J-DESC 2

JNEWS
DES
SC
Vol.

Japan Drilling Earth Science Consortium

NEWS
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Japan Drilling Earth Science Consortium Newletter Vol. 2
Issue: April 1, 2008

2008

CONTENTS◦ 3rd term activities of IODP Section and future policies --------------------------------1◦ Brief summary of "NanTroSEIZE Mega-Splay Riser Pilot"
IODP Expedition 315 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2◦ Climate change in the Arctic Ocean:scientific results of the IODP Expedition 302 (ACEX) -------------------------------3◦ Report on the First International Workshop on
the Coral-Reef Front (COREF) Project -----------------------------------------------------------4◦ ICDP Workshop Report
ICDP Workshop on Borehole Monitoring at the Nankai Subduction
Zone:Building a Land-Ocean Borehole
Network to Study the Seismogenic Zone --------------------------------------------------------------------5◦ Kochi Core Center and IODP/ICDP --------------------------------------------------------------------------6◦ J-DESCActivities ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7
Outreach Activities
J-DESC Core Analysis School◦ Information on IODP SAS Panel Mambers (Jan. 2007 to Mar. 3008)
Retiering IODP SAS Panel members
Alternate members◦ Annual Schedule (Jan.-Dec. 2008) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------8◦ J-DESC Supporting Members◦ Acknowledgements

3rd term activities of IODP
Section and future policies

Hodaka Kawahata
Chairman of IODP Section, J-DESC
Graduate School of Frontier Sciences,
University of Tokyo

The IODP (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program) Sectionof J-DESC (Japan Drilling Earth Science Consortium)
was established to engage in earth drilling science,with the emphasis on subjects such as IODP relatedscientific planning and study of research foundations forearth drilling science, submission of proposals to relatedorganizations, organic collaboration between IODP
related scientific research in earth drilling science andeducating the public about scientific ocean drilling, andin April 2007 embarked on its 3rd term of activities.
The Section’s main objectives and agenda were alreadydescribed in J-DESC NEWS Vol. 1. I would therefore
like to use this opportunity to sum up its objectives andpolicies from the 3rd term of activities onward.
To keep our members updated at all times, news willbe e-mailed as it arises and also posted on the J-DESC
website (http://www.j-desc.org/).
In appointing the members of the executive committee
who assumed office in the 3rd term, we tried to cover
IODP International committees, all Japanese universities
and scientific fields. The policies applied are listed
below.
(1) Taking a bottom-up and swift approach to thepromotion of drilling science [As the J-DESC, IODP
Section’s new administrative system came into
force in April 2007, we prepared a summary of allrecommendations and requirements expressed to us.
Based on this document, we will continue to address
issues such as bottom-up promotion of science, as
well as quick decision making and action taking.] (2)Expansion of member organizations [We are currently
trying to increase the number of regular members andsupporters in order to broaden the scientific drillingbase.] (3) Distributing information to our members[As mentioned earlier, we are trying to keep our
members as well informed as possible by sending theme-mail news updates such as the J-DESC Update.] (4)Expansion and establishment of systematic support of
IODP expeditions [From 2007, several new features
have been added to the current support, including(a) meetings before the individual expedition suchas strategy meeting, onboard instrument training or
field excursions (what we call Pre-Cruise Training)and (b) business trips to collect basic data during the
moratorium period (what we call After-Cruise Work).
With that we have reached the stage where we can
now support the entire series of activities consistingof pre-cruise training → expedition participation in
post-cruise meetings → after-cruise work. In addition,
we will be able to pay the travel expenses of persons
having to participate in the helicopter underwaterescape training (HUET) in order to board the deepsea drilling vessel, Chikyu.] (5) Establishment of the
J-DESC Universal Help Desk [To be able to respondto the wide variety of questions addressed to us, a
HELP DESK was set up on the J-DESC website. You
will be able to obtain answers to any questions relating
to J-DESC, including how to complete the formalities
for a business trip and how to compose a drilling
proposal.] (6) J-DESC core analysis school (Note1) [To systematically promote students, graduate
students and young researchers in drilling science,various specific practical trainings were set up and havegone into operation. J-DESC also provides financial
support to the core analysis school. Undergraduate andgraduate students of member organizations will receive
a uniform contribution of 8,000 yen (10,000 yen in2008) toward their travel expenses.] (7) Preparationof guidelines [We have prepared manuals for onboard
scientists and co-chiefs. These are available in separate
versions for Japan’s Chikyu, the JR of the US and theEuropean MSP. We would like to thank the people
who spent time on board for helping us with drawing
up these guidelines. Regular revisions are planned.
Another guideline we prepared deals with AESTO

