Shipboard laboratory support: ocean drilling program

Abstract

The Ocean D r i l l i n g Program (ODP) i s dedicated t o p r o v i d i n g a s t a t e o f t h e a r t research environment f o r t h e study o f deep ocean mar i ne geol ogy . JOIDES Resolut ion, t h e s c i e n t i f i c d r i l l s h i p o f D P , con ta ins over 12,000 sq. f t. o f l a b o r a t o r y space i n a seven-story modular s t r u c t u r e designed t o meet t h e needs o f modern marine geo log ica l research. This l a b o r a t o r y complex a l l ows f o r i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f sediment01 ogy, phys i ca l p r o p e r t i e s , paleomagnetics, chemistry, petrography, and paleonto logy through t h e examination and a n a l y s i s o f core m a t e r i a l recovered f rom t h e ocean bottom. This f l o a t i n g l a b o r a t o r y suppor ts a team o f about 25 i n t e r n a t i o n a l research s c i e n t i s t s on each two month c ru i se . A group o f 1 7 t echn ic ians operates , mai n t a i ns , and t r a i n s s c i e n t i s t s i n t h e use of t h e s c i e n t i f i c equipment aboard t h e J O I D E S Resolut ion. This paper discusses t h e e m n t , purchased and b u i l t , t h a t supports t h e above i n v e s t i g a t i o n s .