At the time of the publication of this Scientific Prospectus, a new IODP sample policy has not been finalized and the ODP Sample Distribution, Data Distribution, and Publications Policy (www-odp.tamu.edu/publications/policy.html) applies. Access to data and core sampling during Expedition 301, or within the 1 y moratorium following the expedition, must be approved by the Sample Allocation Committee (SAC). The SAC (composed of Co-Chief scientists, Staff Scientist/Expedition Project Manager, and IODP Curator on shore and curatorial representative on board ship) will work with the Shipboard Scientific Party to formulate a formal expedition-specific sampling plan for shipboard and postcruise sampling.
Shipboard scientists are expected to submit sample requests 2–3 months before the beginning of the expedition. Sample requests may be submitted at iodp.tamu.edu/curation/samples.html. Based on sample requests (shore based and shipboard), the SAC and Shipboard Scientific Party will prepare a working cruise sampling plan. This plan will be subject to modification depending upon the actual material recovered and collaborations that may evolve between scientists during the expedition. Modifications to the sampling plan during the expedition require the approval of the Co-Chief Scientists, Staff Scientist/Expedition Project Manager, and curatorial representative.
The minimum permanent archive will be the standard archive half of each core; whole-round samples are exempt from this rule. On this expedition, we anticipate substantial whole-round core sampling for hydrologic, geochemical, and microbiologic investigations. Sampling may be particularly intense near the sediment/basement interface at one or more sites.
All sample frequencies and sizes must be justified on a scientific basis and will depend on core recovery, the full spectrum of other requests, and the cruise objectives. Some redundancy of measurement may be unavoidable, but minimizing the duplication of measurements among the Shipboard Scientific Party and identified shore-based collaborators will be a factor in evaluating sample requests.