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doi:10.2204/iodp.sp.313.2009

Science operations

A sampling and measurements plan for Expedition 313 (see the "Appendix") was prepared to meet the scientific objectives of IODP Proposal 564 following the recommendations of the Science Advisory Structure (SAS).

Offshore science operations

After due consideration, it has been decided that there will be no splitting of the cores at sea, as it will be more efficient to carry out most of the scientific analysis during the Onshore Science Party at Bremen. Therefore, only limited scientific analysis will be carried out on board, and only a limited number of scientists will be required to sail. It is currently planned that core will be cut on board into 1.5 m lengths and curated (www.marum.de/en/
Offshore_core_curation_and_measurements.html). The core catcher sample will be split and a visual description recorded. Samples will be taken from appropriate lithologies at spot intervals for (1) preliminary mineralogy, (2) 87Sr/86Sr dating of shell fragments, and (3) dinocyst stratigraphy. These will be sent ashore when possible for preparation and analysis by members of the Science Party at Rutgers and Brock Universities. Results of these analyses will be made available to the Science Party in advance of the Onshore Science Party. Samples for microbiology and interstitial water analysis will be taken and suitably stored. Some preliminary microbiology and pore water ephemeral property measurements will be conducted offshore (see "Microbiology" and "Inorganic geochemistry" in the "Appendix"). All cores will be run through a multisensor core logger (MSCL) offshore, which measures gamma-derived density, P-wave velocity, electrical resistivity, and magnetic susceptibility (see the "Appendix").

Staffing

Scientific staffing is decided on the basis of task requirements and nominations from the ECORD Science Support Advisory Committee (ESSAC), USSAC, Japan Drilling Earth Science Consortium (JDESC), and Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). ESO staffing is based on the need to carry out the drilling and scientific operations efficiently and safely.

The following ESO and science staffing amounts to a maximum of 18 participants and is the total for staff onboard at any one time:

ESO:

  • 1 Operations Superintendent

  • 1 Staff Scientist

  • 1 Petrophysics Staff Scientist

  • 1 ESO Petrophysicist

  • 1 Curator

  • 1 Curatorial representative (ESO technician)

  • 2 Drilling Coordinators

  • 1 ESO Geochemist

  • 1 Database Manager

  • 1 Electronics Engineer

  • 2 Logging Contractors

Offshore science team:

  • 1 Co-Chief Scientist

  • 1 Geochemist

  • 1 Microbiologist (first site only)

  • 1 Petrophysicist

  • 1 Sedimentologist

Platform science activities

Science activities on the platform are confined to those essential for early sampling and logging and for safety and curation (see the "Appendix"). Scientific activities will be as follows (please also refer to the online tutorial at www.marum.de/en/
Offshore_core_curation_and_measurements.html):

  • Basic curation and labeling of core.

  • Shoe sample (core catcher [CC]) description and sampling for initial sedimentological and micropaleontological analysis, including taking a CC image.

  • Core storage.

  • All cores will be run on the MSCL (gamma density, P-wave velocity, electrical resistivity, and magnetic susceptibility) (see the "Appendix").

  • Pore water sampling and preservation, and analyses of ephemeral properties.

  • Microbiological sampling and preservation.

  • Associated data management of all activities (see below).

In order to carry out the science requirements on the platform with a small crew, a staffing plan will be devised. The plan will require flexibility of approach from all participants, with priority to safety, core recovery, curation, and procedures for the measurement of ephemeral properties.

Report preparation will take place on board as required by IODP Management International, Inc. (IODP-MI); the reports to be compiled include

  • Daily and weekly operations and science reports to IODP-MI, Science Party members, and relevant parties. Scientific reports are provided by the Co-Chief Scientists.

  • Site summary reports to IODP-MI.

  • Technical Operations Report (submission to IODP-MI due 60 days postexpedition).

  • Completion of the offshore sections of the Expedition Reports section of the Proceedings volume (primarily the "Methods" chapter).

  • Operational Review report (submission to IODP-MI due 2 months postexpedition).

  • Press releases in line with IODP-MI outreach policy.

  • Information for posting on the ESO expedition Web site.

New Jersey logging operations

The following is a generic list of minimum and additional logging tools that are intended to be run at each of the three proposed sites. The tools are listed by the formation properties which they measure, and not by "operator"-based trademark names.

High-priority suite:

  • Total through-pipe gamma ray intensity: for log-log and core-log correlation.

  • Induction resistivity: multiple usages, a robust measurement even under poor borehole conditions for the evaluation of porosity.

  • Sonic measurements: for core-log correlation, borehole-seismic integration, quality control, etc.

  • Spectral and total gamma ray: for log-log and core-log correlation (total), clay typing, and mineralogy determination (spectral).

  • Magnetic susceptibility: for lithologic determination and core-log correlation.

  • Caliper: for quality control and borehole corrections.

  • VSP: direct measurement of acoustic traveltime for core/borehole-seismic integration.

