deformation states, large scale recumbent folds, and rocks are in granulite facies, whereas a belt of stronger deformation, steep foliation and amphibolite facies matamorphism extends alng the outer coast. To the south of Kap Japetus Steenstrup, Archaean rocks are strongly deformed in the Nagssugtoqidian mobile belt and granulite facies rocks are retrograded to amphibolite facies, except in pods of low deformation, between 2800--2600 m.y. ago. Large bodies of diorite and granodiorite (the Blokken gneisses) were emplaced and metamorphosed in amphibolite facies 2400 m.y. ago, and around Angmagssalik a complex of Ieuco-norite and charnockite was emplaced in granulite facies and caused coarse recrystallization of the adjacent gneisses. Post-tectonic igneous intrusions ranging from ultramafic to granite were intruded 1600 m.y. ago. Numerous Tertiary dykes and plutonic complexes ranging from gabbro to granite were emplaced along the coast between Tasilaq and Kangerdlugssuaq 60-35 m.y. ago.
A classic outcrop of the Skaergaard intrusion, first described and made famous in the original description of this area of East Greenland by Wager & Deer (1939, pI. 11, figs 1 and 2) was visited in 1977 and found to have been senselessly vandalised. We consider this to be inexcusable. The Skaergaard intrusion is unequalIed in igneous petrology as an example of crystal fractionation and magmatic evolution, and has been the subject of extensive research since its discovery (see bibliography in the 1962 reprint of Wager & Deer, 1939; Wager & Brown, 1968).
Work was carried out from the 80 ton cutter Tycho Brahe using 16 ft inflatable rubber dinghies between 24th July and 31st August 1978. In addition, the Nagssugtoqidian boundary was mapped westwards from Kangerdlugssuatsiaq to the inland ice cap by Bell 204 helicopter and part of the Kialineq region was mapped from a Piper Navajo aircraft (fig. 28). The Nagssugtoqidian boundary was examined on the north shore of Kangerdlugssuatsiaq and a section through the northem part of the Nagssugtoqidian mobile belt was mapped along the shores of the upper part of Sermilik by rubber dinghy. Part of the Angmagssalik charnockite complex was examined in detail around Angmagssalik and Kap Dan. The Tertiary plutonic centres of Kialineq and Kap Gustav Holm were mapped in detail as well as the coastal dyke swarm in these regions, and samples were collected from all the main plutonic units for petrology and isotope studies.
The 1976 season's work was the first of a reconnaissance mapping programme between 62° 30'N (Tingmiarmiut) and 68° 00'N (Kangerdlugssuaq) as the first stage in producing 1:500000 map sheets of this part ofthe east coast. The work was carried out by a team of six geologists, one geophysicist (G. E. J. Beckmann, see this report) and one field assistant (H. B. Nøhr Hansen) using 5 m inflatable boats from a 80 ton motor cutter (Tycho Brahe). Reconnaissance work was completed from Sermiligaq (64° 54'N) to inner Kangertigtivatsiaq (66° 28'N) (fig. 19). Approximately one week was spent in the region between Sermilik west of Angmagssalik and Sermiligaq to provide a link between the earlier reconnaissance work of Bridgwater & Gormsen (1968) and the Birmingham Vniversity teams who mapped in the Angmagssalik area between 1967 and 1970 (Wrightet al., 1973). North of 66°00'N in Sermilik and 66° 15'N on the outer coast work was prevented by ice which remained impassable until late August. A total of 35 days was available.
Transport Canada has the responsibility for regulating Arctic shipping in Canada as part of the Arctic Shipping Pollution Prevention Regulations. A Zone-Date System (ZDS) is used North of the 60° latitude. The ZDS is based on historical data of ice conditions up to the early 1970’s and on the premise that the ice conditions are consistent from year-to-year. The ZDS consists of sixteen of geographic regions (Zones) and an associated Table that indicates the dates that each class of vessel is allowed in each geographical region. The Arctic Ice Regime Shipping System (AIRSS) is used by vessels wishing to access the Arctic Control Zones outside permissible dates for the vessels. The AIRSS, in contrast, allows shipping based on the actual, not historical, ice conditions. The objective of this study was to find how climate change would influence the veracity of the Zones and Dates used in the ZDS. This paper presents a methodology to evaluate Canada’s Arctic shipping Regulations. The methodology comprises of analyzing the ice conditions in the North West Passage (NWP) shipping lanes and the access routes to the Port of Churchill in Hudson Strait. The existing and potential changes to ice regimes in the NWP and Hudson Strait shipping lanes due to the seasonal temperature variations and due to impact of climate change are examined. The length of the shipping season in the NWP and Hudson Strait is analyzed for each Zone by both the ZDS and the AIRSS, and both systems are then compared.
Geoscientists representing the main research institutes who discovered and have made significant contributions to our understanding of the early crustal rocks in the North Atlantic area visited West Greenland in June 1978. The group was partially financed by Nato scientific research grant 949 and by national research organisations, universities and geological surveys in Denmark, Norway, the United Kingdom, Canada and the USA. Bridgwater, Taylor and Moorbath stayed on into July at Isua where they joined a party financed by the U.S. S.N.F. organised by C. Ponnamperuma (University of Maryland).
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