Faculty of Geography of Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), Russia and Iceman.kz, Kazakhstan have enaged in a research project to study study ice rubble features (ridges and stamukhi) and their impact on seabed.
There are two major topics that are covered in the scope of this cooperation:
Seabed – rubble fields interaction;
Effects of climate change and water level fluctuations on formation of rubble features in the Caspian region.
Colleagues from MSU study ice scours, their morphometry and conditions that led to their formation. They utilize remote sensing means to detect scours where possible at depths of up to 3 m. A side-scan sonar with an echo sounder was used to acquire data at greater depths by MSU in some of the areas of the Caspian. For example, MSU fellows have conducted field work in the Seal Islands area (SIS) with support of friendly advice and arrangements in Bautino from Iceman.kz that uses this area as testing grounds for sea bed scouring research.
Scouring profiling by MSU
Seasonal variability of ridging and stamukhi is considered by both sides. Iceman.kz contributes with their multiyear drift events based reanalysis of stamukhi formation and results of intial studies on ridge distribution as recognized from satellite data for recent years. MSU on the other hand looks into climate change and historical records in Russian databanks to come up with dependencies and insights into future.
Iceman.kz continues to inspire and support ice related research activities in the Caspian and supports any new ideas and actions in this direction. It is in our vision that such exchange programs are the best way to develop our knowledge of the environment around us. With this knowledge we develop new insights and technologies to understand ice behaviour both in the Caspian region and other ice infested areas contributing to communities and businesses in better predictions and assessments to their operational issues.