IODP (2003-2013)
Integrated Ocean Drilling Program
The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) is an international marine research program that explores Earth's history and structure recorded in seafloor sediments and rocks, and monitors subseafloor environments. IODP builds upon the earlier successes of the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP; 1968-1983) and Ocean Drilling Program (ODP; 1985-2003), which revolutionized our view of Earth history and global processes through ocean basin exploration.
The principal themes of IODP, as outlined in the Initial Science Plan, are:
- The deep biosphere and the subseafloor ocean
- Environmental change, processes and effects
- Solid earth cycles and geodynamics
To achieve its scientific goals, IODP uses multiple drilling platforms:
- the JOIDES Resolution, a riserless vessel managed by the United States Implementing Organization (USIO)
- the Chikyu, a riser drilling vessel managed by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
- Mission Specific Platforms managed by the ECORD Science Operator (ESO)
From left to right: the JOIDES Resolution, the Chikyu, and the Vidar Viking (© IODP-MI).