paperwork relating to routines such as the general
meeting.] (8) Sharing with member organizations [(a)We provide financial assistance to students (limited tothose from member organizations) participating in theabove core analysis school, and (b) J-DESC is making
preparations for an information exchange meetingsuch as IODP-ICDP joint Town Hall Meetings in AGU
and EGU (focusing on those affiliated with member
organizations) scheduled during the Japan Geoscience
Union Meeting.] (9) Collaboration with ICDP [OnDecember 20, 2007, the J-DESC, IODP Section and
the Continental drilling Section got together for a social
gathering. What concrete form this collaboration willtake in the future is currently under debate (persons
affiliated with IODP can already participate in the ICDP
Training Course).] (10) Activities in 2008 [Discussions
are ongoing to formulate a strategy for IODP activities.
The topics include finding and developing proposals,
strategic obtainment of samples, results reports,and structural reform of the J-DESC, IODP Section.
Discussions centered on expeditions in January, 2008,
on international relations (Japan-Korea, Japan-Germany)in February, and we hope to keep the decision making
process short to swiftly move on to implementation.
Your cooperation and understanding would be mostappreciated.
Note 1: J-DESC core analysis school (Up to recently,
core analysis school for drilling science had to rely
on volunteer work by member organizations, but tosystematically promote drilling earth science, it was
decided to open J-DESC core analysis school. (a)Core analysis expert course for onboard scientists, (b)Basic core analysis course, (c) isotope analysis course,(d) microfossil course, (e) non-destructive analysis
TATSCAN course, (f) paleomagnetism course, and (g)Basic logging course)2J-DESC NEWS 2008
Brief summary of “NanTroSEIZE Mega-Splay Riser Pilot”
IODP Expedition 315
Juichiro Ashi
U n i ve r s i t y o f To k yo

T h e N a n k a i Tro u g h S e i s m o g e n i c Z o n eExperiment (NanTroSEIZE) is conducted to
examine the plate boundary fault forming the
rupture zone of the 1944 Tonankai earthquake
and the seismic slip of megasplay faults extending
from there. The expedition is a multistage projecttargeting the accretionary prism, splay faults,
forearc basin and the Shikoku basin off Kumano.
Exp. 315, carried out between November 16 andDecember 18, 2007, was the second expedition ofStage 1.
The initial plan was to core and set casingsin the hanging wall of the megasplay fault to 1
km below seafloor. The ultimate objective at thissite during Stage 2 was to perform riser drilling
across splay faults to 3.5 km below seafloor. For
this reason, the present expedition was named
Megasplay Riser Pilot. The objectives of Exp.
315, to mention a few, were to acquire data on
materials and formation temperature for future
deep riser drilling, estimating the activity of splay
faults, shedding light on the growth process ofaccretionary prisms and restoration of paleostressfields. At site C0001, we drilled into the early
Quatenary to late Pliocene muddy layer of theslope sedimentary basin and the basal sand layer
and cored accretionary prism samples consisting oflate Pliocene to late Miocene mudstone (Figures 1
and 2). Although this was the first time the Rotary
Core Barrel (RCB) coring system was used on the
Chikyu, we managed to take good quality samples.
But we had to give up drilling at 458 m below
seafloor because of deteriorating conditions in
the borehole. Faced with strong Kuroshio current,
casing work had to be postponed as well. In viewof this situation, the latter part of the expedition
was spent coring at site C0002 (riser drilling toS i egfried Lallemant

Hideki Masago

U n i ve r s i t é d e C e r g y - Po n t o i s e

CDEX, JAMSTEC

6 km below seafloor in Stage 3) (Figures 1 and
2). The site being located at the southern marginof the forearc basin, it is possible to estimate theformation period and activity of splay faults bydetermining the age of the sedimentary basin andaccretionary prism. The expedition drilled throughthe alternate layers of Quatenary fine-grainedsandstone and mudstone of the forearc basin, thenthrough the basal Pliocene mudstone layer anddown to the late Miocene accretionary prism at
1057 m below seafloor.
At both sites, numerous small faults aredeveloped. We were able to estimate their
paleostress fields based on structural geologic
measurements and directional restoration using
paleomagnetism. The preliminary results for site
C0001 indicate that normal faults have developedin the shallow region and predominantly reverse
faults in the deep region, with the principal axesof maximum horizontal stress in both cases
extending from northwest to southeast. At site
C0002, on the other hand, reverse faults due to
NW-SE compression, normal faults due to NE-SW
extension, and normal faults due to N-S extension
were interpreted to be sequentially formed.
The stress fields showing the newest faults are
consistent with the findings obtained by logging
while drilling (LWD) during Exp. 314.
On this expedition, we used an X-ray CT
scanner to examine the quality of the many
whole round core (WRC) samples taken. WRCs
for investigating pore fluids and microorganisms
should preferably be processed quickly onboard,but coring in locations of structural geologic
importance should be avoided. Moreover, samples
for rock physics and mechanical testing shouldbe free of cracks and disturbances. On thisExpedition 315 onboard scientists

expedition, we set a precedent by subjecting thepore fluid WRCs to X-ray CT scanner imaging
and extracting the pore fluid after structural
examination. Based on the entire collection of CT
images, we subsequently selected the locations forcoring WRCs for microbial, physical property andmechanical testing.
A significant result of this expedition wasthat we were able to collect accretionary prism
material from both sites. This provides us withclues as to what materials are present down to
the target depth of future riser drillings. Anotheroutcome was that by matching the high-quality
downhole temperature measurements carriedout with thermometers (APCT3) and the thermal
conductivity of the cores, we were able to calculate
the thermal structure near the up-dip limit of theseismogenic zone with much greater accuracy than
before. The estimated temperatures will also be
useful for future technological developments forvarious long-term downhole measurements.
Finally, in an effort to standardize our analyticaland recording methods, we introduced a system
for NanTroSEIZE, according to which about halfof onboard scientists will be replaced between
expeditions. This resulted in some areas being
understaffed, but we managed to get the onboard
work done by contacting some of the researchersslated for the next exhibition. Following Stage 2,
drilling at the same site will continue for several
months. We are sure that, besides acquiring dataon formation strength and temperatures, thisexpedition will also make a significant contribution
to future riser drilling expeditions with the new
methods established for core processing and the
new systems introduced for rotation of scientists
and distribution of materials.

