Overview

BRIDGE DECK
Science office
Technical support office
Operations office
Nitrogen generator

CORE DECK
Core receiving
Core splitting/sampling
Core description
Microscopy
Paleomagnetism
Paleontology prep
Petrophysics
Stratigraphic correlation
Downhole measurements
Electronics shop
Science container
Lab chemicals

FO'C'S'LE DECK
Chemistry
Microbiology
Thin section
X-ray
Sample preparation
Conference room
Imaging office
Publications office
Staff office
Hospital
Lab chemicals

MAIN DECK
Mess hall, galley, laundry

'TWEEN DECK (forward)
Recreation

'TWEEN DECK (lower)
Computer & data services

HOLD DECK
Core storage

FANTAIL
Underway geophysics

Accommodations

Ship's systems

Fo'c's'le Deck: Microbiology Lab

Function

Microbial life has been discovered in cores recovered from as deep as 1 km below the seafloor. The Microbiology laboratory enables microbiologists to investigate this deep biosphere. The laboratory contains an anaerobic chamber with rock splitting and other sampling equipment for taking uncontaminated samples from the cores, a laminar flow hood for preparing uncontaminated samples for study, and facilities for incubating samples. There is also an epifluorescence microscope available for sample examination. Pressure vessels and -86°C freezers allow storage of samples under controlled conditions for future shore-based study. The ship also has facilities for conducting tracer experiments to quantify the extent of downhole contamination of the core by drilling fluid pumped down from the seafloor. Scientists can also measure the growth rates of bacteria recovered from deep beneath the seafloor.

Instruments

• Agilent 5890 gas chromatograph with electron capture detector (ECD)
• Barnstead Infinity nanopure ultrapure water system
• Boekel slide moat incubator, Fisher P/N 05-450-31
• CoyLab hard-shell anaerobic chamber with customized vinyl sleeve for core sections
• CoyLab soft-shell anaerobic chamber with vinyl sleeve and automatic airlock
• Fisher ISOTEMP low-temperature incubator (undercounter)
• Fisher ISOTEMP 220 water-bath incubator, P/N 15-462-20 (desktop)
• Fisher water bath
• Fisher oven
• Fisher vacuum pumps P/N 01-092-29
• FORMA 926 upright freezer (-86°C)
• Gas Analyzer, Oxygen/Hydrogen, Model 10
• High Pressure Equipment Co. reactors, gauges, connectors, and pump
• Homogenization flask, P/N 33994-666
• Homogenizer shaft assembly for macro open blade
• Homogenizer, Cyclone IQ2 P/N 33994-537
• Hydraulic rock trimmer, P/N 13H4000
• Labconco 37500-01 laminar flow hood
• LC Pump 301 macro stainless steel head (to meter tracer in drill water)
• Luminometer TD-20/20 without injector system
• MARVEL 6CRF lab refrigerator
• Rigaku LN60 liquid nitrogen generator
• Shimadzu TOC-5000A total organic carbon analyzer
• Tuttnauer 3870EA front-load autoclave (desktop)
• Trace analytical hydrogen reduction gas analyzer (available upon request)
• Vortex Mixer, Thermolyne Max Mix 11, P/N 12-814-5
• Welch 8915 vacuum pump
• Yamato SM510 top-load autoclave (floor)
• Zeiss Axioplan epifluorescence microscope
• Zeiss Axiocam digital color camera system
• Zeiss MC80DX photographic camera
• Radioisotope van for sample preparation located outside the lab

See all chemicals used in shipboard labs.