JOIDES Resolution Rejoins IODP With PEAT Expedition
The newly modernized JOIDES Resolution set sail from Honolulu on March 10, on the first of a two-part research program known as Pacific Equatorial Age Transect (PEAT). The first leg, Exp. 320, is led by co-chief scientists Heiko Pälike of Southampton University, UK; and Hiroshi Nishi of Hokkaido University, Japan. Exp. 321 will immediately start upon the return of the Exp. 320 science party to Honolulu on May 6. The science teams expect to gain findings that lead to clearer understanding of Earth's climate record over the past 55 million years, a vital component to knowing what future course the planet's climate will take. Following the JR’s location and daily reports has never been easier: a new JOIDES Resolution website launched the week of March 9 engages Web users in the ship’s activities and in scientific ocean drilling. Visitors to the new site can “meet” the science party and crew, read and contribute to blogs from Ocean Leadership staff members and scientists onboard the vessel, view photos and video, and keep abreast of other input from the ship through links on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. Follow science participant/inorganic geochemist Peggy Delaney, who was closely involved with the overhaul of the JR, on an upcoming blog to be hosted by Scientific American. On the J-DESC website, follow blogs by Japanese scientists on board the JOIDES Resolution.
The first volume of NanTroSEIZZE IODP Proceedings has been published and posted online. The volume combines the findings of all three Stage 1 expeditions—Exps. 314, 315, and 316—into one comprehensive volume. The Proceedings can be accessed online at http://www.iodp.org/scientific-publications
New Jersey Shallow Shelf (NJSS), scheduled to depart on May 2, 2009, as a joint venture with ICDP, will be led by co-chief scientists Gregory Mountain of Rutgers University, U.S.A.; and Jean-Noël Proust of University of Rennes, France. An extension of a 15-year effort to document global sea-level history over the past 42 million years, NJSS includes drilling both onshore and farther offshore in deeper water to uncover a zone critical to deciphering the sea-level history in the shallow-water region of the eastern United States. Using the liftboat Kayd as the platform, the science party is targeting the collection of cores from early to mid-Miocene sedimentary sequences (some 24–14 million years old). This expedition is the third mission-specific IODP operation ESO will manage. The platform will mobilize in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Subsequent transport and supply will be provided from Staten Island, New York, on the U.S. east coast.
Nearly 9,500 visitors toured Chikyu on Feb. 15, 2009, in Kobe, Japan, to see the ship’s state-of-the-art technologies and research facilities. The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) and the city of Kobe, Japan cosponsored the public tours. Since 2005, Chikyu has attracted more than 80,000 visitors. As the drilling vessel readies for NanTroSEIZE Stage 2 operations, operational tests and sea trials are underway, following repairs. On May 5, Chikyu will again conduct IODP research operations to support NanTroSEIZE Stage 2 and Expedition 319.
In the run-up to the INVEST meeting to be held at the University of Bremen, Sept. 23-25, 2009, the scientific community is holding numerous events to begin laying the foundation of plans to sustain the momentum and achievement of scientific ocean drilling post-2013, when the IODP’s funding commitments expire. Plan to participate in one or more of the upcoming preparation meetings. A summary of the planning events:
CHART—A USSSP-supported online workshop to gather community input into the planning process for 2013 and beyond. Held online from Feb. 2-March 13, 2009, CHART results will be condensed into a document that summarizes the priorities of the U.S. drilling community prior to INVEST participation.
UK-IODP Conference at the Royal Society, London,UK, May 18-19, hosted by National Environmental Research Council (NERC). Oral and poster sessions are scheduled, including an open session to discuss the program’s future value and direction. Discussion of scientific themes to include: geological hazards; seismogenic zones and beyond; evolution of the planet; climate, sea-level, ice-sheets and greenhouse/icehouse states; and new adventures into the subsurface and deep biosphere. To attend, register online by April 3.
Melting, Magma, Fluids and Life Challenges,an IODP-InterRidge Workshop, July 27-29, hosted by National Oceanography Centre, at the University of Southampton, UK. Will identify key scientific questions, objectives, challenges, and technical requirements. Scientists of all career stages are encouraged to participate to develop future goals for understanding the ocean lithosphere and related geochemical and biological interactions. National agencies may be able to provide travel and subsistence support.
J-DESC held pre-INVEST planning meetings for Japanese scientists in January and February 2009.
For the fifth consecutive year, ECORD presents IODP at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly (EGU), from April 19-24. Nearly 9,000 geoscientists are expected to travel to Vienna, Austria for the conference. Meet ECORD scientists, along with ESO, ESSAC, and EMA representatives who will staff the IODP exhibit at EGU Booth #54/55. Look for materials, information about expeditions and the upcoming INVEST meeting. On April 23, IODP and ICDP will jointly host a Townhall Meeting in the conference center at 19:00 in Room 1, Blue Level (basement). This event is an opportunity for scientists in the community to meet and talk informally. For more information, visit ECORD at EGU 2009.
