Sediment geochemistry studies in the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea : a retrospective view

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.