In Conversation
BY MILBRY C. POLK
PHOTO COURTESY OF MILBRY POLK
Three Generations of Artic Research
IN CONVERSATION WITH DR. DENIS ST-ONGE AND ROBERT ST-ONGE
Born and raised in Manitoba, Denis St-Onge is a noted Canadian geologist and geomorphologist. A specialist in Arctic geology, St-Onge has created new mapping techniques and made the first detailed glacial geology maps of the Coppermine River Basin. He has held numerous prestigious posts in Canada, including research scientist at the Geological Survey of Canada and professor at the University of Ottawa and has served as president of the Canadian Association of Geographers, president of the Geological Association of Canada, president of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS), and president of the Canadian Geoscience Council. He launched Geographica, the French edition of Canadian Geographic magazine. He has been honored with the Order of Canada,Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, and the Camsell Medal of the RCGS. He has published maps, reports on the Coppermine, and numerous scientific articles. Currently St-Onge serves on several scientific research boards, including Fluxnet-Canada and the Canadian Arctic Shelf Exchange Study (CASES), research networks that study the carbon cycle and the ocean off the McKenzie Delta. His grandson, Robert St-Onge, age 14, is currently in Ottawa studying in the International Baccalaureate Program and has made five expeditions to the Arctic and delivered lectures on Arctic glaciers, ice, and geology. EJ caught up with Denis and Robert on the MS Explorer near Greenland’s fjords and the northern islands of Nunavut, Canada.
Explorers Journal: What is it about geology that inspires you?
Denis St-Onge: Geology is the long history of the earth, and through its study we can understand the history of humans and the forces that made us who we are.
EJ: What launched you into geology?
DS-O: Luck and sheer curiosity. Basically I wanted to understand the river sediments I saw when visiting my grandfather, who operated a ferry across the Red River in Manitoba. Later, when I was an elementary school teacher in a large valley in Northwest Manitoba, I became interested in how the valley had been formed. When I learned it had been carved out by glacial meltwater, I became fascinated with learning more about the process. Once you start understanding what you are looking at, you can better appreciate why it is beautiful and spectacular. I wanted to share this knowledge with others.
EJ: You began your career working in Ethiopia. What brought you to the Arctic?
DS-O: I dreamed of going somewhere far away and strange.When the opportunity came to teach in Ethiopia, I jumped at the chance. I was fascinated with the Rift Valley and learning how it had formed, and I decided to get my graduate degree in geology. My wife, whom I met in Ethiopia, and I decided to return to her native Belgium so I could continue my studies. I returned to Canada to continue my PhD fieldwork with the Polar Continental Shelf project. That took me to Ellef Ringnes Island on the shores of the Arctic Ocean, where I made the first geomorphological studies of the region. In particular, I studied the important role of snow in affecting erosion in the High Arctic through the process of freezing and melting, causing rocks to crack and break down.
EJ: Tell us about the mapping technique you invented.
DS-O: I devised a system to show graphically on a piece of paper precise descriptions of various landforms as well as the different processes affecting them both in the past and in the present: a geomorphological map. Colors were used to represent the processes that shaped the land, with varying shades to indicate age. This allowed for better land-use planning and, for example, to predict the impact of oil exploration in forested regions, thus helping reduce the environmental impact. I spent eight seasons mapping and exploring the Coppermine area. I discovered a large glacial lake in the Coppermine River Valley that had been created by glacial ice blocking the lower reaches of the river during the last glacial retreat. The thick sequence of sediments provided a detailed history of climate and vegetation for the past 9,000 years.
EJ: What it is about the Arctic that has held your interest for all these years?
DS-O: It is essential to have walked on the tundra to appreciate the absolute beauty of the Arctic. Your view is not inhibited by trees and vegetation. I loved working there, as I knew I had a lot of time to walk alone, to appreciate the landscape, and to reflect on who I was and what I was doing. It is very addictive. In some places I worked where few if any humans had been before. In other places, like the Coppermine, I found signs of those who had been there and left food caches, cairns, and graves.
EJ: Tell us about the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
DS-O: The RCGS is dedicated to making Canada better known both in Canada and abroad. It is a nonprofit organization primarily dedicated to education.
EJ: Given your decades working in the Arctic, what do you foresee for the future?
DS-O: Socially, the Inuits are the most rapidly growing segment of the Canadian population. But it is very difficult to find meaningful work for all the people. Environmentally, the land will modify because of climate change. But nature is resilient, and it will adapt. How humans will adapt is a different story. Less sea ice means less hunting and fishing. Some species like polar bears will be severely affected. The Polar regions, and the North Pole in particular, play a major role in worldwide climate through forces like the circulation of the Gulf Stream. As more and more meltwater flows into the northern seas, it could alter the Gulf Stream and severely affect the climate in Northern Europe, possibly within our lifetimes. Everyone should be aware of what is happening at the Poles. It is not insignificant. This is not something happening over centuries.We are thinking in decades. These changes will affect us all across the earth.
EJ: What should we do?
DS-O:We cannot reverse global change. The best we can hope for is to slow down the impact by slowing down the amount of material we throw into the atmosphere.We are leaving a legacy of absolute random wantonness.We cannot continue using fossil fuels the way we have.
EJ: Is there a future for exploration?
DS-O: Always. You can explore in your own backyard. There is so much to learn. The Polar regions are not well known, which is why we are having the International Polar Year.We don’t have a grasp of the global picture.
EJ: Robert, you are only 14, yet you are on an expedition and lecturing on the Arctic. Geology seems to be the family business. Not only is your grandfather one of Canada’s best-known geologists, but also both your father, Marc, and mother, Janet King, are geologists. Robert, tell us first about your mother’s discovery.
Robert St-Onge: While my mother was working in the Coppermine River region, she discovered the oldest dated rock in the world. It is actually a hill on an island in the Acasta River west of the Coppermine. The rock is about 4.03 billion years old.
EJ: How many expeditions have you been on?
RS-O: I have been on five trips to the Arctic.My favorite place has been Ilulissat in Greenland because I love watching the icebergs come down the fjord. I have lectured on glaciers.
EJ: What is it about the Arctic that is special for you?
RS-O: All the trips north have been special because they have been with my grandfather. He has taught me so much about glaciers and ice, and that might be a career choice. But I am not sure what I want to do yet.
EJ: Have you discovered anything?
RS-O: It is the feeling you get when you are alone or with people walking in the tundra. No one is around. It’s peaceful. On this expedition, my grandfather and I noticed that there were some rocks on a hill that would not be there naturally.We asked the gun bearer (who protects against polar bears) if we could look.We discovered that the rocks were graves dating back at least 100 years based on the lichen on them. We photographed the site and will submit a report.We speculated that some graves might have been for whalers, because the remains were in boxes. The Inuits did not have planks. There is no wood here, and they would not have wasted driftwood on graves.
EJ: What message do you have for others?
RS-O: I would tell other kids that if they had a choice of where to go, they should go to the Arctic. And they should be more mindful of polluting the atmosphere, as it has an effect on the beautiful places of the world.