A scientific research vessel for seafloor exploration and observation
JOIDES Resolutionoverhaul and enhancement
New to the core After major refurbishment, the JOIDES Resolution returns
The JOIDES RESOlutIOn is a dynamically positioned drillship
and floating laboratory that can drill down more than 2,000 meters into the seafloor and in waters as deep as 7,000 meters.
On board the JOIDES Resolution, scientists from all over
the world lead expeditions aimed at investigating the deep
biosphere and the sub-seafloor ocean; environmental change,
processes and effects; and solid earth cycles and geodynamics.
These are the principal science themes for the Integrated Ocean
Drilling Program (IODP), the international endeavor for which
the new and improved JOIDES Resolution will primarily work.
Already a 20-year workhorse of scientific ocean drilling, the
JOIDES Resolution has been completely overhauled, resulting
in a new U.S. drilling vessel for IODP. Laboratory space has
been increased by 34% and is designed for greater efficiency
in handling cores. There are 20 additional berths and all
staterooms are double occupancy. Drilling capabilities
and ship stability have been enhanced.
exploring and expanding humankind’s
understanding of planet earth requires
state-of-the-art research equipment.
WhO USeS this science facility? And for what?
In the ship’s core description, petrophysics, chemistry,
microbiology, microscopy, paleontology, paleomagnetism,
thin section, X-ray and downhole logging laboratories,
scientists work to better understand earth’s climate
conditions, fluctuations in sea level, changes in ocean
circulation, plate tectonic processes, earthquake mechanisms,
volcano formation, underwater landslides, the carbon cycle,
the sub-seafloor biosphere, gas hydrates, and mineral deposits.
A floating laboratory now equipped for the 21st century
increase in overall square footage for science facilities
27%increase in laboratory spaces, including offices and conference rooms
34%increase in science berths; all staterooms are double occupancy
20%
Yet we rely upon the 10-inch drill of unique research vessels like the JoIdeS resolution to investigate the valuable information the seafloor holds.
of earth is seafloor
70%
DriLLinG
Dynamic positioning system, derrick and drill string. A highly trained crew and new specialized engineering equipment make it possible to target and core the seafloor.
91/2-meter long sections of ocean sediment or rock are transferred from the drilling area to the laboratories for analysis by scientists and technicians.
cOre receiVinG anD PrOcessinG
Few research ships have a 22-foot hole in the center. The drill string drops through to the seafloor, and cores and downhole logging data return up through it en route to laboratories.
MOOn POOL
WheTher cLUeS AbOUT our planet come from downhole
instruments the JOIDES Resolution sends deep below the
seafloor or from rock and sediment samples the ship brings
to the surface, carrying out an expedition and extracting
research results requires specialized equipment and specially
trained staff on the vessel.
continuing work often extends for years while post expedition
research is carried out at shore institutions throughout the
world. results are published in international peer-
reviewed scientific publications and also in the IODP
Proceedings volumes.
The core work of the JOIDES Resolution in the deep sea
SCIENCE PARTYGeochemists, microbiologists, paleontologists, geophysicists, sedimentologists, petrologists
and educators
LAB TECHNICIANS Staff uniquely trained
to support laboratories and IT environments
CREW Captain, mates,
engineers, drillers, stewards and chefs
DOWnHOLe LOGGinG
After cores have been extracted, the borehole itself becomes a laboratory. Scientists lower instruments or install long-term observatories to study the surrounding environment.
Nearly 7,500 square feet of science space immediately spring to life as scientists conduct analyses, for example, examining fossils in the freshly recovered cores to date the material.
cUraTiOn anD sPeciaLTY researcH
Cores are sliced lengthwise, analyzed and sampled, and one half is stored in Integrated Ocean Drilling Program repositories for future research.
PriMarY anaLYsis
JOIDES Resolution from the outside ...
... new to the coreAfter 20 years of service, the JOIDES Resolution,
the pioneering scientific ocean drilling vessel that
has allowed scientists to retrieve samples of the
earth’s crust and sediments from deep beneath the
ocean, got a major renovation to expand and im-
prove the scientific labs and living quarters.
virtually all new from the derrick forward
MaY 2007
Removal of old bridge and accommodations.
nOVeMBer 2007
InInstallation of newly constructed bridge and accommodations module.
nOVeMBer 2008
Ship’s bridge and accommodations ready.
a remarkable transformation overhauling the JoIdeS resolution
all of the labs and quarters are new
The ship’s dynamic positioning system is now integrated into the bridge. Technical support, science and operations offices for IODP and a science planning area are now located on the Bridge Deck.
BriDGe DecK
From the receiving platform on this deck, the cores are taken through a series of scientific analyses. Downhole measurements, microscopy, paleontology, core description, petrophysics, stratigraphic cor-relation and paleomagnetism labs are on the Core Deck.
cOre DecK
The Fo’c’s’le Deck now includes the chemistry, microbiology, sample preparation, thin-section and X-ray laboratories; imaging and publications offices; video-conference-enabled conference room; and the hospital.
FO’c’s’Le DecK
The Main Deck is where the galley, mess hall, food storage areas, laundry room, and crew changing room are located.
Main DecK
The Forward ‘Tween Deck houses the ship’s recreation areas. It features a lounge for social gatherings, comput-ers for internet use, coffee and snack bar, public telephone, movie room with new enter-tainment systems and an air-conditioned gym.