Figure 2 Seismic reflection profile of drilling sites. The drilling depth isshown in black. Seismic profile by Park et al. (2002).

Figure 1 Seafloor topography of the Kumano Trough and location of drilling sites2Climate change in the Arctic Ocean:scientific results of the IODP Expedition 302 (ACEX)
Tatsuhiko Sakamoto
IFREE, JAMSTEC

Kozo Takahashi

Jonaotaro Onodera

Kyushu University

Kyushu University

Until the recent when the Integrated Ocean
Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 302, Arctic
Coring Expedition (ACEX) has conducted a deep sea
drilling at the central Arctic Ocean, the past Arctic-ice
history has been a mystery of the Cenozoic icehouse
Earth system. The IODP- ACEX has successfully
recovered over 428 m sediment records (about 0
to 55 Ma) on the Lomonosov Ridge in 2004 (Fig, 1)(Moran et al., 2006). Here, the recent scientific resultsof Japanese participants are reported.
S e a - i c e h i s t o r y ove r 2 M i l l i o n ye a r s :expansion of ice-sheet since marine isotope
stage 6:
Sediment cores (30 m, ~2000ka) from the central
Arctic Ocean obtained by IODP expedition 302(ACEX) were analyzed in high-resolution by nondestructive spectroscopic and XRF imaging scannerand X-ray radiography with mineralogy, grainsize, and biomarker analyses for selected discrete
samples(Sugisaki et al., 2007; Sakamoto et al., 2006).
Ice-rafted debris (IRD) shows characteristic changesof (a) increasing in a peak between 1400 and 1550ka,(b) abundant since ~ 1000 ka, and (c) increasing
obviously since MIS 6, corresponding a preludeof early development of the Laurentide ice sheet,starting of ice-berg rafting after Mid-Pleistocene
evolution, and strong ice-berg rafting concerning with
the northwestern Laurentide ice sheets.
Biomarkers in late Pleistocene sediments collectedfrom Hole M0004C were investigated (Yamamoto
et al., submitted). High organic carbon content waspresent in the IRD-rich dark grey layer deposited
during marine isotope stage (MIS) 6. The layer
contained a significant amount of branched glycerol
dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (branched GDGTs),suggesting ice erosion of organic-rich continental
soil followed by transportation to the central Arctic
by drifting ice. The labile refractory index (i.e., theratio of the abundance of long chain n-alkan-1ols to the sum of those of n-alkanes and n-alkan-1ols) decreased above the dark grey layer, indicatingthat the OM became more refractory. This changesuggests that the content of fresh OM in soil fromthe source region decreased because of extensive
glacial erosion during MIS-6.
180˚

SIBERIA

ALASKA

−2
00
0
00
−30

Amerasian
Basin
−300
0

−20

Laptev
Sea

0
00

90˚E

−1000

Barents
Sea

−4000

˚W
00
0

0

ge 000
−1
Rid

60
−1

sov
−100

86˚N

85˚N

SCANDINAVIA
−200
0

−2000

00
0

−2

−2

0
00

87˚N

84˚N
90˚E

˚W

000

−3

00

no
mo
Lo 000−4
0

Yenisey R.

−2

−3

00
0

0

−1000

0
00

−2

Kara
Sea

Ob’ R.

SVALBARD
IS.

30

M9004 M9002
−3

0
−300

Fram
StraitReference:
Lisiecki et al., 2005, Paleoceanography, 20, PA1003
Moran K. et al. 2006. Nature, 441, p. 601-605,
Ogawa Y. et al., 2008, Mem. Fac. Sci., Kyusyu Univ., Ser. D,
Earth & Planet. Sci., Vol. XXXII, No.1, pp. 31-48.
Onodera, J. et al., 2008, Paleoceanography, 23, PA1S15
Sakamoto T. et al., Eos Trans. AGU,Fall Meet. Suppl.,
87(52), U33A-0023
Sugisaki S. et al., Geophysical Research Abstracts, 9Suto, I. et al., 2008a, in press, Diatom Research.
Suto, I. et al., 2008b in press, Micropaleontology.
Suto, I. et al., 2008 submitted, Diatom Research.
Yamamoto, M. et al., 2008 submitted, Organic
Geochemistry.

