USGS News Release: Chesapeake Bay
Lake Peten Itza Scientific Drilling Project Underway
We plan to use GLAD800 to drill a series of sites in Lake Peten-Itza, northern Guatemala, to recover sedimentary sequences along a depth transect from ~30 m to near the deepest point (~150 m) in the lake. Six primary and four alternative drilling sites have been identified on the basis of two detailed seismic surveys. A sequence stratigraphic approach will be employed to constrain the vertical range of past lake level variations for glacial, interstadial, and interglacial stages during the late Pleistocene. The basal age of the sections to be drilled is not certain but we estimate that sequences should span at least the last several glacial-to interglacial cycles. (writeup courtesy of ICDP website)
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One thousand meters and counting! (Photo courtesy of PISDP)
MOU for Lake El’gygytgyn Project Signed in Yaroslavl, Russia
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Toasting the signing of the LakeEDP MOU. Left to right: Project PI’s Martin Melles, Julie Brigham-Grette, and Pavel Minyuk; Deputy Director Romashov and Director Bilal Khakhaev (NEDRA), Tom Quinn (VECO Polar Resources), Dennis Nielson (DOSECC), and Grigoriy (Grisha) Fedorov (AARI); Photo courtesy of NEDRA.
On September 9, 2005, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in Yaroslavl to guide the implementation of the Lake El'gygytgyn Scientific Drilling Project (LakeEDP). Signatories of the MOU were Bilal Khakhaev, NEDRA of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russian Federation, Dennis Nielson (DOSECC), and the Principal Investigators: Julie Brigham-Grette (University of Massachusetts - Amherst); Martin Melles (University of Leipzig); and Pavel Minyuk (North-East Interdisciplinary Scientific Research Institute, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences). This document is the culmination of much planning and negotiation, and paves the way for the submission of full proposals to the U.S. National Science Foundation and the German Ministry for the Support of Science, and the drilling operations.
The scientific objectives of this project are as follows:
Paleoclimate: Collect samples of the lake sediments in order to document the paleoclimate history of the arctic since the mid-Pliocene. Lake El'gygytgyn is in a unique location in the Arctic that has not been glaciated
and therefore offers the potential for a continuous record since the basin was formed by a meteorite impact at 3.58 Ma.
Meteorite Impact: Collect samples of the impact rocks to evaluate impact and cratering processes.
Permafrost: Collect core samples of permafrost to compliment the paleoclimate record from the lake basin.
Before the trip to Russia, a logistics and planning meeting was held in Salt Lake City in June. Attendees included Julie Brigham-Grette, Martin Melles, Dennis Nielson, Marshall Pardey (QD Tech), Kevin Jones (EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd.), Tom Quinn (VECO Polar Resources, Inc.), Leon Holloway (Conoco Phillips), and Chris Delahunty and David Zur (DOSECC). The LakeEDP is a very complex project that requires a great deal of planning and coordination. The participants reviewed the scientific objectives of the project as well as logistical, weather, environmental and political considerations. The PIs have gained invaluable experience in the field area and with Federal and Regional governments and agencies. We reviewed the experience of drilling from an ice platform (lake or sea ice) in Antarctica and Canada, and discussed DOSECC's experience at Lake Bosumtwi in Ghana, where lake sediment and meteorite impact cores were collected. The group also discussed Arctic logistics, environmental protection and safety.
Some topics discussed during the meeting included:
1. Ice drilling – Drilling from ice requires minimizing drilling rig weight and distributing the weight of the rig and ancillary buildings across the ice; the necessity of using both soft sediment and hard-rock coring techniques to collect samples; and sample storage (permafrost cores will have to be maintained frozen while the lake cores will have to be prevented from freezing);
2. Logistics – Discussion of options for transporting the rig to the lake; availability and quality of fuel; reliability of the food supply, etc.; and
3. Personnel – What is the best way to house, clothe, and feed the drill crews and scientists in a remote arctic environment?
Questions regarding the Lake El'gygytgyn Scientific Drilling Project may be directed to Julie Brigham-Grette or Martin Melles.
Quick Project Updates:
Lake Qinghai Drilling Project
September 15, 2005 - The GLAD800 drilling rig has been packed-up and shipped-out to Lake Peten Itza, Guatemala. Despite two separate delays due to avian flu concerns at the lake, and the weather challenges associated with the onset of autumn at a lake high on the Tibetian Plateau, the drilling crews did a remarkable job to collect as much core as possible. Way to go guys! Click for daily reports from the field.
Many thanks to our Chinese colleagues and friends for their gracious hospitality, warm accomodations, and wonderful food...we couldn’t have done it without you!
Towing the GLAD 800 rig aboard R/V Kerry Kelts, Lake Qinghai, September 5, 2005. (Photo courtesy of LQDP)
Chesapeake Bay Meteor Impact Structure Drilling Project
September 15, 2005 - The drilling rig is on-site, and the coring into the impact structure began September 12th!
Installation of the surface casing at the CBIS project site, July 27, 2005 - a 112-degree day! (photo by David Zur)
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New DOSECC Employees Beau Marshall has moved from Driller to our new Operations Manager. Beau has been with DOSECC since our Africa projects in 2004. Marjory Chelsea has been hired as our new Accountant / Business Manager.
New Members! Southern Methodist University (SMU) and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMA) have joined DOSECC, adding to our impressive list of world-class member institutions. Dr. David Blackwell is the member representative from SMU and Julie Brigham-Grette will represent UMA. Thanks for becoming members of DOSECC!
Technical Workshops In addition to our annual scientific drilling workshop, DOSECC sponsors technical workshops which are designed to discuss equipment development needs and technological advances. The purpose of technical workshops is to help organize proposals that involve scientific drilling. DOSECC also attends Scientific Workshops and provides scientists with information on DOSECC’s coring equipment and specialized drilling tools. See the schedule of conferences where DOSECC will have our exhibition booth and will be handling out drilling equipment literature...stop by and check it out!
In the News with External Links
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Special Offer!
While supply lasts, we have available this CD for your use. The USGS-published CD contains the preliminary stratigraphy and images of recovered core collected by DOSECC during the Long Valley Coring Project, Summer 1998. The CD is free for the asking. Simply send your name and mailing address to David Zur and he will mail you a copy.
33rd International Geological Congress
6–14 August 2008
Oslo, Norway
IRIS Real-Time Earthquake Map
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DOSECC Workshop
3–5 June 2007
Washington, DC