Tours of the seismic vessel Marcus Langseth in Dunedin tomorrow (20 March)
Hello All,
Ewan and I will be taking our GEOL263/363 students on tours of the seismic research vessel Marcus G. Langseth on Tuesday afternoon at the T/U sheds here in Dunedin. If you are interested in joining us, there will be some spots available. Please get back to me ASAP so that I can add your name to the list that the port authorities will need.
The Langseth has just completed a seismic survey to the SW of the South Island, examining the initiation of subduction along the Puysegur Subduction Zone. Our student, Luke Carrington has been on board for the cruise and our speaker at Wednesday’s Departmental Seminar, Sean Gulick, is one of the co-chief scientists on the voyage. See http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/research/office-of-marine-operations/langseth for some information on the ship.
There are three tour times available on Tuesday (at 1:15, 1:45 and 2:15, i.e., right after our noon lecture) and each should last under an hour. Priority for the tours will be given to the 263/363 students, so that they can get back to their regularly scheduled lab session from 2-5. There is no transport organised to the harbour. We are planning to walk from the department.
Cheers,
Andrew
Meeting 19 March 2018
Minutes:
1. Otago Scientific Drilling Blog.
People need to look at it otherwise they will miss opportunities for workshops, expeditions, etc etc. This is the only place Virginia posts them to – otherwise the email storm would drown you all!. Please try to log on and look at it episodically. We will ask Dee Roben and Helen Dunn to check it weekly and post important opportunities in the Geology newsletter and Marine Sci email blast.
Note that you can add or remove yourself from this mailing list via instructions here: https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/drill-otago/mailing-list-instructions-for-joining-or-leaving/
Note that the Sci Drilling ‘Group’ seems to be difficult to find via the latest Outlook Web App. Francesco Cappuccio has asked the ITS helpdesk for advice. If you also have trouble, please email either ITS or Francesco (you can find him on the Otago Geology Postgrads page).
2. Otago Analytical Core Repository (OAR) Update.
Appointment of admin support position falls under the shared services review and is stalled until May.
We are expecting a test version of our database to be delivered at the end of March. Bob will be responsible for initial installation of this database onto one of the ex DFDP computers. We hope that our Admin support person will then be able to take responsibility for progressive upload of our existing data and samples into the database. In future it should be able to be used on projects as data and samples are acquired.
In approx. 6 weeks’ time (ie mid May) we expect to need to do some substantial moving of core and gear into and out of containers in our new space in the Wickliffe building. We will need a workforce – something to bear in mind. Some of what is moved will be your stuff!!!
We will also need to take a tally of existing facilities and resources.
3. Report on visit to Timaru to see the JR Resolution (by Sebastian Clar and Andrew Gorman)
30 people went up in 3 vans. Mostly students from Geology, interested in offshore basins. The ships were rather busy but there were a couple of staff who spent substantial time showing people around, including core prep area and drill rig from a distance. They saw phys props lab, archive, living quarters aboard, but missed the downhole logging equipment.
NOTE there is another vessel called the Marcus G Langseth in Dunedin to visit TOMORROW = 20 Mar.
This vessel does seismic site surveys for IODP America.
If you want to tour the ship tomorrow tours start @ 1.15pm.
Best idea is to email andrew.gorman@otago.ac.nz if you would like to attend.
4. Christina Riesselman organised an IODP ship-to-shore videoconf for EAOS111. Students were really engaged and asked lots of questions – will support an IODP-based seafloor sediments lab later in the term. This is a great opportunity to introduce students to cutting-edge research, inspire them to think about future opportunities, and link lectures to labs. We should really think about doing this every year.
5. Chris Moy is working w/ the procurement team to support a single vendor purchase through ITRAX for the XRF core scanner. ITRAX has unique capabilities that other instruments cannot match. Procurement is currently negotiating w/ ITRAX to complete the acquisition.
6. ICDP workshop proposal – Chris Moy is planning a Fiordland one to be submitted in Jan 2019. If you are interested in this please contact him. These workshops are fabulous opportunities to develop scientific plans / cases / arguments for full proposals. The DFDP one in 2009 was attended by >60 top notch international scientitsts who helped us to develop scientific focii that still underpin our project.
7. Southern Ocean Marine Institute.
Gary is planning this for Otago (now that Keith Hunter has retired). Initially they anticipated making a CoRE proposal but now…? At this stage Gary is working toward some top level Science Drivers. Please keep your eyes peeled for workshops etc. that Gary will call for your input into in coming months.
8. We are thinking of replacing Polaris.
We think it might serve us for another year then we will transition to another vessel.
9. Gary’s team are close to commencing a ‘South Georgia’ project. They have bought a boat for it, and the focus at present is trying to set up an observing point in the Southern Oceans for changing environments.
10. Next meeting = 14 May. Gary Wilson will advise people about the venue and send minutes in advance.
Deadline approaching! Grad student and early career training and funding
LacCore/CSDCO, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), provides a wide range of training and support for early career researchers from the U.S. and abroad. We announce two important opportunities for 2018.
Drilling and Coring Summer Institute (DCSI)
The Drilling and Coring Summer Institute (DCSI), a nine-day comprehensive training course for grad students, postdocs, and early-career researchers. This highly-rated, low-cost course will be offered twice in summer 2018.
Learn more on the Drilling and Coring Summer Institute web page.
Visiting Grad Student Program (VGSP)
The Visiting Grad Student Program (VGSP), a $1,000 competitive travel grant for graduate students to visit LacCore/CSDCO with their cores and receive support and training from facilities staff.
Learn more on the Visiting Grad Student Program web page.
The application deadline for both programs is Friday, March 16, 2018.