M9003
−300

Eurasian
Basin
−4000

Transpolar Drift

GREENLAND

Pseudopyxilla do not belong to Chaetoceros resting
spores and became extinct before Oligocene, andChaetoceros did not flourish in the middle Eocene in
the Arctic Ocean. Since some Chaetoceros resting
spore taxa are reported in this study, most coastal
regions experienced regular seasonal environmental
change, which benefitted genera such as Pterotheca,
Pseudopyxilla and Odontotropis, but also there might
have been some patchy coastal upwelling regionswith nutrient depletion and sporadic supplies where
Chaetoceros may have survived.
During the late Eocene to the early Oligocene,1) continental ice sheets first developed in East
Antarctica (Oi-1 Event), 2) the Tasmanian Gateway
opened, possibly leading to development of the
Antarctic Circumpolar Current, 3) high latitudes
cooled gradually, 4) thermohaline circulation
intensified possibly leading to enhanced nutrient
supply to surface waters and increased phytoplankton
production. The abundant dinoflagellate cysts
preserved in middle Eocene ACEX cores also provide
evidence of stable conditions before the Eocene/
Oligocene boundary. The causes which upwellingsystem and areas changed might be the changes ofthermohaline circulation after the developmentof continental ice sheets in East Antarctica. The
conditions in the Arctic Ocean might change fromstable with a constant (annual) nutrient supply
provided by upwelling in winter in the Eocene, tounstable with a sporadic supply of nutrients byincreased vertical mixing in the Oligocene. The
survival strategy of Chaetoceros to form resting
spores under unstable and unfavorable conditions
may give this genus an ecological advantage overother diatoms (e.g. Pterotheca and Pseudopyxilla) andphytoplankton groups (e.g. dinoflagellates), which may
have led to an early Oligocene explosive increase inboth species richness and abundance.

−2000

88˚N

−2000

00
−20000−1

90˚W

ELLESMEREIS.

GSJ, AIST

000

00

QUEEN
ELIZABETH IS.

−1000

−4

Richard W. Jordan Mahito Watanabe
Yamagata University

Lena R.

80˚N

−3000

−2000

Beaufort Gyre
BANKS
IS.

89˚N

E. Siberian
Sea

60
˚E

12

E
ChukchiSea

˚E

B
Beaufort
Sea

0˚E

Anoxic Arctic Ocean during the middle
Eocene:
The early middle Eocene samples include theabundant silicoflagellates and ebridians (Onodera etal., 2007). These assemblages in the ACEX samples areusually endemic, which represents the existence ofcharacteristic surface watermass in the early middle
Eocene Arctic Ocean (Fig. 2). The co-occurrencesof freshwater and brackish water microfossils arecaused by the significant halocline formation in
the upper water column. The abundant down-coreoccurrence of ebridians may indicate that low oxygen
concentrations pre vailed in the lower euphotic layer,on the basis of the ecology of the modern ebridian
Hermesinum adriaticum. Based on the basin-to-basin
fractionation model, the early middle Eocene Arctic
Ocean corresponds to an estuarine circulation typesuch as the modern-day Black Sea.
Analyses of biogenic opal, organic carbon, sulfur,
and sulfur isotopic composition indicated highly
biological productive and euxinic environmentsof the middle Eocene Arctic Ocean(Ogawa et al.,2008). Although low salinity microfossils occurredabundantly, the high sulfur contents suggested thatsea water existed in the deep layer of the basin. The
low sulfur isotopic values support the continuous
sea water existence since they can only be generated
under the conditions in which sulfate bearing sea
water never have been exhausted. The sulfur contents
were higher than that of the Black Sea, a modern
euxinic marginal sea, suggesting geochemically uniqueenvironment. Moreover, it is possible that the 10 m.y.
long continuous pyrite burial in the Arctic Ocean
contributed to the observed isotopic increase of sea
water sulfate in the early to middle Eocene Atlantic
Ocean.
The well preserved fossil diatoms are frombiosiliceous Unit 2 in Holes 2A and 4A of middle
Eocene age from the Lomonosov Ridge in the central
Arctic Ocean. In the lower part of Unit 2, resting
spores occurred abundantly with other fossil diatoms.
25 diatom resting spore taxa and five allied vegetativecell taxa are described in this study of ACEX samples.
Moreover their biostratigraphic ranges are also
indicated. 21 of 25 (84%) resting spore taxa became
extinct during the middle Eocene to early Oligocene.
Most resting spore taxa such as Pterotheca and

0
12

0˚W

Mckenzie R.

15

70˚N

00

D

Itsuki Suto

Hokkaido University Nagoya University

−2000

0˚W

−10

15

Masanobu Yamamoto

120˚E

150˚E

180˚

˚E

30

0˚

Fig. 1.Figure
Locationmap of drill sites of the Arctic Coring Expedition (ACEX, IODP Expedition 302).
1, Sakamoto et al.

Fig. 2. A schematic interpretation of the circulation pattern in the early middle Eocene Arctic
Ocean. Gray shading in the basin represents the relatively dense saline and anoxic waters.
The arrows represent the hypothetical direction and movement of the water bodies.

J-DESC NEWS 2008
Report on the First International Workshop on the
Coral-Reef Front (COREF) Project
Yasufumi Ir yu
N agoya U n i ve r s i t y

H i ro k i M a t su d a

H i d e a k i M a c hiyama

Werner Piller

Terrence M. Quinn

Maria Mutti

Kumamoto Univer s i t y

Ko c h i I n s t i t u t e fo r C o re S a m p l e
R e s e a rc h , J A M S T E C

U n i ve r s i t y o f G r a z

U n i ve r s i t y o f Te x a s
at Austin

Po t s d a m University

The main objective of the COREF Project is toParticipants in the workshop were 8 scientists

sites. One of the things the overseas scientists

investigate the responses to Quatenary climaticfrom overseas (2 from the US, 1 from Germany,

pointed out during the review of existing datachanges of coral reef ecosystems in the Ryukyu

