The ODP Sample Distribution, Data Distribution, and Publications Policy is posted at http://www-odp.tamu.edu/publications/policy.html. The Sample Allocation Committee (SAC), which consists of the two co-chief scientists, the staff scientist, the ODP onshore curator, and the curatorial representative onboard ship, will work with the entire science party to formulate a formal Leg 209–specific sampling plan for shipboard and postcruise sampling.
Shipboard scientists are expected to submit sample requests (http://www-odp.tamu.edu/curation/subsfrm.htm) no later than 3 months before the beginning of the cruise (by early February 2003). Based on sample requests (shore based and shipboard) submitted by this deadline, the SAC will prepare a tentative sampling plan, which will be revised on the ship as dictated by recovery and cruise objectives. The sampling plan will be subject to modification depending upon the actual material recovered and collaborations that may evolve between scientists during the leg.
Based on the results of coring serpentinized peridotite during Leg 153, we expect to recover at least 500 m of core. The minimum permanent archive will be the standard archive half of each core. Samples for shipboard studies will be collected routinely (likely daily) following core labeling, nondestructive whole-core measurements (multisensor track measurements and possibly whole-core images), core splitting, description and close-up photography of intervals of interest, and core description. Shipboard samples for geochemical, mineralogical, and fabric analyses and for physical properties measurements will be extracted from working halves of cores by the shipboard party. When possible, our goal will be to make as many measurements as possible on common samples, thus reducing the amount of material removed from the core and enhancing the opportunity for data correlation.
We expect sampling for postcruise research to take place at sporadic intervals during the expedition (as opposed to routine daily sampling) when sufficient core has been recovered to allow scientists to formulate a circumspect sampling strategy. All personal sample frequencies and sample volumes taken from the working half of the core must be justified on a scientific basis and will be dependent on core recovery, the full spectrum of other requests, and the cruise objectives. Historically, requesting scientists could expect to receive nominally 100 samples of no more than 15 cm3. Postcruise research projects that require more frequent sampling or larger sample volumes should be justified in sample requests. Some redundancy of measurement is unavoidable, but minimizing redundancy of measurements among the shipboard party and identified shore-based collaborators will be a factor in evaluating sample requests.
If some critical intervals are recovered (e.g., fault gouge, veins, fresh peridotite, gabbroic intervals, melt lenses, etc.), there may be considerable demand for samples from a limited amount of cored material. These intervals may require special handling, a higher sampling density, reduced sampling size, or continuous core sampling by a single investigator. A sampling plan coordinated by the SAC may be required before critical intervals are sampled.