The scientific party of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 188 would like to thank all those who gave invaluable help and support to make the drilling expedition to the Prydz Bay region an outstanding success. We are particularly grateful to the crew of the JOIDES Resolution, under the supervision of Captain Tom Ribbens and Drilling Superintendent Scott Pedersen, and Laboratory Officer Bill Mills and his staff of marine technicians for their hard work under the unusually difficult conditions of the Southern Ocean.

The operations of Leg 188 were carefully planned and conducted with the guidance of ODP Operations Manager Mike Storms. His expert knowledge and advice contributed tremendously to successful coring operations despite the many problems that afflicted Antarctic margin drilling.

The operations of Leg 188 were greatly dependent on weather forecasts and ice imaging. We would like to thank Jeff Andrews and Mary Keller from the National Ice Center (Washington, D.C.) for providing satellite ice observations and analysis, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology for regular and reliable weather forecasts, and the scientists and crew of the research vessel Hakurei Maru and the staff at Davis Station who advised us on ice conditions at various times during the leg.

The drilling plan was developed from the database of seismic reflection profiles compiled by the ANTOSTRAT Prydz Bay Regional Working Group. In particular, we appreciate the efforts of German Leitchenkov of VNIIOkeangeologia (St. Petersberg, Russia) and Takemai Ishihara and Manabu Tanahashi of the Geological Survey of Japan, who contributed data and advice on drill sites without which the leg could not have taken place.

We would like to recognize the contributions of Neville Exon, Jamie Austin, Peter Barker, Peter Barrett, Peter Harris, Yoshihisa Okuda, Barry McKelvey, Elizabeth Truswell, and the many other investigators who have helped guide and promote Antarctic margin drilling.

Philip O’Brien publishes with the permission of the Chief Executive Officer–Australian Geological Survey Organisation.

The Leg 188 science party expresses its gratitude to the JOIDES planning structure and all governmental and academic institutions that provided the financial and logistical support to plan and conduct this expedition. Finally, we appreciate the skills and cheerful cooperation of the ODP Publication Services staff in preparing this volume.