FOrWarD ‘TWeen DecK
DrILLIng Off The cOAST of Antarctica in an ocean basin known
as the Palmer Deep has given scientists a glimpse of the pace
of rapid climate and oceanographic change in the Southern
Ocean. rapid warming in the Antarctic Peninsula region today
has resulted in collapse of ice shelves and changes in the region’s
ecosystem. Sediments at the bottom of the Palmer Deep help
inform and ground-truth models predicting future conditions
because these sediments record 13,000 years of history of the
region’s fluctuations from colder to warmer climates.
fluctuations are evident in the core in the olive green layers of
diatom ooze, which early in the record alternate with gray diatom
sandy mud, indicating a relatively cooler period when annual
ocean productivity blooms alternate with glacial meltwater, silt
and sand pulses. Deeper in the record, the alternating annual
layers give way to sediments with more glacial debris, likely
released by meltwater and icebergs during a warming trend.
Thousands of cores like this one have their own story to tell.
What one core reveals about our past
ANTARCTIC A
STUDYAREA
Scientists use clues from IODP core samples
and borehole logging data to piece together a
more complete answer to scientific questions,
such as the record of climate from the past.
but what can we learn from one core?
cOOLer PeriOD
Olive green layers of diatom ooze in sediment cores alternate with gray sandy mud, indicating annual ocean productivity blooms alternating with silt and sand pulses from glacial meltwater.
Deeper in the record, the alternating annual layers give way to sediments with more glacial debris, likely released during a warmer period by meltwater and icebergs.
WarMinG TrenD
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CE
NT
PA
STD
EE
P P
AST
20
10 cm
50
60
70
80
90
30
40
100
110
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7 cm
PHOTOMICROGRAPH OF DIATOM—A MICROFOSSIL
N O RT HA M E R I C A
SOUTHAMERIC A
PACIFICOCEAN
ARCTICOCEAN
ATLANTIC OCEAN
INDIANOCEAN
A F R I C A
ANTARCTIC A
E U R O P E
AUSTRALIA
A S I A
JOIDES Resolution ocean drilling sites
Future Past
In ITS PAST ServIce to the Integrated Ocean Drilling
Program, and the Ocean Drilling Program before it,
the JOIDES Resolution has operated from north of the
Arctic circle to south of the Antarctic circle and from
the depths of the Mariana Trench to the shallow coastal
shelf off new Jersey.
In the next phase of IODP operations, the drillship
is scheduled to conduct expeditions in the equatorial
Pacific, north to the Juan de fuca ridge off the west coast of
north America, then north to the bering Sea, south to the
Shatsky rise off the eastern coast of Japan, the canterbury
basin off new Zealand, and finally to Wilkes Land,
Antarctica.
Global reach of the JOIDES Resolution 1985-Present
1985 | Ocean DriLLinG PrOGraM LaUncHeD
The JOIDES Resolution sets sail on January 29 in the Gulf of Mexico for the first expedition of the Ocean Drilling Program.
Large amounts of gas hydrates are discovered in seafloor sediments during an expedition to the eastern margin of North America.
1995 | Gas HYDraTes FOUnD BeLOW seaFLOOr
Drillers on the JOIDES Resolution penetrate 2,111 meters into the seafloor—the deepest-ever scientific ocean borehole.
1993 | DeePesT scienTiFic Ocean BOreHOLe
N O RT HA M E R I C A
SOUTHAMERIC A
PACIFICOCEAN
ARCTICOCEAN
ATLANTIC OCEAN
INDIANOCEAN
A F R I C A
ANTARCTIC A
E U R O P E
AUSTRALIA
A S I A
JOIDES Resolution ocean drilling sites
Future Past
1998 | MicrOBes aT 800 MeTers DeeP
Microbes are discovered living in sediments 800 meters beneath the seafloor, far deeper than previously thought possible.
Three expeditions to a single location recover all three layers of intact ocean crust, including gabbro from the lowest layer.
2005 | GaBBrOs in DeePesT Oceanic crUsT
An expedition to Florida’s Atlantic coast recovers evidence of a meteorite impact thought to have led to mass extinctions.
1997 | MeTeOriTe HiTs 65 MiLLiOn Years aGO
FPO
U.S. ScIenTISTS may apply to the U.S. Science Support Program (USSSP)
JAPAneSe ScIenTISTS may apply to the Japan Drilling earth Science consortium (J-DeSc)
ScIenTISTS In ecOrD (european consortium for Ocean research Drilling) countries may apply to the ecOrD Science Support Advisory committee (eSSAc)
ScIenTISTS In chInA may apply to the People’s republic of china, Ministry of Science and Technology
ScIenTISTS In The rePUbLIc Of KOreA may apply through the Korea Institute of geoscience and Mineral resources
ScIenTISTS In AUSTrALIA & neW ZeALAnD may apply to the Australia-new Zealand IODP consortium (AnZIc) Science committee
www.iodp-usio.org
Join the scientific team aboard the JOIDES Resolution to research and explore
IODP expeditions on the JOIDES Resolution
are scheduled to resume in 2009. Applications
for expedition participation are being accepted
for future expeditions. forms and instructions
are available at the Program Member Offices:
JOIDES RESOLUTION arT BY cHarLes FLOYD MaP anD PHOTOs BY iODP-U.s. iMPLeMenTinG OrGaniZaTiOn
arT DirecTiOn anD DesiGn BY JOsHUa KOrenBLaT