6 Ny Ålesund-KBML, Svalbard/Spitzbergen - NORWAY

Description of the infrastructure /

Transnational Access in 2012

Description of the infrastructure The Kings Bay Marine Laboratory is the northernmost marine lab in the world, owned and operated by Kings Bay AS (Kings Bay Inc.). The Kings Bay Marine Laboratory ensures increasing international collaboration in Arctic marine research, and is ideal for research in marine ecology, physiology, and biochemistry as well as some physical sciences. The experimental standard is high, with system-control of room and water temperatures. Access is easy with scheduled flights between Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Ny-Ålesund up to 4 times weekly. The Kings Bay Marine Laboratory includes dry-, wet-, ecotox-, isotope- and tox-free labs, tank rooms for holding and running experiments on marine organisms, experimental temperature rooms, cooler and freezers, diving equipment facilities, outdoor platform for experiments with natural light conditions, and a seminar room. A separate room for divers is available on the 1st floor. In connection with the diving facilities there’s also a decompression chamber. Video conference equipment is available, and there’s one person fully employed as Manager of the lab-facilities.

In summer 2010 the Ocean Acidification experiment in cooperation with the Partner 2a Kiel KOSMOS, IFM-GEOMAR, took place in the Kongsfjorden, outside KBML (Calendar 2010).

Transnational Access in 2012

The MESOAQUA partner facility KBML in Ny Ålesund opens for Transnational Access activities in June and July 2012 for new scientific ideas that can be tested in mesocosm experiments
see Calendar 2012
 

Please contact the the local research administrator at KBML Hallvar Gisnaas for more information.

For more information on practical questions of Transnational Access activities, please contact the MESOAQUA Project Office at the University of Bergen (post@mesoaqua.eu).

The application deadline for MESOAQUA Transnational Access was 30 September 2011, 12:00 CET. The applications are currently in review process by the independent SAB.

The total amount of access provided for this site and call will be 100-200  person-days. Anticipated funding is thus 1 or 2 cooperating GROUPS, possibly combined with a few (typically 1-3) INDIVIDUAL applications for the site in total. Expected duration of the activities is between 3-4 weeks per activity. See information on Transnational Access and the description of for GROUP and INDIVIDUAL applications.

KBML can provide outdoor space for 9-12, 1 m3 mesocosms. The design has been developed by a team from UiB, and was successfully used during two consecutive seasons (2007 and 2008). A similar rig will be built on request by KBML to be operative for arriving projects in 2010-2011.

In summer 2010 the Ocean Acidification experiment in cooperation with the Partner 2a Kiel KOSMOS, IFM-GEOMAR, took place in the Kongsfjorden, outside KBML (Calendar 2010).

To increase the chance of success of future projects and most effective use of the local facilities we suggest applicants to contact the local research administrator at KBML Hallvar Gisnaas for practical issues and the MESOAQUA Project Office in Bergen for issues on the design and use of this facility (see also publication: Thingstad et al 2008: Nature 455: p. 387-390).

The total amount of access provided for this site and call will be up to max 250 man-days. Anticipated funding is 1 GROUP, possibly combined with a few (typically 1-3) INDIVIDUAL applications for the site in total. Expected duration of this year’s activity is between 3-4 weeks. For applications see information on Transnational Access.

Modality of access under MESOAQUA:
User groups (typically 10 persons for 25 days per year) will have access to the mesocosm facility as well as to the laboratories run by Kings Bay AS following the existing regulations. Note that the lab gives priority to some groups according to regulations set by the Marine Laboratory consortium and NySMAC agreements (the Ny-Ålesund Science Managers Committee).

Support offered under MESOAQUA:
The Marine Lab Manager takes care of the day-to-day operations, and also handles the individual registrations to get a detailed overview of the plans. The Marine Lab Manager will establish a dialogue to solve problems that may occur, both during the registration process and the duration of the stay. The Manager has scientific background, and experience with handling a wide range of operations and questions relevant to marine science. Ordering of chemicals and radioactive isotopes, and safe handling of these as waste, rests on the Marine Lab Manager. The services are provided to all visitors to Ny-Ålesund. Note however, that the cost of these services is not covered by MESOAQUA, thus all ordering and use of consumables, transportation of goods and samples etc, will be charged to the applicants at this facility.

A research adviser is also present in Kings Bay AS to assist with any questions regarding research in Ny-Ålesund, and takes part in the day-to-day management of the Marine Laboratory when needed.

Kings Bay AS has experience with participation in the 5th framework Transnational Access programme named ARCFAC. This has lead to the inclusion of new member states to the EU to the research community in Ny-Ålesund. The programme ends in 2010. Kings Bay AS therefore sees participation in MESOAQUA as a good opportunity to expand the research environment in Ny-Ålesund even more, as Kings Bay AS’ experience with similar programs has been good. The increasing demand Kings Bay AS has seen so far from the international research community illustrates a need for an infrastructure such as the Marine Laboratory and the opportunities that follow, from an expanding number of institutions and countries interested in marine research in the Arctic.

Review procedure under MESOAQUA:
For transnational access to the Kings Bay Marine Lab applications will be submitted as described for all facilities. However, after the Scientific Advisory Board has appointed the users for this facility and season, the list of participants will be sent to Kings Bay AS for a formal approval by the Marine Lab Advisory Group. A Marine Lab Advisory Group has been established to assist Kings Bay AS in preparations and planning of present and future use of the lab facilities. Regarding the planning, the Advisory Group members’ researchers are given priority to the Marine Lab according to the Arctic Marine Laboratory User Access Plan (2006). The Lab is however open to any user/project applying for space, and space will be allocated according to availability. All use of the Marine Laboratory is under Kings Bay AS’ administration and supervision. MESOAQUA envisions support for app 10 persons for 25/days per year.

Read more about this facility.