1 from Austria, 2 from Korea, 1 from French

was that they were unable to access important

Islands, located at the northern limit of coral reef

Polynesia and 1 from Taiwan) and 16 from Japan.

data because most of the papers dealing with the

distribution in the northwest Pacific Ocean (Iryu

On January 13, the day before the workshop, angeological features of the Ryukyus are written

et al., 2006, Island Arc, 15, 393-406). To achieve

icebreaker was arranged to get to know each

in Japanese, and they expressed the hope thatthe scientific objectives of this project, ocean

other while enjoying Okinawan food. Field trips

Japanese scientists would find a solution to thisdrilling under IODP and continental drilling underwere made on the 14th to the Neogene Shimajiri

problem in the future. On the evening of the 18th,

ICDP are absolutely essential to core Quatenary

Group, Neogone to lower Quatenary Chinen

a banquet was held to relax from the hardships ofcoral reef complex deposits and related offshore

formation, and Quaternary Ryukyu Groups (coral

the field trips and hard discussions, and everybody

deposits. So far, a full proposal (615-Full) for

reef complex deposits) distributed along thepledged to collaborate for implementation of coral

implementation of IODP ocean drilling was

southern part of Okinawa-jima, and on the 15th,

reef drilling in the Ryukyus.

submitted to the IODP SAS in October 2004,

along the northern Motobu peninsula of that island.

We would like to add that the expendituresand in August 2005, a site survey was conducted

The overseas scientists posed many questions

toward holding this workshop were covered forusing the JAMSTEC research vessel Natsushima.

concerning issues such as dating of the coral

the most part by financial assistance from ICDP.

Preparations for continental drilling started inreef complex deposits (calcareous nannofossil

The Japan Drilling Earth Science Consortium also

2004, and in January 2006, a workshop proposal

biostratigraphy), and comparison between reef

rendered valuable support. Our warmest thanks(http://www.dges.tohoku.ac.jp/igps/iryu/COREF/

limestones and their coeval fore-reef to shelf

go to both organizations.

proposal.html) was submitted to the ICDP

deposits. During the three days from January 16,

SAG, which was accepted. This was the occasion

existing datasets were reviewed at the JAMSTEC

P.S.: For a summary of the main topics discussed atfor holding the First International Workshop

Global Oceanographic Data Center in Nago.

the workshop please refer to Scientific Drilling, Vol.

on the COREF Project (January 14 – 19, 2007,

Discussions also addressed the scientific aspects of5, published in September 2007 (Iryu et al., 2007,

at Okinawa-jima). The main objectives of thethe COREF Project, deciding the location of ICDP

Scientific Drilling, No. 5, 58-60).A tentative fullworkshop were to detail the scientific goals of

drilling sites and review of planned IODP drilling

proposal was submitted in January 2008.

the COREF Project and to work out the drillingsites. Discussions were extremely lively and heatedprogram.

up in particular over determining the drilling

The participants in the First International Workshop on the COREF Project. Photographed at
the Nakijingusuku World Heritage Site in Okinawa Prefecture.



Poster for the First International Workshop on
the COREF Project.

2
Report on
ICDP Workshop on Borehole Monitoring at the Nankai Subduction Zone:
Building a Land-Ocean Borehole Network to Study the Seismogenic Zone
Takeshi Sagiya
G r a d u a t e S c h o o l o f E nv i ro n m e n t a l S t u d i e s ,N agoya U n i ve r s i t y )The above workshop was held from August
20 to 23, 2007, at the Noyori Materials Science
Laboratory of Nagoya University.
A proposal for this drilling program aimed
at monitoring the activity near the boundary of
the Philippine Sea Plate subducting at the Nankai
Trough off the Kii peninsula has been submitted.
This region is known for experiencing greatearthquakes like the 1944 Tonankai earthquake andthe 1854 Ansei Tokai earthquake roughly every 100
years. In recent years, however, intermittent deep
low-frequency tremors and slow slip events havebeen observed in the down-dip of the seismogenic
zone of great earthquakes, and a thoroughinvestigation of these phenomena is hoped toyield important clues that will shed light on thediverse physical processes taking place at the plateboundary.
Although there were some cancellations on
the part of overseas participants, the workshop
was attended by 35 scientists from four countries,
mainly from Japan (including 4 overseas participants
and 4 postgraduate students) and kindled lively
discussions. Following greetings by the sponsor,
a total of 18 papers were presented by theafternoon of the second day of the workshop, andannouncements and Q&A sessions dealt with alarge variety of subjects including seismic activity in
the Nankai Trough, the geoscientific background of
the Kii peninsula, the trend of projects currently inprogress, the most recent observation techniquesand similar research projects being undertakenoverseas. In addition to IODP drilling having been
started in the surroundings of the Kii peninsulain the fall of 2007, an undersea cable networkfor earthquake and tsunami monitoring and amonitoring facility for observing earthquake
related changes in groundwater/strain are underWorkshop setting.

