A recent study published in Science investigates the stress state on the fault that controls a very large slip during an earthquake. The research found that the present shear stress on the fault is nearly zero, indicating a nearly complete stress change during the earthquake.
A new study provides unprecedented detail on the history of the carbonate compensation depth (CCD) in the Pacific Ocean over the past 55 million years. The CCD, which fluctuates with climate change, reveals five intervals of fluctuation during the 'greenhouse' world and at least four major excursions in the last 20 million years.
Researchers found a rapid sea-level rise of ~14m following the onset of the first warm period of deglaciation. Coral samples from Tahiti's reefs provide valuable insights into past sea-level changes and inform climate modeling.
Researchers recovered core samples from Antarctica, revealing a 53-million-year history of ice formation and interaction with climate. The findings provide crucial insights into the transition from a warm, greenhouse world to an icy 'icehouse' environment.
New data collected from the IODP Shatsky Rise expedition provides insights into the formation of supervolcanoes and their impact on Earth's geologic record. The study sheds light on the relationship between supervolcano formation and tectonic plate boundaries.
Expedition 322 collected sedimentary and basement rock samples from the Shikoku Basin, shedding light on the generation of large earthquakes. The study of petrological, geotechnical, frictional, and hydrogeological properties of these rocks is crucial for understanding rupture dynamics in the seismogenic zone.
The new ocean drilling program will explore the 'deep biosphere', investigating life beyond 1,600 meters below the seafloor and the impact of CO2 on climate. Scientists hope to gain insights into Earth's past, present, and future by analyzing core samples and developing new technologies.
Scientists have uncovered new evidence on the origin and evolution of seismogenic faults in the Nankai Trough, a region prone to massive earthquakes. The research, conducted during the NanTroSEIZE expedition, reveals that fault activity varies through time, with periods of high and low activity recorded.
Scientists can now drill to the Earth's mantle with reduced environmental impact. The technology allows for investigation of subseafloor areas in great depths, where oceanic crust may be thinner.
Researchers successfully conducted riser-drilling operations in the Nankai Trough earthquake zone to gather information on geological formations and stress-strain characteristics. This technology enabled dynamic formation testing and measurement of stress, water pressure, and rock permeability.
The Deepsea Drilling Vessel CHIKYU has begun riser-drilling operations in the Nankai Trough Seismogenic Zone, targeting a depth of 1,600 meters. This marks a significant milestone in ocean drilling, as CHIKYU becomes the first vessel capable of drilling deep beneath the ocean floor and in seismogenic zones.
The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program has expanded its international support with the addition of Australia, India, and New Zealand as Associate Members. These countries will contribute scientists to upcoming expeditions, expanding research opportunities in climate change, geodynamics, and marine biology.
Dr. Manik Talwani, president of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Management International (IODP-MI), has been awarded the German Medal of Honor in geophysics. He was recognized for his work on gravity measurements, particularly on the moon, and his contributions to ocean drilling research.
The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) will conduct scientific ocean drilling operations aboard three platforms in 2009. Scheduled operations include riser drilling, riserless operations, and mission-specific operations to explore climate change, sea level change, and oceanic plateau formation.
Researchers discovered 90 billion tons of microbial organisms living in the deep biosphere, with Archaea making up 87% of the biomass. The microorganisms thrive in extreme conditions, such as high pressure and low energy supply.
A team of scientists has obtained core samples from a subsea fault system off the coast of Japan, providing new data on how earthquakes are generated. The cores contain over 5,000 samples that will help researchers understand the evolution of the subduction zone and its relationship to earthquake and tsunami activity.
Researchers found strong variation in tectonic stresses in the Nankai Trough, a region notorious for generating devastating earthquakes and tsunamis. The study used advanced drilling technology to collect data on rock and sediment density, porosity, and other geological properties.
The NanTroSEIZE expedition aims to retrieve geological samples and provide scientific data from the Nankai Trough fault zone. The program will drill deeply into the Earth to observe earthquake mechanisms in a well-known subduction zone, providing new insights into naturally occurring processes responsible for earthquakes.
The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program's Arctic Coring Expedition reveals the Arctic Ocean changed from a 'lake stage' to a fully oxygenated ocean at 17.5 million years ago due to the Fram Strait's evolution into a wider passageway, allowing saline North Atlantic water in.
Scientists from the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) are making significant discoveries in ocean drilling operations, including the first complete section through a modern cold-water coral mound. The IODP is an international scientific research program that explores subseafloor environments and monitors environmental change, ge...
A global strategy for investigating Earth's geodynamics has been developed through international collaboration, aiming to advance understanding of continental rifting and break-up. The proposal includes sampling young, active rifting zones and ancient continental margins to investigate magma-forming processes associated with rifting.
Ocean scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery that microbes in deeply buried sediments produce energy-laden gases, including ethane and propane. This finding challenges traditional theories on the origin of these gases, which are typically associated with fossil fuel generation.
Researchers found high concentrations of gas hydrate at relatively shallow depths of 50-120 meters below the seafloor in the Cascadia Margin. The discovery challenges existing knowledge on how gas hydrate deposits form and may impact global climate change.
The IODP Arctic Coring Expedition has provided new evidence that the Arctic was extremely warm and ice-free up to 55 million years ago, during the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum. This period saw a massive release of greenhouse gases, leading to significant temperature rises and changes in ocean chemistry.
Scientists from the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program have recovered sediments that indicate prevailing ice conditions during the last 14-16 million years. The study also found evidence of ice in the Arctic Ocean dating back 45 million years, while temperatures rose to subtropical levels 55 million years ago.
A team of scientists has successfully drilled into a fossil magma chamber beneath the Pacific Ocean's crust, providing valuable insights into how new ocean crust is formed. The discovery confirms theories about the relationship between seismic velocity and crustal rock composition.
Scientists have retrieved high-resolution climate records from coral cores off the Tahiti coast, spanning 20,000 years and providing insights into sea level change and El Niño anomalies. The longest continuous coral core is 3.5 meters long, representing 350 years of growth, and contains valuable information on climate variability and p...
The CHIKYU drillship, operated by JAMSTEC, has completed its first coring operations in the ocean. Two piston cores, 50 meters and 70 meters long, were retrieved from 1,200-meter water depths, revealing olive-grey diatomecious mud with ash layers and potentially absorbing CO2 density levels.
The IODP Expedition 311 has discovered gas hydrate deposits with higher concentrations found in coarse-grained sand layers throughout core samples. The findings will fundamentally change how scientists investigate the impact of gas hydrate deposits, revealing a more complex occurrence than previously predicted.
Scientists on the IODP Tahiti expedition are analyzing fossil corals to study past global sea level changes and their impact on climate. The research aims to understand the effects of human activity on Earth's environment by examining coral records from a tectonically stable region.
The IODP Cascadia margins gas hydrates expedition is underway, exploring the presence of ice-like solids composed of water and natural gas on marine continental shelves. Media representatives are invited onboard the drillship in Victoria port on Oct. 31, 2005 for tours of the ship.
Researchers find evidence of massive submarine sand avalances that carried sediments into deep-water Gulf of Mexico, accumulating in bowl-shaped basins. The discovery will aid understanding of how deeply buried reservoirs are formed and how oil and gas can be drained from them.
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography has been awarded a 10-year contract to manage the International Ocean Drilling Program's Site Survey Data Bank, transforming it into an interactive tool for researchers. The new system will support proposal reviews and operations at sea with cutting-edge data.