ECORD Scholarships Available for 2009 Summer School
The European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD) is sponsoring 10 to 15 scholarships for outstanding young scientists to attend two unique ECORD Summer School sessions: at University of Bremen, Germany (Aug. 31-Sept. 11) to focus on geodynamics of mid-ocean ridges; and at University of Urbino, Italy (July 15-21 and July 23-Aug. 5) to focus on paleoclimatology. Each scholarship will cover costs up to 1000 € for travel expenses, accommodations, and enrollment fees. Scholarships are open to applicants based in ECORD countries with limited consideration given to non-ECORD candidates. PhD students and young post-doctoral researchers are strongly encouraged to apply. ESSAC, the ECORD Science Support and Advisory Committee, will review applications and make its decision by the end of May. The deadline to apply for an ECORD Scholarship is April 12, 2009.
IODP-Japan (CDEX/JAMSTEC, J-DESC, and Kochi Core Center) will sponsor an IODP booth at the Japan Geoscience Union (JPGU), May16-21 in Chiba, Japan. JPGU is the largest joint meeting for Earth and planetary sciences in Japan. The six-day meeting is expected to draw nearly 4,000 scientists. A joint IODP-ICDP Town Hall Meeting will be held during the week and will give scientists and graduate students the opportunity to exchange news related to the program and other useful information. Visit IODP-Japan at Booth 28-29.
K-IODP (Korean IODP) held an opening ceremony in February for a newly established office in the Korea Institute of Geoscience & Mineral Resources (KIGAM). KIGAM President Dr. Chang Ho Wan gave a congratulatory address to attendees; a commemorative plate-hanging concluded the ceremony. K-IODP conducts domestic and program-wide efforts related to IODP. It also focuses on growth of ocean and geosciences technologies. K-IODP was established in 2004 to support ODP and IODP-related activities. KIGAM contributes to IODP at the Associate Member level. K-IODP is supported by Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime affairs (MLTM).
KIGAM scientists honor opening of new K-IODP office.
On May 18, Dr. Kiyoshi Suyehiro will take the reins of IODP-MI as the new president, succeeding Dr. Manik Talwani who will depart IODP-MI on May 15 after a short overlap period. Dr. Suyehiro comes to IODP-MI from JAMSTEC, where he currently serves as Executive Director of Research. He also chairs the Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO) and is on the Executive Committee of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP). Click here to see the full announcement.
The next issue of Scientific Drilling, the semi-annual journal published jointly by IODP and ICDP, will be published online and distributed to subscribers in April. The seventh issue features a white paper, Addressing Geohazards through Ocean Drilling; its source is a joint IODP-InterMargins Workshop held two years ago. Also look for an article about the conclusion of IODP’s legacy core redistribution, along with these new scientific reports:
Deep Drilling into a Mantle Plume Volcano: The Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project
Clues to Early Life on Earth: Cleaverville Drilling Project (DXCL-DP) in the Pilbara Craton of Western Australia
Scientific Collaboration on Past Speciation Conditions in Lake Ohrid – SCOPSCO Workshop Report
Wireline Coring and Analysis under Pressure: Recent Use and Future Developments of the HYACINTH System
IODP Program Member Offices (PMO) are providing help to scientists who wish to participate in INVEST, the international science planning meeting for ocean drilling research post IODP.
The U.S. Science Support Program (USSSP) has travel support available for U.S.-affiliated researchers to attend the INVEST workshop in Bremen, Germany. If you are a U.S.-affiliated researcher in need of travel funds to attend the INVEST workshop, you may apply for participant support until March 31, 2009, with decision notices issued by April 30, 2009.
J-DESC will support Japan-based participants' travel costs to attend INVEST in Bremen, Germany. Detailed information will be available on the J-DESC website and will be published in the April issue of J-DESC E-news.
National ECORD offices will provide support. See contacts here.
Participation in INVEST is open to all interested scientists and students as the principal opportunity to help shape the future of scientific ocean drilling. Registration opens on April 4, 2009.
May 24-27—Joint Assemblyof the American Geophysical Union and Canadian Geoscience Associations. Toronto, Canada. Visit IODP booth presented by Canadian Consortium for Ocean Drilling (CCOD)
June 15—Early registration and submission (camera-ready papers) deadline for the First IEEE GRSS WHISPERS Workshop on Hyperspectral Image and Signal Processing–Evolution in Remote Sensing, Grenoble, France.
Sept. 3 – Oct. 2—GEOTECH 2009 Expo, First Mediterranean Earth, Industry & Technology Exhibition and Conference, Rome.
Sept. 15— Deadline to submit abstracts for Career Programme, Science to Business Programme and Science in the City Programme atEuroscience Open Forum (ESOF2010), Torino, Italy.
Social media networks have taken off, recently attracting large numbers among more mature users.
Online social networks like Facebook have more than quadrupled over the last several years, and are now used by all age groups to share news, photos, and issue awareness amongst friends, colleagues, and family members. (N. Galifianakis for PR Tactics)
To download IODP E-NEWS in a PDF format CLICK HERE For more information or inquiries about any topic in this e-newsletter, please e-mail
IODP E-News is a bimonthly publication of Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Management International (IODP-MI). It is produced and distributed by IODP-MI for the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program under the sponsorship of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), the Ministry of Culture, Education, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, and other participating countries. Its content is based upon research supported under NSF Contract OCE-0432224.
