AQUARIUS Funding Call – Marine and Freshwater Infrastructure Access: Open 02 September 2025 – 28 October 2025
GREAT
Greenland Spreading Zone: Exploring Extreme Habitats in Arctic Seamounts and Hydrothermal Vents
Funded by AQUARIUS Transnational Access Call 1
GREAT is the first Greenland-led expedition to study Arctic hydrothermal vents and seamounts, using state-of-the-art technologies onboard the Irish research vessel Celtic Explorer.
Research Infrastructure Used: RV Celtic Explorer and UL MRE ROV
“GREAT is the first Greenland-led expedition to study Arctic hydrothermal vents and seamounts, using state-of-the-art technologies onboard the Irish research vessel Celtic Explorer.”
“These are not the vents we are looking for!”
Greenland Institute of Natural Resources
PARTNERS
MAIN OBJECTIVES
The Greenland Spreading Zone project requires high-resolution multibeam bathymetry, ROV-based sampling, advanced habitat modelling, genetic and stable isotope analyses, and 3D seafloor visualizations to explore and map unique benthic habitats, biodiversity hotspots, and environmental drivers in the Arctic seafloor.
MORE INFORMATION
AQUARIUS TA Project Name:
Greenland Spreading Zone: Exploring Extreme Habitats in Arctic Seamounts and Hydrothermal Vents
Project acronym:
GREAT
TA Project Unique ID:
11
Partners involved:
• Greenland Institute of Natural Resources
• Zoological Society of London (ZSL)
• University of Galway
• Institute of Marine Research (MRI)
• University of Bergen (UiB)
• Faroe Islands National Museum
• Hafrannsóknastofnun
• University of Bremen
• Max Plank Institute for Marine Biology
• Oceanwide Expeditions
Start date
Summer (2026)
End date
Summer (2026)
Mission Lighthouse Region
Atlantic-Arctic
Work/research geographical
area
Southern Greenland Sea
Names of RI facilities used
RV Celtic Explorer, UL MRE ROV
Scientific discipline(s)
Earth Sciences & Environment: Ecosystems & Biodiversity
Principal Investigator
(PI) Affiliation
Greenland Institute of Natural Resources