European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling

The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP is an international research program
for scientific oceanic drilling supported by 24 countries. Started up in October 2003
the program joins the U.S.A., Japan, ECORD, China (April 2004), South Korea (June
2006), ANZIC (Australia-New-Zealand IODP Consortium) and India (April 2009).

From 1968 and the verification of the Plate Tectonics hypothesis, the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) and later, from 1985 to 2003, the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) have undertaken an unprecedented programme of international research in Earth science. Jointly to the U.S.A. and Japan, Europe & Canada have set up the shape a new era of research using scientific ocean drilling with the Initial Science Plan (ISP) for IODP: 'Earth, Oceans, and Life: Scientific Investigations of the Earth System using Multiple Drilling Platforms and New Technologies'. This science plan involves several platforms for advanced sampling of the ocean floor by drilling and provides a critically needed database for undertsanding the complex functioning of the Earth system.

IODP structure:

Funding: The program is funded by 7 agencies.
Primary funding is provided by the US National Scence Foundation (NSF) and Japan's Ministry of Culture, Education, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT); additional funding is provided through the ECORD countributing members via EMA, the People's Republic of China Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), the Australia-New Zealand IODP Consortium (ANZIC) and India's Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

Management: The program is managed by IODP Management International Inc. (IODP-MI). Working as a central management organisation, with the Science Advisory Structure (SAS), IODP-MI develops and manages the implementation plans for the IODP science program. SAS comprises 8 standing committees and conducts the IODP scientific plannning such as the scientific evaluation, ranking, and scheduling of the drilling proposals submitted to IODP-MI. Currently, there are two offices, one in Washington DC, USA and the other in Sapporo, Japan.

6 Scientific Supports and Program Member Offices are responsible for the scientific planning and coordinate and support scientist participation in IODP and work closely with the IODP Science Advisory Structure (SAS):

ESSAC (ECORD Science Support and Advisory Committee) for ECORD,
USSSP (US Science Support Program) for the U.S.A.,
J-DESC (Japan Drilling Earth Consortium) for Japan,
IODP-China for People's Republic of China,
K-IODP (Korea Integrated Ocean Drilling Program) for South Korea,
ANZIC for Australia and New Zealand

3 Implementing Organizations (IOs) undertake science operations of the vessels and platforms:

ESO-ECORD Science Operator, for the Mission-specific platforms (MSPs)
IODP-USIO, comprising the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, Texas A&M University (TAMU), and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, for the JOIDES Resolution,
CDEX-Centre of Deep Earth Exploration for the Chikyu.

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