Expedition 343 (with 2 Canadians on board) is underway and breaking records!
Japan Trench Fast Drilling Project
Expedition 343 has begun drilling into the fault zone of the March 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku earthquake. Two Canadian scientists, Dr. Christie Rowe (McGill University) and Tian Sun (University of Victoria), are taking part in this expedition on board the drilling vessel Chikyu. Drilling recently reached a depth of 7308 meters below sea level, exceeding the previous record for the deepest penetration below the sea surface (7049.5 meters during Deep Sea Drilling Program Leg 60 to the Marianas Trench in 1978).
Christie is currently writing a series of guest blogs for Scientific American. Here is her first installment:
Why are there field geologists on a drilling vessel?
Additional information:
- The webpage of the Japan Trench Fast Drilling Project
- March 9, 2012 press release published by JAMSTEC and IODP announcing the upcoming Expedition 343
- 'Daily Planet' episode on Discovery Channel featuring Expedition 343
