Scientific Ocean Drilling

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Integrated Ocean Drilling Program

Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) is an international marine research program that explores Earth’s history and structure as recorded in seafloor sediments and rocks, and monitors sub-seafloor environments. Through its ocean drilling programs, Ocean Leadership is responsible for overall program leadership in the U.S. The IODP principal science themes include the deep biosphere and the sub-seafloor ocean; environmental change, processes and effects; and solid earth cycles and geodynamics.

U.S. Science Support Program

The U.S. Science Support Program (USSSP) associated with the IODP supports involvement of the U.S. scientific community in the program. USSSP provides funding to scientists and students to sail on expeditions, conduct pre-drilling or post-expedition resesearch, and host workshops.

U.S. Implementing Organization

Ocean Leadership in partnership with Texas A&M University and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University form the U.S. Implementing Organization (USIO). The USIO is responsible for science operations on the U.S. ship, the JOIDES Resolution, for IODP, which brings to the surface pristine samples of the sub-seafloor and accomplishes seafloor observatory objectives.

Ocean Drilling Program Legacy

Although the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) concluded in 2003, Ocean Leadership continues to develop the program's legacy with its partners. Through a long history of many major discoveries, scientific ocean drilling has significantly advanced our understanding of the Earth and provided reliable information about how our planet works - and has worked in the past.

Antarctic Geological Drilling

Antarctic Geological Drilling (ANDRILL) is a multinational collaboration of more than 200 scientists, students, and educators from five nations (Germany, Italy, New Zealand, United Kingdom and United States) to recover stratigraphic records from the Antarctic margin.