Table T3. Chronology of submersible operations at CORKs installed during the ODP period.
| Year/Month | Holes | Cruise | Submersible dives | Funding | Operations/Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991/Sep | 857D, 858G | AII-125-32 | Alvin 2457, 2458 | NSF | Successful data downloads shortly after installation of first CORKs; pressures recording well but thermistor cables already degrading at very high temperatures (>260°C) |
| 1991/Oct | 858G, 858F | AII-125-33 | Alvin 2468 | NSF | Attempt to seal pilot Hole 858F ~5 m from Hole 858G |
| 1992/Sep | 858G | Tully/Vents 2 | ROPOS (1 dive) | GSC | Data download in Hole 858G |
| 1993/Sep | 892B | AII-131-3 | Alvin 2651, 2653, 2654 | NSF | Fluid sampling, pump tests, data downloads |
| 1993/Sep–Oct | 857D, 858G, 889C, 892B | AII-131-4 | Alvin 2664–2669 | NSF | Data download in Hole 858G showed CORK seal failed, hole producing hot fluids. Attempt failed to recover Hole 857D logger damaged during Leg 146 refurbishment attempt in poor weather. Data download in Hole 889C showed severe damage due to Leg 146 installation in poor weather. Attempted acoustic modem installation and pump test in Hole 892B |
| 1994/Aug | 892B | AII-131-18 | Alvin 2813 | NSF | Final download in Hole 892B |
| 1995/Jul | 892B | AII-132-10 | Alvin 2964–2965 | NSF | Recovered data logger from site, breaking off cable assembly frozen in the hole by hydrates |
| 1995/Dec | 948D/949C | Nadir/ODPNaut I | Nautile (6 dives) | IFREMER + NSF | Data downloads and pump tests at both sites; recovered instrument string from Hole 948D with flotation when data showed CORK body not sealed |
| 1997/Oct | 857D, 858G, 1024C–1027C | AT-03-8 | Alvin 3144, 3146, 3148–3151 | NSF | Data downloads at six CORKs; installation of microbiological sampling devices on seafloor valve in Hole 1026B |
| 1998/Jan | 949C, 395A | Nadir/ODPNaut II | Nautile (3 dives) | NSF | Completion of pump tests in Hole 949C (seal compromised); data download in Hole 395A |
| 1998/Jun | 892B | AT-03-21 | Alvin 3231–3233 | NSF | Use of Hole 892B wellhead (no data logger) for hydrates/geochemistry experiments |
| 1998/Jul | 1026B | AT-03-23 | Alvin 3240, 3241 | NSF | Recovery and deployment of microbiological sampling devices |
| 1999/Jun | 892B | AT-03-35 | Alvin 3416, 3417 | NSF | Use of Hole 892B wellhead for hydrates/geochemistry experiments |
| 1999/Sep | 857D, 858G, 1024C–1027C | AT-03-39 | Alvin 3465–3467, 3469, 3471–3473, 3475–3477, 3479, plus MPL control vehicle | NSF | Data downloads at six sites, recovery of sensor strings and OsmoSamplers in Holes 1024C–1027C, reinstrumentation with pressure-logging systems, fluid sampling in Hole 1025C and 1026B wellheads; cut short by weather and operational difficulties |
| 2000/Aug | 857D, 1024C–1027C | AT-03-55 | Alvin 3600, 3603–3609 | NSF | Recovery of hydrates/geochemistry apparatus in Hole 892B; completion of AT-03-39 objectives in Holes 1024C–1027C; data download in Hole 857D but Hole 858G not responding |
| 2001/Jul | 395A | AT-05-03 | Alvin 3671 | NSF | Data download |
| 2002/Aug | 808I, 1173B | KR02-10 | Kaiko 261, 262, 264, 266 | JAMSTEC | Data download, close valves apparently opened by vibrations on Leg 196 deployment |
| 2002/Sep | 1026B | AT-7-20 | Jason 2 | NSF | Fluid and microbiological sampling in Hole 1026B |
| 2002/Nov | 504B, 896A, 1253A, 1255A | AT-07-25 | Alvin 3840, 3841 | NSF | Download data, verify that packers had inflated in Holes 1253A and 1255A |
| 2003/Mar | 1200C | Thompson | Jason 2 | NSF | Download data, recover OsmoSamplers and sensor string |
| 2003/May | 808I | KR03-05 | Kaiko 296 | JAMSTEC | Deploy submersible-operated bridge plug to seafloor in Hole 808I and download data; Kaiko lost on recovery from dive and cruise aborted |
| 2003/Jun | 857D, 1024C, 1025C, 1027C | Thompson | Jason 2 | NSF | Download data (Hole 1025C did not respond); install supplemental battery packs in Holes 857D and 1024C |
| 2003/Jul | 1026B | Thompson | Jason 2 | NSF | Fluid and microbiological sampling in Hole 1026B |
| 2004/Feb–Mar | 1253A, 1255A | AT-11-08 | Alvin 3977–3984 | NSF | Download pressure data, attempt to recover OsmoSamplers (later done from JOIDES Resolution, summer 2004) |
| 2004/May | 808I, 1173B | YK04-05 | Shinkai 6500 812, 813 | JAMSTEC | Download pressure data, insufficient dive time to install bridge plug in Hole 808I, so it was recovered |
| 2004/Sep | 1026B, 1027C, 1301A, 1301B | Thompson | ROPOS | NSF + GSC | Download pressure data in Hole 1027C; install pressure data logging systems in Holes 1026B, 1301A, and 1301B (see Fisher et al., this volume) |
Notes: NSF = U.S. National Science Foundation, GSC = Geological Survey of Canada, IFREMER = Institut Francais de Researche pour l'Exploration de la Mer, JAMSTEC = Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.
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