NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Principal Investigator: Tarduno, John A.
Licensed Year(s): 1993
Summary: For much of the Earth's history, the arctic has had a mild climate, quite unlike the conditions that now exist. Evidence that supports this past climate are fossil plants and animals (including crocodiles and tortoises) found in the arctic. The Earth's magnetic field has changed over time and these changes are contained in the fossils. This research will try develop a technique to age these fos...

Principal Investigator: Lenz, Alfred C.
Licensed Year(s): 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988
Summary: As part of a long-term study, the researcher will continue to collect fossil specimens of graptolites in rocks collected from northern Cornwallis Island and central Ellesmere Island. The researcher is investigating why some species became extinct over 415 million years ago while other species went through rapid changes....

Principal Investigator: Bell, Trevor
Licensed Year(s): 1993 1990 1988
Summary: This study will provide a better understanding of permafrost conditions in the high arctic as well as the environmental conditions that lead to permafrost formation. Study sites include the Fosheim Peninsula on Ellesmere Island and May Point and Mokka Fiord on eastern Axel Heiberg Island....

Principal Investigator: Pratt, Brian R.
Licensed Year(s): 1995 1993
Summary: The Cambrian period is an interval of geologic time that is poorly known in arctic Canada. Previous studies have been very basic and almost no fossils have been recovered. Sections of sedimentary rock will be measured in detail, with attention focused on the structure of the sediments as well as the presence of fossils. A map will then be constructed showing the layers in which fossils occur. ...

Principal Investigator: Dixon, O.A.
Licensed Year(s): 1993 1992 1990 1988
Summary: In the Arctic Islands, we are studying rocks and the fossils found within these rocks that were formed more than 400 million years ago in warm tropical seas. This study is expected to help in describing the temperatures, climate and water depths of these ancient seas. We are also studying the types of fossil corals and sponge-like animals that are not present in our seas today....

Principal Investigator: Brand, Uwe
Licensed Year(s): 1993 1992
Summary: The research will involve a detailed assessment of the make- up of Devonian rocks found on Bathurst, Helena, Cameron and Byam Martin Islands over a three-year period. The potential for oil, gas and/or mineral deposits in the Devonian strata will be assessed, but the major emphasis of the research will be on investigating the strata's geochemical, paleontological and sedimentological characteristi...

Principal Investigator: Johnston, Paul A.
Licensed Year(s): 1992
Summary: The researcher and his team will look for fossils of reef animals. Notes will be taken on the growth positions of the reef animals, and about 400 kg of fossils will be collected by hand or with hammers and chisels from various localities. The fossils will be brought back to the Royal Tyrrell Museum and used to make molds. Casts from these molds will be used to make an exhibit showing a three-di...

Principal Investigator: Marino, Bruno D.
Licensed Year(s): 1992
Summary: The researcher will sample plants and shells containing records of the stable isotopic composition of the constituents in the environment that are used for growth. The natural abundance of the stable isotopes of carbon in atmospheric CO2 and in dissolved groundwater as well as the hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in water can be related to climatic factors. Thus, these isotope ratios in shells and p...

Principal Investigator: Stearn, Colin W.
Licensed Year(s): 1992
Summary: The researcher and his team will collect fossil stromatoporoids from intervals of the Devonian succession of carbonate rocks. Carbonates of early Middle Devonian age are known to be available on Truro Island but have not been extensively collected for stromatoporoids. These will be revisited to improve collections from this interval....

Principal Investigator: Chatterton, Brian D.E.
Licensed Year(s): 1994 1992 1991
Summary: The researcher and his team will prospect for suitable sites to measure stratigraphic sections. Horizons in these sections containing invertebrate fossils, usually silicified, are then collected....