Field trip to the integrated borehole groundwater obserbatory of AIST.

construction. There was unanimous agreement
regarding the importance of planning organic
linkage and collaboration between these various
projects. Much time was allotted to discussing theimportance of measuring the pore fluid pressureand other technical subjects. There were also
seven poster presentations, including some bystudents, which in the evening were the subjectof intense discussions. On the afternoon of thesecond day and the morning of the third day, we
had discussions in preparation for drawing up thefinal proposal version. We reached agreement thatthe concrete objective of drilling and monitoring
was to elucidate the complex activities near the
lower end of the plate boundary and discussed
who would be in charge of the various sections of
the proposal, which researchers should join thegroup and similar issues. In particular, participants

all realized the importance of seismic observationin order to shed light on low-frequency tremors,which are as yet not clarified in detail.
From the afternoon of the 22nd, we moved
the venue to the Kii peninsula, where we took
a look at the Kumano tuffs and other geologicalstructures, toured the groundwater monitoring
facility built by AIST (Advanced Industrial Scienceand Technology), and completed the day with avisit to Kata in Owase, Mie Prefecture, where thehighest points of the 1944 and 1854 tsunamis arerecorded, and an on-site discussion.
Looking back at the workshop as a whole, I
believe that it was an extremely meaningful eventon the way to drawing up the proposal. In closing,
we would like to thank ICDP and J-DESC for theirfinancial backing of this workshop.

Location map of the Nankai Trough and boreholes in Kii Peninsula. Circles denotedrilling sites in the NanTroSEIZE project. Traiangles on land denote IST boreholes.

J-DESC NEWS 2008

Kochi Core Center and IODP/ICDP
Tsuyoshi Ishikawa

Masafumi Murayama

Ko c h i I n s t i t u t e fo r C o re
S a m p l e R e s e a rc h , J A M S T E C

C e n t e r fo r Advanced
M a r i n e C o re Research,
Ko c h i University

The Kochi Core Center (KCC) is a researchExperiment (NanTroSEIZE) expedition wereresearchers and ICDP participating researchers,

institute jointly run by Kochi University and Japanbrought in as the first IODP core samples in KCC.

preparations are now underway to create theAgency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

Core storage and curation will not be limited toconditions for researchers to engage in core

(JAMSTEC). Organizationally it features a uniquethe cores that IODP will collect from now on, but

research using analytical instruments in KCC.

setup, in as much as the Center for Advanced

also include the cores, equivalent to a total of 84

T h e K C C h a s i t s ow n u n i q u e re s e a rc hMarine Core Research (Kochi Univ.), a national

km length, collected in the same ocean regions

functions, while collaborating with scientific drillingopen facility, and the Kochi Institute for Coreby DSDP/ODP over the past dozens of years.

researchers from Japan and other countries. KCC

Sample Research (JAMSTEC) set up for promotion

The transfer of DSDP/ODP cores from USA andcurrently has more than 20 affiliated researchersof IODP research, are housed under one roof. The

Germany started in September 2007, and the KCC

engaged in fields such as geochronology, global

Center has the latest analytical equipment andcuration service has also been launched. From theclimate change, seismic faults, isotope geochemistrylarge cooling repositories for analyses and storage

2008 fiscal year onward, storage/curation of coreand sub-surface microbiology. KCC researchersof drilled core samples, and is the only facility ofsamples will not only be performed for DSDP/

have been active within the framework of the ICDP

its kind in Japan, where comprehensive analyses of

ODP/IODP core samples, but also extend to thoseTaiwan Chelungpu-fault Drilling Project, carrying

core samples for basic and applied research cancollected by the JAMSTEC R/V (Mirai, Kairei, etc.).

out non-destructive measurements, friction

take place. The KCC aims to become the main

Some of the analytical instruments installed atand permeability experiments, paleomagnetic

laboratory for scientific drilling project in JapanKCC (multi-sensor core logger, etc.) are equivalentmeasurements, and chemical and isotope analyses,

and promote research into drilling earth science.

to those installed on the Chikyu. This mirroring of

etc. and, in cooperation with scientists in JapanThe KCC is one of the three IODP core

the equipment installed on the Chikyu allows us

and other countries, clarified the fault rupture

repositories in the world, the other repositories

to train researchers on shore before they board aand propagation mechanisms of the 1999 Chi-Chi

being located at Texas A&M University in USA

vessel. Moreover, KCC offers facilities not only forearthquake in Taiwan. Research in connection withand Bremen University in Germany. It stores andsampling parties, but also for holding various pre-NanTroSEIZE into rupture propagation mechanism

manages the core samples collected by drillingand post-cruise meetings. Taking advantage of theseand sub-surface microbiology is also ongoing.

vessels such as the Chikyu in the western Pacificfunctions, pre-cruise training for NanTroSEIZE

The KCC also is the venue for the “Introductory

Ocean and the Indian Ocean, and runs a curation

and related meetings were carried out at KCC incore analysis course” and “Isotope analysis course”,

service to fill sample requests from researchers.

October 2007. Meetings and workshops dealing

which is offered by the J-DESC Core School

On February 14, 2008, cores collected by thewith preparation of IODP/ICDP proposals havetargeting primarily postgraduate students from

Chikyu on the Nankai Trough Seismogenic Zone

also been held here. To support IODP onboard

universities throughout Japan. Human resources
development through graduate schools is anotherof the center’s activities. Involving this young talentand researchers from Japan and abroad in joint
research, supporting onboard researchers andengineers, developing human resources and helping
to broaden the base of scientific drilling are also
important aspects of our mission.
For details concerning the KCC’s facilities,
equipment, core curation, research activities, etc.,
please check out our website (http://www.kochicore.jp/).

