Galathea 3

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shipstamps
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Galathea 3

Post by shipstamps » Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:34 pm



The seabed of the Greenlandic fiords and coastal area contains extensive records of information about, among other things, climatic changes of
the past. One of the projects of the Galathea 3
Expedition “Environmental and Climatic Changes in Greenlandic Fiords and Shelf Regions” is to collect and examine cores of the seabed from West
Greenlandic Fiords. The purpose of collecting and examining these cores is to obtain new knowledge about changes in the Greenlandic climate and
about recent geological history.
Climatic changes have had a major influence on the history of the Greenlandic population and culture since the first Inuit immigration to
Greenland took place 4,500 years ago and up until today.

Greenland Philatelic

aukepalmhof
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Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

Re: Galathea 3

Post by aukepalmhof » Thu May 21, 2009 8:26 pm

On 11 August 2006 the Danish off-shore patrol frigate VÆDDEREN sailed from Copenhagen for the 3rd Galathea Expedition 2006 – 2007.
08 September 2006 she arrived at Nuuk, Greenland after a four weeks research has been conducted both on the high seas and in coastal areas of the Faeroes and South West Greenland.
09 September between 10.00 and 11.00 was the presentation of Greenland’s new Galathea stamp on board the VÆDDEREN.

The Greenland post did give the following on this stamp issue, on which the VÆDDEREN is depict.
The text is written by PhD Naja Mikkelsen.

THE SEABED HAS A STORY TO TELL.

The seabed of the Greenlandic fiords and coastal area contains extensive records of information about, among other things, climatic changes of the past. One of the projects of the Galathea 3 Expedition “Environmental and Climatic Changes in Greenlandic Fiords and Shelf Regions” is to collect and examine cores of the seabed from West Greenland Fiords. The purpose of collecting and examining these cores is to obtain new knowledge about changes in the Greenlandic climatic and about recent geological history.
Climatic changes have had a major influence on the history of the Greenlandic population and culture since the first Inuit immigration to Greenland took place 4.500 years ago and up until today.

CORES OF SEABED AND CLIMATIC INFORMATION.

The cores of seabed consist of fine-grained material, which is stratified – and it is these different strata, which are the object of the examinations. The strata contain among other things, remains of small microfossils that is the calcium shells of small microscopic animals, which once lived in the water before sinking to the bottom and being embedded in the sediments of the seabed.
The cores of the sediments are collected with 6- and 12- meter long core tubes, which are pressed into the soft sediments on the seabed by heavy plummets.
Subsequently, the core tube is pulled out of the seabed with one of the strong capstans of the ship and then follows the exciting moment when the core tube is put on to deck. Will the new core contain new and exciting information?
The cores are opened and samples are taken out, so the small microfossils can immediately be examined in the microscopes in the laboratories of the VÆDDEREN.
These examinations are give a first impression of the age of the cores and the climatic situations they represent. At the end of the expedition the cores will go trough a long series of examinations in the laboratory of Copenhagen – and then more detailed information will emerge.
Before taking out the cores of sediment, a number of seismic examinations of the fiords have to be carried out, in order to find places suited as sediment basins.

CLIMATIC CHANGES AND GREENLANDIC CULTURAL HISTORY.

On the Greenlandic west coast, the 4500-year old cultural history of Greenland is represented by the well-known Inuit cultures, Sarqaq, Dorset and Thule. In addition to these, there was also the Norse culture, represented by the Norsemen, who were descendants of the Norse Vikings.
Attempting to clarify whether the different cultures of Greenland arose and disappeared synchronously with climatic and environmental changes – or if other factors also came into play – the examinations of the cores of sediment collected during the Galathea expedition will focus on the latest 4.500 years, in order to examine among other things, climatic and environmental changes in the fiord regions at the times when the different Inuit immigration waves moved along the Greenland coast. Also climatic and environmental changes during the Norse period, when Europeans tried to live in Greenland as farmers, from approximately 1.000 until 1.500 AD, will be examined. Norsemen settled in Greenland as farmers during a warm period and the Icelandic sagas relate the lives and activities of these Norsemen. The last written account about the Norsemen is from 1408, a description of a wedding in Hvalso Church. What happened to the Norse population since then has not yet been clarified but, hopefully, the marine cores of sediment to be collected during the Galathea expedition will contribute information about climatic changes during the period when the Norse disappeared from Greenland.
Galathea 3’s route is from Copenhagen initially to the North Atlantic with stops in the Færoe Islands and Greenland before she head south along the western coast of Africa to Cape Town, then she will head eastward to Australia and New Zealand before she sails home across the Pacific to Valparaiso, then to the north and via the Panama Canal to the Caribbean across to Boston then again across the North Atlantic and the expedition end when the VÆDDEREN arrived ultimo April 2007 Copenhagen.

Built as offshore patrol frigate by Svendborg Shipyard Ltd., Svendborg for the Royal Danish Navy.
22 March 1990 keel laid down.
21 December 1990 launched under the name VÆDDEREN (F359) (Ram) one of the Thetis class, three sisters of which the TRITON of the same class also is depict on a Greenland stamp issued in 2005.
Displacement 3.500 tons, dim. 112.3 x 14.4 x 6.0m. (draught).
Powered by three MAN-B&W diesels, 13.000 hp., speed 21.5 knots, one reversible propeller.
One bow-thruster of 884 hp, and an azimuth thruster 1.088 hp.
Range by a speed of 15.5 knots, 8.000 sea miles.
Armament 1 – 76mm Oto Melare gun, 2 – 37mm salute guns. 4 – 12.7mm Heavy Machine guns m/01 LvSa.
One dept charge launcher, which was removed during the expedition.
4 Stinger missiles after 2003.
1 Westland Lynx Mk. 80/91 helicopter, not on board during the expedition.
Crew 61 plus accommodation for 12 passengers.
09 June 1992 commissioned.

September 1992 a unit of the Royal Flotilla on tour to France, Spain and Italy.
November1993 till January 1994, on tour to East Asia in an export promotion for Naval team Denmark.
August 1994, on tour to South Africa in an export promotion for Naval Team Denmark.
January till June 2006 fitted out as a survey and expedition vessel for the 3rd Galathea Expedition by the Karstense Shipyard A/S in Skagen, Denmark.
Her depth charge launcher and helicopter were removed, and on her helo-deck containers placed.

11 September 2006 at 20.00 she sailed from Nuuk, Greenland for the Azores, where she will make a call.

Source: Info from the Greenland Post. http://www.galathea3.dk/uk/Menu http://www.navalhistory.dk/English/TheS ... 1992-).htm
Attachments
galathea 3 (Small).JPG

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