Geomorphologist Daniela Pascal: Understanding Past Key to Predicting Future

Geomorphologist Daniela Pascal is in Antarctica to collect rock samples located above glaciers that contain quartz. These samples could help determine when a glacier retreated, whether this was due to accelerated climate change processes, and if there is a possible link to human activity, Pascal said.

"It is important because to predict the future, we must thoroughly understand the past—what has occurred. This is the main goal of these studies. It's a cyclical process, and if we can determine when the next cycle will occur, we can plan how to address it. Of course, this won't happen soon, but rather in the more distant future," she said.

Rock samples, specifically those containing quartz, can contain atoms of beryllium-10 and aluminum-26. These are cosmogenic nuclides that form in quartz when it is exposed to cosmic radiation. After the samples are collected, they are crushed and chemically processed in the laboratory. Then, their isotopic ratios are measured using a mass spectrometer, which can reveal the time when these rock forms were exposed to cosmic radiation. This information reveals when the glacier retreated and left surfaces exposed. This helps understand the glacier's past behaviour and movement.

Daniela Pascal is a Scientific Research Assistant at the Horia Hulubei National Institute for Research and Development in Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH) in Bucharest. Her work focuses on dating surfaces. Daniela Pascal's main goal for this expedition is to collect around 20 samples from various locations. Each sample requires 300 grams of rocks. She said, "If I work with 20 samples, it will take about 3-4 months of laboratory processing."

This is Pascal's first visit to Antarctica, made possible through cooperation between Romania and Bulgaria.

"I wouldn't be here without the support of the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute," she said.

The geomorphologist's project spans two years, and its results will be published in scientific journals and magazines.

Geomorphology is a science that examines Earth's forms. It studies how landforms are created and how they change over time. Some geomorphologists investigate the ways in which rivers and streams affect the landscape, others focus on changing glaciers and the movement of rocks and soils, while yet others concentrate on underwater formations. Geomorphology is crucial as it helps us understand our evolving planet. This field provides insights into Earth's history and assists experts in forecasting changes in the landscape and assessing the effects of climate change, like rising sea levels, says Daniela Pascal.

The Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii research vessel (RSV 421) departed from Varna on its third Antarctic expedition on November 7, 2024, and arrived at Livingston Island on December 28. The St Kliment Ohridski Bulgarian Antarctic Base on Livingston Island opened for the new polar season on November 23, 2024.

BTA has a national press club on the vessel and at the Bulgarian Antarctic base. This is the third year in a row that BTA has sent a correspondent to Antarctica. This year's correspondent is Milena Ostrovska, who arrived at the base on January 17. Her reports can be accessed free in English at Bulgaria-Antarctica BTA's Log on BTA's website and can be used for free by all media with attribution to BTA.

In June 2023, BTA published in Bulgarian and English an issue of LIK magazine "To Antarctica and back under the Bulgarian flag". In May 2024, BTA published an issue of LIK magazine dedicated to Bulgarian science in Antarctica, which is freely available in electronic format. The issue has been translated into English and Spanish.

In February 2024, BTA established a national press club at the Bulgarian Antarctic Base St. Kliment Ohridski on Livingston Island. These Press Clubs are made possible by the support of RSV 421 and the Bulgarian Antarctic base, which provide the necessary facilities. This new addition joins the network of 40 national press clubs, including 33 in Bulgaria, 6 in neighboring countries and countries with significant Bulgarian communities, and one mobile National Book Press Club.

This showcases BTA’s key role in presenting Bulgarian scientific efforts in Antarctica, fulfilling its mission to promote Bulgaria.