  • In situ borehole temperature: an IODP minimum measurement to be measured during drilling operations.

Lower-priority suite:

  • Hydrogeological (pH, eH, and temperature): borehole fluid characterization to detect fluid circulation.

  • Acoustic imaging (including acoustic caliper): for core-log correlation, stratigraphic analyses, and oriented sedimentological and structural information.

Wireline logging will be carried out at all sites and will include the measurements listed above, as hole conditions allow. As the borehole conditions that will be encountered in New Jersey are anticipated to result in challenging conditions for wireline logging, total gamma ray logs will be run though the drill pipe in order to obtain continuous (although attenuated) data. The open-hole sections where wireline logging measurements are acquired will be carefully selected based on scientific objectives and borehole stability, and time will be spent to ensure the optimum data quality is acquired. Please see "Priorities and potential program of work," above, for more details on how the logging program will be implemented.

Onshore science activities

The Onshore Science Party is to be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Ursula Röhl, the manager of the IODP Bremen Core Repository. The scientific work will follow that required by the prospectus and measurements plan to be developed in due course in conjunction with the Co-Chief Scientists.

Details of the facilities that will be available for the Onshore Science Party at the Bremen IODP Core Repository located in the MARUM building on the campus of the University of Bremen can be found in the "Appendix." Additional facilities can be made available through continuing close cooperation with additional laboratories at the MARUM-Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and the Department of Geosciences at Bremen University, as well as the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, all of which are situated nearby on campus.

A staffing plan will be developed with the Co-Chief Scientists in order to ensure that all required analyses and subsampling can be carried out efficiently. The measurement plan will take account of IODP specifications for quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures, which are being developed.

In view of the proposed geographical distribution of all Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP)/ODP/IODP cores, it is understood that the Bremen Core Repository will be the long-term location for these Atlantic Ocean cores.

Report preparation will take place during the Onshore Science Party as required by IODP-MI; the reports to be compiled include

  • Twice-weekly operations and science reports to IODP-MI and relevant parties. Scientific reports are provided by the Co-Chief Scientists.

  • Preliminary Report (submission to IODP Publication Services 1 week after Onshore Science Party).

  • Completion of the Expedition Reports section of the Proceedings volume (submission to IODP Publication Services as soon as practically possible after the Onshore Science Party).

Staffing

ESO:

  • 1 Superintendent (Curation and Laboratory Manager)

  • 1 Staff Scientist

  • 1 Assistant Superintendent (Assistant Curation and Laboratory Manager)

  • 2 Petrophysics Staff Scientists

  • 1 ESO Petrophysicist

  • 2 Curators

  • 2 Database Operators

  • 1 Trainee Staff Scientist

  • 1 Publications Specialist

  • Laboratory Team (provided by University of Bremen predominantly for nonpetrophysics stations/laboratories and by the EPC for petrophysics-related stations).

Expedition scientists:

  • 2 Co-Chief Scientists

  • 6 sedimentologists

  • 4 modelers (backstripping)/stratigraphic correlators

  • 3 petrophysicists/physical property specialists

  • 1 paleomagnetist

  • 2 inorganic geochemists

  • 1 dinocyst specialist

  • 1 planktonic foraminifer specialist

  • 1 benthic foraminifer specialist

  • 1 terrestrial palynologist

  • 1 nannofossil specialist

  • 1 microbiologist

Data management strategy

A data management plan for the expedition will be developed once the data requirements and operational logistics are finalized. The outline plan is as follows:

  • The primary data capture and management system will be the ExpeditionDIS (Drilling Information System). This is a relational database. It will capture drilling, curation, and geoscience metadata and data during the offshore and onshore phases of the expedition.

  • The ExpeditionDIS includes tools for data input, visualization, report generation, and data export.

  • The database can be accessed directly by other interpretation or decision-making applications if required.

  • A file server will be used for the storage of data not captured in the database (for example, documents and image files) and the inputs/outputs of any data processing, interpretation, and visualization applications used during the expedition.

  • The EPC will manage the capture of downhole-log data, MSCL data, and physical properties data. Logging metadata and MSCL data will be stored in the ExpeditionDIS. Downhole logging data will be stored separately by the EPC for processing and compositing.

  • Upon completion of the offshore phase of the expedition, the ExpeditionDIS database and the file system will be transferred to Bremen to continue data capture during the Onshore Science Party.

  • Between the end of the offshore phase and the start of the Onshore Science Party, the expedition scientists will have access to the data via a password-protected Web site.

  • Upon completion of the Onshore Science Party, expedition scientists will continue to have access to all data through a password-protected Web site throughout the moratorium period.

  • During the moratorium, all metadata and data, apart from downhole-log data, will be transferred to WDC-MARE/PANGAEA for long-term data archive.

  • The downhole-log data will be transferred to the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory for long-term archive.

  • Cores and samples will be archived at the IODP Bremen Core Repository.

  • After the moratorium, all the expedition data will be made accessible to the public.

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