The core repository at the Kochi Core Center.
Stored in this rack are DSDP/ODP cores.

2

J-DESC Activities■ O u t re a c h A ctivities
In 2007, J-DESC conducted four IODP University & Science Museum
Campaigns and two Post-expedition Lectures. The IODP University& Science Museum Campaigns at Sapporo and Kyoto were staged
in conjunction with the IODP-sponsored lecture program, DRILLS(Distinguished Researcher & International Leadership Lecture Series).
The invited speaker was Professor Theodore Moore, Jr. (University ofMichigan), who delivered DRILLS lectures to students, postgraduate
students and the general public.
At the fourth Post-expedition Lectures held in 2007, a brief
rundown was given on the research achievements of Expeditions 301
to 312.
For details on the IODP University & Science Museum Campaigns
and IODP Post-expedition Lectures, please check out the J-DESC
website.

● IODP University & Science Museum Campaigns
No. 15 July 20 (Fr) and 21 (Sa) at Chiba(Chiba University, Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba)
No. 16 October 27 (Sa) and 28 (Su) at Kagoshima(Kagoshima University, Kagoshima Prefectural Museum)No. 17 March 1 (Sa) and 2 (Su) at Sapporo(Hokkaido University Museum, Gakujutsu Koryu Kaikan)
No. 18 March 9 (Su) and 10 (Mo) at Kyoto(Kyoto University Clock Tower Centennial Hall)● IODP Post-expedition Lectures

No. 3 May 25 (Fr) at the Ocean Research Institute of the University of Tokyo
No. 4 September 10 (Mo) at the Center for Research and Developmentin Higher Education, Hokkaido University■ J - D E S C C o re Analysis School
The Japan Drilling Earth Science Consortium (J-DESC) opened the J-DESC
Core School in 2007 to pursue a number of objectives such as supporting
onboard researchers and engineers, developing human resources, expanding
scientific drilling and providing opportunities for member organizations to interact.
The J-DESC Core School offers a variety of courses ranging from introductory
courses teaching the basic skills required for core analysis to more specialized
courses teaching applied skills.
● Basic Core Analysis Course● Isotopic Analysis Course● VCD Expert Course● Non-destructice Analysis TATSCAN Course● Micropaleontology Course

Information on the courses offered will be sent to those on the IODP/ICDP mailing list
and is also available from the J-DESC website. Please note that participating students andpostgraduate students from J-DESC member organizations will receive a contribution toward
their travel expenses. Holding of the J-DESC Core School is made possible by the dedicatedcommitment of each member organization and lecturer.

● Paleomagnetism Course● Basic Logging Course● ICDP Training course organized by ICDP

Information on IODP SAS Panel Members (Jan. 2007 to Mar. 2008)■ R e t i r i n g I O DP SAS Panel members
For current panel members refer to the J-DESC website.

SSEP

SASEC
( ～ 2007/7) :Yoshiyuki Tatsumi (JAMSTEC): Toshiyasu Nagao (Tokai Univ.)

SPC( ～ 2007/3) : Ritsuo Nomura (Shimane Univ.): Hiroshi Kitazato (JAMSTEC)( ～ 2007/8) : Hiroyuki Yamamoto (JAMSTEC)( ～ 2008/3) : Harue Masuda (Ohsaka City Univ.)( ～ 2007/5) : Tetsuro Hirono (Osaka Univ.): Makoto Itoh (Chiba Univ.)( ～ 2007/11) : Ken Takai (JAMSTEC): Ryuji Tada (Univ. of Tokyo)

SSP( ～ 2007/2) :Jin-Oh Park (Univ. of Tokyo)( ～ 2008/2) :Yoshikazu Yaguchi (MOECO):Akiko Tanaka (AIST)STP( ～ 2007/8) : Makoto Okada (Ibaraki Univ.): Naokazu Ahagon (Hokkaido Univ.)( ～ 2008/2) : Noritoshi Suzuki (Tohoku Univ.)

EDP( ～ 2007/7) : Kazuhiko Tezuka (JAPEX): Mitsugu Takemura (JAPEX)( ～ 2008/1) : Haruya Nakata (GERD)■ A l t e r n a t e members
SASEC：Hidekazu Tokuyama (Univ. of Tokyo)

SPC：Won Soh (JAMSTEC), Hodaka Kawahata (Univ. of Tokyo), Hiroshi Kitazato (JAMSTEC), Hiroyuki Yamamoto (JAMSTEC)

SSEP：Akira Ishiwatari (Tohoku Univ.),Hidenori Kumagai (JAMSTEC)SSP：Ryota Hino (Tohoku Univ.)

EPSP：Yoshifumi Nogi (Res. Org. Information and Systems), Philippe Gaillot (JAMSTEC)

STP：Masao Iwai (Kochi Univ.), Hirokuni Oda (AIST), Saneatsu Saito (JAMSTEC), Fumio Inagaki (JAMSTEC), Jun'ichiro Ishibashi (Kushu Univ.)

EDP：Yusei Arai (JAPEX),Yoshiyasu Watanabe (Tokai Univ.)

