Shipboard scientists observe the core at Lab. Drs. Toshiya Kanamatsu (JPN), Jan M. Behrmann (DEU), Babette Boeckel (DEU) and Pierre Henry (FRA) (left to right) >>Expedition 315 Photo Gallery

IODP NanTroSEIZE Stage 1:
Expedition 315: NanTroSEIZE "Megasplay Riser Pilot"
Weekly Report #2
Date 30/Nov/2007

Continued coring at the Hole C0001F. After taking 2 cores by HPCS, changed to ESCS and cored 19.0 m and took 2 cores (20X and 21X). Because of bad core quality, quitted ESCS coring and abandoned the hole. Spud a new hole (C0001G) for RCB coring on 25 Nov, jetted down to 74.5 meters below the seafloor or mbsf, and started drilling. Just after drilling, ROV umbilical cable jammed to the drill pipe. Pulled-out-of-hole and recovered ROV safely. Spud a new RCB hole (Hole H), 10 m west to the previous hole, jetted down to 74 mbsf and restarted drilling on 26 Nov. Started RCB coring from 230.0 mbsf and took 24 cores until 28 Nov. Concerning expected bad weather stopped coring at 448.0 mbsf and set free fall funnel before wait-on-weather on 29 Nov.

Drilled and cored 28.5 m in Hole C0001F, and 438.5 m in Hole C0001H, respectively. Total 28 cores (2 HPCS, 2 ESCS and 24 RCB) were taken and routinely described, measured and sampled by Science Party. Routine measurement subjects are:

Whole-round (WR) sampling for interstitial water at Core Cutting Area

CT-scan

WR sampling for microbiology

MSCL and thermal conductivity for WR core (no thermal conductivity for RCB cores)

WR sampling for other purposes (geotechnical, structural)

Visual description

Image scanning

Colorimetry

Magnetic property

Moisture and density

Shear strength (Vane shear / penetrometer)

XRD

Microfossil age determination (nanno, foraminifer)

Sampling for element analyses (total / inorganic C, N, S)

P-wave velocity and electric conductivity for discrete cubes (for RCB cores)

In addition to the routine measurement described above, non-routine chemical analyses (ICP-AES, XRF-CL) have started. Two ESCS cores had relatively good recovery, however also had terrible drilling disturbance. RCB cores taken from the overlapping intervals to ESCS ones showed better qualities. Started systematic personal sampling from split haves, which was originally planned during riser hole casing operation. After the core liner burst last week, all personnel working on core cutting operation wear face shield in addition to normal Personal Protective Equipment.