Please contact Amy Myrbo at amyrbo@umn.edu with questions about either program.
URGENT CALL : Antarctic Radiolarian Biostratigraphers for Exp 379
As detailed in the attached PDF, ANZIC are urgently inviting applications for a Biostratigrapher with Antarctic Radiolarian expertise for Expedition 379 Amundsen Sea
Due date for applications is 6 March. Contact Virginia if you need more info.
URGENT CALL Antarctic Radiolarian Biostratigraphers for Exp 379
LacCore/CSDCO Grad student and early career training and funding
LacCore/CSDCO, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), provides a wide range of training and support for early career researchers from the U.S. and abroad. We announce two important opportunities for 2018.
Drilling and Coring Summer Institute (DCSI)
The Drilling and Coring Summer Institute (DCSI), a nine-day comprehensive training course for grad students, postdocs, and early-career researchers. This highly-rated, low-cost course will be offered twice in summer 2018.
Learn more on the Drilling and Coring Summer Institute web page.
Visiting Grad Student Program (VGSP)
The Visiting Grad Student Program (VGSP), a $1,000 competitive travel grant for graduate students to visit LacCore/CSDCO with their cores and receive support and training from facilities staff.
Learn more on the Visiting Grad Student Program web page.
The application deadline for both programs is Friday, March 16, 2018.
Please contact Amy Myrbo at amyrbo@umn.edu with questions about either program.
Save the date: CSDC Community Meeting 2018
The Continental Scientific Drilling and Coring Community Meeting 2018 will be held June 4-5 in Alexandria, Virginia. Additional details are forthcoming, but participants will be invited to provide updates on active and future projects, as well as input to CSDCO community science planning and the formal merger of CSDCO and LacCore facilities, funded by NSF.
Please contact csdco@umn.edu with questions in the interim.
Outcomes of Sci Drilling Meeting on 12 Feb
- Gary Wilson is the ‘2IC’ for these
- Schedule for meetings this year… mostly the 2nd Monday of the month with a few modifications:
- 19 Mar
- No meeting in April
- 14 May
- 11 June
- etc….
3. OAR Update
We have agreement from Property Services to move into the old Wickliffe Press building, and are currently waiting for them to clear the space and install some power, lights, water and internet. We have ordered three new containers – one fridge, one office, one for the Geotek – which will probably be delivered there in the next 4-6 weeks. Then there will be a staged operation to shift materials already in other refrigerated containers into those, followed by their containers. We will need a workforce for this.
The database is being constructed at present and we expect a trial version to be delivered in late March.
Data technician position – a work in progress.
4. Dave Prior is about to put in two funding applications
(i) To the Div Sci Strategic Fund and then perhaps the Australian Antarctic Division for funding to support development of a novel device to use laue refection of X-rays to determine crystal orientations of the surfaces of ice or rocks (including cores). It may also be able to do CT scans. $1-1.5M development costs.
(ii) An ice-coring system known as an Eclipse drill to the Otago Large Equipment Grant scheme. Can drill <300m dry in ice/snow and is very portable. $200k.
Contact Dave (david.prior@otago.ac.nz) if you envisage these items might be of use to you and thus you can support his applications.
5. IODP stuff
- Please do read the ANZIC Bulletins I have posted recently and will continue to post
- See associated post that I just put up about forthcoming port calls for the JR and a seismic vessel in Dunedin
6. A reminder to distribute the add about the Short Course in Scientific Drilling in Japan 18 June – 7 July. Add here
That’s all folks!
V
Opportunities to visit Scientific Drilling Ships in March
Two opportunities
1. Port Call for Joides Resolution on 9 Mar.
Andrew Gorman will take a bus to Lyttleton with Geol263-363 students on board for this, and will have 20 spare seats. Does anyone want to go along?
2. 20 Mar, the Marcus Langseth – a seismic research vessel will be visiting Otago, and will make a port call in Dunedin. If you are interested in visiting this vessel please set aside this ~date.
More info can be requested from andrew.gorman@otago.ac.nz
Sci Drilling meeting 12 Feb 12pm @ the Staff Club
Hi all
I have sadly neglected the regular Otago Scientific Drilling group meetings in recent months and want to redress this. Due to my own travel plans I would like to change the previous ‘first Monday of the month’ schedule, to the ‘second Monday of the month’, which would mean the next few meetings are:
12 Feb
12 Mar
9 Apr
8 May…
Pursuant to no one telling me that this will interfere with any other regular meeting?
Agenda items for 12 Feb:
- New meeting schedule
- OAR update
- I need a 2IC to run these Sci Drilling meetings when I am away – any volunteers?
- ANZIC Bulletins including (but not limited to)
- Call for applications to sail on Exps 383 and 385 in 2019
- Call for nominations for a number of positions on ANZIC boards
- Updates on expeditions currently in progress around NZ
- Publication of ‘Exploring the Earth Under the Sea’
- Retirement of Neville Exxon as ANZIC program scientist, and his replacement by Dr. Leanne Armand
- Scientific Drilling Short Course in Japan – June-July 2018 – Applications now open, closing 28 Feb. Add here.
- Any other topics that you all advise me about.
I look forward to seeing many of you next Monday.
V
ANZIC Bulletin Feb 2018
ANZIC Bulletin 7 February 2018 (PDF of the bulletin)
This issue contains information on the following items:
- ANZIC Governing Council 2018
- Expedition 374: Ross Sea
- Expedition 380: NanTroSEIZE
- ANZIC and IODP Governance Roles
- Apply to Sail in 2019
- Australia 2030: Prosperity through Innovation
- Citation advice for ANZIC funded projects
- ANZIC Key Dates Jan-Jun 2018