IIS-PPG ：Osamu Takano (JAPEX)J-DESC NEWS 20082

■ Annual Schedule (Jan.-Dec. 2008)
Month

J-DESC

Jan.
Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

IODP
● #6 EDP (1/9-11 Nice, France)● #5 SASEC (1/15-16 Santa Cruz, USA)● #9 SSP (1/23-25 Tokyo, Japan)● #4 IIS-PPG (1/28-29 Pau, France)● #6 STP (2/18-20 Sendai, Japan)● IODP University & Science Museum Campaign(17th 3/1-2 Sapporo, 18th 3/9-10 Kyoto)● OTF (3/2 Barcelona, Spain)● Core Analysis School/Basic Core Analysis Course ● #11 SPC (3/3-6 Barcelona, Spain)(3/15-18 KCC)
● PMO meeting (3/7 Barcelona, Spain)● Core Analysis School/Isotopic Analysis Course● IODP DRILLS (3/1-2 Sapporo, 3/4-5 Fukuoka, 3/6-7(3/19-21 KCC)Tokyo, 3/9-10 Kyoto)● Core Analysis School/VCD Expert Course● IODP Japan Science Planing Committee (3/18)（3/19-21 KCC)
● 6th J-DESC General Meeting (4/6 JAMSTECTokyo Office)● Proposal Deadline (4/1)● 19th IODP University & Science Museum● ED Proposal Deadline (4/15)
Campaign (4/18-19 Mito)

ICDP● Proposal Deadline (1/15)● ICDP Japan Implementation
Committee (3/21)● SAG (3/29-4/2 Capetown, South
Africa)● EC (5/1-3 Washington, USA)● 1st J-DESC IODP/ICDP Town Hall Meeting (5/27
Makuhari)● #10 SSEP (5/19-22 Busan, Korea)● #9 EPSP (6/16-18 Hanover, Gernamiy)● #6 SASEC (6/22-28 Beijing, China)● #7 EDP (7/16-18 Salt Like City, USA)● #5 IIS-PPG Huston, USA)● #10 SSP (Busan, Korea)● IODPJapan Science Planing Committee● #12 SPC (8/25-28 Sapporo, Japan)● #7 STP (Europe)

Jun.

Jul.

Aug.
Sep.

● Japan-Korea Joint Symposium on Ocean Drilling (9/21
Akita)

Oct.
Nov.

● Proposal Deadline (10/1)● #11 SSEP (USA)● EGU (4/13-18 Vienna, Austria)/IODPICDP Euro FORUM (4/17)● Japan Geoscience Union Meeting (5/25-30
Makuhari)/Drilling Earth Science Session(5/27)● AOGS (6/16-20 Busan, Korea)● AOG● ICDP Japan Implementation
Committee● IGC(8/6-14 Oslo, Norway)● Geological Society of Japan Annual
Meeting (9/20-22 Akita)● ICDP Japan Implementation
Committee

Dec.

Others● AGU (12/15-19 San Francisco, USA)

■ IODP SASEC: SAS Exective Committee, SPC: Science Planing Committee, SSEP: Science Steering & Evaluation Panel, SSP: Site Suevey Panel, EPSP: Environment Safty Panel, STP: Science Technology Panel,
EDP:Engineering Development Panel, IIS-PPG: Industry-IODP Science Program Planning Group, OTF:Operations Task Force■ ICDP SAG: Science Advisory Group, EC: Executive Committee, AOG:Assembly of Governers*Please see J-DESC website for latest schedule (http://www.j-desc.org/)■ J-DESC Supporting Members (as of Apr. 2008)
Geophysical Survey Co., Ltd.

Koken Boring Machine Co., Ltd.

SK Engineering Co., Ltd.

Toa-Tone Boring Co., Ltd.

Schlumberger Ltd.

K. Maikai Co., Ltd.

Teiseki Drilling Co., Ltd.

Nittetsu Mining Consultants Co., Ltd.

Nikko Exploration & Development
Co., Ltd.

Telnite Co., Ltd.

Sumiko Consultants Co., Ltd.

NLC Co., Ltd.

JPHYTEC Co., Ltd.

Geothermal Energy Reserch & Development
Co., Ltd.

Hulliburton Overseas Ltd.

Marine Works Japan Ltd.

Japan Atomic Energy Agency
Tono Geoscience Center

Global Ocean Development Inc.

Mitsubishi Material Techno Co. Ltd.

■ Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the many people from industry circles and companies concerned for the understanding and cooperation demonstrated for theactivities of J-DESC. Special thanks go to Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. for their cooperation on a multitude of levels, including the banquets at IIS-PPG(July, Sapporo) and EDP (July, Tokyo) and the tour of the oil and natural gas production plant on the occasion of the IODP Panel meeting held in Japan last year,
making available the venue for holding domestic panel meetings and dispatching people to different international committees. We also thank Japan Oil, Gas andMetals National Corporation, Mitsui Oil Exploration Co., Ltd., Japan Drilling Co., Japan Oil Development Co., Ltd., Schlumberger Ltd. In Japan, and Geothermal
Research & Development Co., Ltd. for having their staff participate in international committees. Their contribution to scientific drilling is much appreciated.

J-DESC Newsletter■ Publisher/Editor: Japan Drilling Earth Science Consortium Support Office
Advanced Earth Science & Technology Organization (AESTO), Scientific Drilling Department
3173-25 Showa-machi, Kanazawa-ku Yokohama 236-0001, Japan
Tel: 045-770-5357 Fax： 045-770-5360 e-mail： info@j-desc.org