Grant to Explore Submerged Paleolandscapes
Associate Professor Katrine Juul Andresen has been awarded a grant of nearly 5 million DKK from the Carlsberg Foundation for the project "Drowned paleolandscapes – a geological record for assessing landscape and environment response to postglacial sea level rise and climate change (RisingSea)."
Uncover the Geological Secrets of Submerged Paleolandscapes
The project focuses on the preserved paleolandscapes in the North Sea, which were submerged during the late-glacial sea level rise approximately 11,000-6,000 years ago. These submerged landscapes serve as a unique geological archive that can provide valuable insight into how the landscape and environment are affected by rising sea levels and climate changes over an extended time frame.
Gaps in Knowledge for Future Adaptations
There is a need for a fundamental understanding and reference framework for natural and long-term adaptations of low-lying areas and environments to rising sea levels. The lack of knowledge hampers efforts to develop effective future adaptations to sea level rise and climate change. The project aims to acquire new knowledge about the processes by examining the hidden secrets of the submerged paleolandscapes. The new knowledge about the underwater landscape will be compiled into a "Drowned Paleolandscape Atlas." The atlas will provide morphological and geophysical characteristics of different paleolandscapes and shed light on the geological processes associated with the flooding.
The Past Can Be Useful for the Future
The project will advance our understanding of past environmental changes and provide valuable insights that can help shape future strategies to address the challenges of rising sea levels and climate change.
Read more about the project here.