Vallius H.
Sediment geochemistry studies in the Gulf of Finland and the
Baltic Sea : a retrospective view
Abstract Our recent knowledge of the chemistry of the
seafloor of the Baltic Sea has been gained during the last century only and
most of it during the last three to four decades. When thinking about the start
of the industrialization it seems unfortunately late. However, fortunately the
seafloor archives all environmental changes in the sedimentary column like
pages in a book and they can be later observed and interpreted. The Geological
Survey of Finland has performed seabed geochemistry studies for decades. The
first studies were performed onboard cruises of the old research vessel Aranda
and later on the new Aranda as well as on the surveys on our own vessels Geola,
Kaita, and Geomari. A great part of the work has been done as collaboration in
international research programmes, but especially the Marine Ecogeological
Patrol by the A. P. Karpinsky Russian Geological Research Institute has been of
great importance for Gulf of Finland studies and as a trigger for later studies
in the Gulf of Finland as well as the Baltic Sea.