======================================== CHIKYU MAIL NEWS Vol.131, May 11th 2009 This mail news service provides you with information about the Deep Sea Drilling Vessel "Chikyu" and science and technology for the IODP Earth exploration. CHIKYU HAKKEN WEB SITE http://www.jamstec.go.jp/chikyu/ ======================================== ---------------------------------------- [Latest information] IODP NanTroSEIZE Stage 2 Expedition Start! The 1st daily report and photo gallery are now updated on web http://www.jamstec.go.jp/chikyu/eng/Expedition/NantroSEIZE/special.html ---------------------------------------- The Chikyu re-engages in the Stage 2 expedition of the IODP Nankai Trough Seismogenic Zone Experiment. The Chikyu will operate the cutting-edge Riser drilling for the first time in the history of scientific drilling. The daily report and photo gallery are now updated on the expedition special web at http://www.jamstec.go.jp/chikyu/eng/Expedition/NantroSEIZE/special.html ----- Daily report on May 10, 2009 (Day 1) Weather: Fine Location: Port of Shingu Greetings from Chikyu! We proudly inform you that IODP Expedition 319 started from 00:00 today. As you may already knew, this is the first riser drilling in the history of scientific ocean drilling. This expedition is the first part of the Stage 2 of NanTroSEIZE and continues to the end of August. Although we planned to leave the Shingu port today, we are still working for loading drilling materials such as casing pipe, because of bad weather in this area a couple of days ago. Our current schedule for the departure is within next two days. Currently there is no science party onboard but Masa Kinoshita is onboard as the Chief Project Scientist (CPS), and I (Nobu Eguchi) are working as Expedition Project Manager (EPM). Later this month, Harold Tobin will join us as the other CPS. We will update Chikyu activity on a daily bases via this report, so stay tuned! Best, Nobu and Masa ----- ======================================== CHIKYU MAIL NEWS To subscribe or unsubscribe, http://www.jamstec.go.jp/chikyu/eng/mailnews/ CHIKYU HAKKEN web site introduces you to every aspect of the Deep Sea Drilling Vessel "Chikyu" and science and technology for the IODP Earth exploration. http://www.jamstec.go.jp/chikyu/ The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) is an international marine research drilling program dedicated to advancing scientific understanding of the Earth by monitoring and sampling sub seafloor environments. IODP drilling operations aboard the Chikyu are managed by JAMSTEC through CDEX, Japan Implementing Organization. http://www.iodp.org "CHIKYU HAKKEN" means Discover the Earth in Japanese. =========================================