SAMPLING STRATEGY

Sampling for Shore-Based Studies
Shipboard scientists may usually expect to obtain a total of ~100 samples. Normally, the size of individual samples will be <15 cm³, although sample size will depend on the number of investigators in the group. In special cases, additional or larger samples may be obtained with the approval of the Sample Allocation Committee (SAC), composed of the two co-chiefs, the staff scientist, and the ODP curator (or the shipboard curatorial representative). Soon after the cores return to the ODP Gulf Coast repository, additional samples may be obtained upon written request. Short intervals of unusual scientific interest (e.g., veins, ores, and dikes) may require a higher sampling density, reduced sample size, continuous core sampling by a single investigator, or use of sampling techniques not available on board the ship. These intervals will be identified during the core description process, and a specific sampling protocol will be established by the interested scientists and the shipboard SAC. Glass will be treated as follows: small chips will be taken at sea and characterized by electron microprobe analysis soon after the cruise; guided by the results of the microprobe analysis, further sampling will be done onshore before the first postcruise meeting. A small number of basement samples may be prepared as "leg-specific" geochemical reference samples for evaluating interlaboratory biases.

Redundancy of Studies
To minimize the time, effort, and expense of shore-based studies, we encourage sampling consortia involving researchers with complementary expertise. Minimizing the redundancy of measurements among the shipboard party and shore-based collaborators will be an important factor in evaluating sample requests. Requests from independent shore-based investigators that substantially replicate the intent and/or measurements of shipboard participants will require the approval of both the shipboard investigators and the SAC.