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Submarine columns of ikaite tufa

Nature volume 390, pages 129–130 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

In the small Ikka Fjord in southwestern Greenland, we have studied remarkable submarine tufa columns forming over alkaline springs by abiotic precipitationof the metastable, cold-water mineral ikaite (CaCO3.6H2O)1,3. The columns, which support a rich marine life, are up to 20 m high, with annual growth of more than 50 cm. We wish to nominate the locality, which seems to be unique, for classification as a geological World Heritage Site.

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Figure 1: Distribution and typical shape of the ikaite tufa columns in Ikka Fjord.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Institute, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Bjørn Buchardt, Gabrielle Stockmann, Marie Vous & Uffe Wilken

  2. Department of Geology, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    Paul Seaman

  3. Botanical Institute, University of Copenhagen Ø, Farimagsgade 2, DK-1353, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Lene Düwel & Aase Kristiansen

  4. ETSU, Harwell Laboratories, Oxford, OX11 ORA, UK

    Christopher Jenner

  5. School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, PO Box 3050, Victoria, V8W 2Y2, British Columbia, Canada

    Michael J. Whiticar

  6. Zoological Museum, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Reinhardt M. Kristensen, Godtfred H. Petersen & Lone Thorbjørn

Authors
  1. Bjørn Buchardt
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  2. Paul Seaman
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  3. Gabrielle Stockmann
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  4. Marie Vous
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  5. Uffe Wilken
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  6. Lene Düwel
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  7. Aase Kristiansen
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  8. Christopher Jenner
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  9. Michael J. Whiticar
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  10. Reinhardt M. Kristensen
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  11. Godtfred H. Petersen
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  12. Lone Thorbjørn
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Buchardt, B., Seaman, P., Stockmann, G. et al. Submarine columns of ikaite tufa. Nature 390, 129–130 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/36474

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