The CASE 22 expedition (IV): Helvetesflya
One billion years ago, all of Earth’s major landmasses collided to produce the supercontinent Rodinia. Then, eastern North America, northwestern Europe, and western South America were all conjoined. The sutures between these continents are preserved today in places like the Adirondacks of New York and the Scottish Highlands, but it is still a mystery how the Arctic region fits into this supercontinent.
One of the main objectives of our CASE 22 Expedition is to investigate the evidence for ancient tectonic collisions and volcanic eruptions from Svalbard to help us place the Arctic region into this global jig-saw puzzle.
Some key geological relationships, crucial for unraveling Svalbard’s complex tectonic history only occur in a place called Helvetesflya (hellish flats), which is a narrow corridor between the two ice caps that cover the majority of the large, remote island of Nordaustlandet. Although this area is only seven km from Rijpfjorden, recalcitrant sea ice blocked our passage along the north coast. This means our only approach was from Wahlenbergfjorden -25 km to the south-.
With the ice charts showing no sign of the sea ice retreating, we decided to try accessing Helvetesflya from the south. This region used to constitute a substantial mountain range, but glacial erosion has worn everything down into a remarkably flat landscape. It is over this strange and barren landscape that three of us ventured out for a very long walk to see what we could discover.
Our team consisted of Micha, a wildlife guide who helps us avoid polar bear encounters (this corridor also serves as a transit route for wildlife); Guillermo, the resident doctor on board the Vinson of Antarctica, who also happens to be an accomplished ultrarunner and triathlete; and me, a geologist who has made a living carrying rocks over long distances.
After walking eight hours in relatively nice weather, over many river crossings, and an unexpected detour around a large lake, we arrived at our study location along the Djevleflòta (devil’s river) in Helvetesflya. Spirits were high and rock outcrops looked promising from afar. However, upon closer inspection, only two of the four rock units from the geological map were clearly visible. We spent a few hours mapping the area and making observations from the few rock exposures available. Then, as fog and rain descended from the north, we began our long trek back.
Over 20 hours and 60 km after departing, delirious and drunken from exhaustion, we stumbled back to the shore of Wahlenbergfjorden, where we were greeted on board with a warm meal and the smiles of our fellow expedition and crew members awaiting our return. Although we didn’t necessarily uncover anything revolutionary at Helvetesflya to reshape our thinking about supercontinent Rodinia, we were able to document some critical relationships that add to the greater mosaic of geological understanding of the region.
Science often progresses at an imperceptible rate, much like the erosion of a mountain range. It is only after the accumulation of many small discoveries that the massive glacial till of a scientific breakthrough is realized.
Timothy Gibson ( CASE 22 Expedition team)
7th August 2021
