ECORD Council #7 - Summary / Edinburgh, 24-25 November 2005

The meeting was hosted by the British Geological Survey, in Edinburgh, and for the first time had a joint ESSAC- session.

Membership
ECORD is composed of 17 countries, and will continue efforts to extend membership.

The ECORD Executive as of 1 October 2005 consists of C.Franklin (Chair), J.Björck (Vice Chair), M.Kullin (Vice Chair), C.Mével (EMA), S.Persoglia (Italy), and A.B.Carlson (Norway).
J.Ludden (France) has been nominated incoming vice chair, and S.Dürr (Germany) will be on the Executive as of 1 April 2006.

ESSAC recommendations endorsed by the ECORD Council are:

ESSAC reported on staffing allocations and the organisation of workshops. ESSAC’s aim is to optimise scientific requirements for each expedition and smooth national balance over time. A series of workshops is planned, and the ECORD Council suggested that the Magellan workshop series be steered by ESSAC, in co-operation with ESF, with workshop participants chosen on scientific merit.
An open call is planned to be held in 2006 to identify workshops to be implemented in 2007.

ESSAC presented its response to the outcome of the IODP Management Forum known as the Frascati Report. ECORD Council decided to support the spirit of the report and to welcome the drive for efficiency within the IODP structure and the attempt to further facilitate development of proposals within the science advisory structure. However, it was noted that ECORD, although endorsing the principles of the report, would not wish to see the establishment of additional structures within IODP unless they replace existing structures, and would welcome clarification from IODP-MI of the source of the mandate of the forum.

ECORD Council welcomed the efforts of IODP-MI to expand IODP membership. However, it is concerned that the offer of an “introductory membership” giving generous science participation on IODP expeditions will leave existing small consortium members at a disadvantage.

ESO reported on the Tahiti Sea-Level MSP expedition (#310). The offshore party was successfully finished on 16/11/2005. The 632 meters of core recovered have already yielded interesting results and will be closely examined during the Onshore Science Party in February in Bremen. ESO outlined plans for the New Jersey Margin MSP expedition for US financial year 2006.

EMA reported on the budget situation and the budgets for FY06 were adopted. ECORD Council thanked ESO for completing another successful MSP operation and congratulated it on the budget management. The ECORD Council encouraged ESO to go for tender for the New Jersey Margin expedition.

ECORD Council proposed to set up a panel of international experts from outside the IODP community to undertake an evaluation of the ECORD contribution to IODP. The panel will review the scientific benefit derived from participation by member organisations. It will also assess the potential for ECORD to deliver future scientific excellence within IODP.

ECORD Council discussed the potential Article 169 initiative and ECORD-net partners reported on the work done to link ongoing and future scientific research projects and to promote common use of infrastructure within the proposed Deep Sea Floor Frontier Project.

Aurora Borealis
ECORD Council supports in principle the provision of an ice-capable drillship that could be used as an MSP in IODP. However, support in principle does not mean that member organisations would financially support or endorse the building or operation of Aurora Borealis. Decision would be taken independently by member organisations on provision of detailed scientific and business cases.

Next Council meeting: Bern, Switzerland, 8-9 June 2006.
Participants
ECORD Council members
W. Piller
Austria
R. Swennen (ESSAC delegate) Belgium
Kathy Gillis Canada
Anders Kjaer Denmark
Jan Bäckman Finland
John Ludden France
Sören B. Dürr Germany
Sergio Persoglia (Executive)
Italy
Ingibjörg Elsa Björnsdóttir (alternate) Iceland
Deepak Inamdar Ireland
Raymond M. L. Schorno
Netherlands
Are Birge Carlson (Executive) Norway
José Hipolito Monteiro
Portugal
Severino Falcón Morales (alternate) Spain
Dan Holtstam (vice-Chair)
Sweden
Jonas Björck (alternate)
Marcel Kullin (vice-Chair)
Switzerland
Chris J. Franklin (Chair) UK
Observers
Amelie Winkler ECORD-Net
Julian Pearce (acting chair) ESSAC Office
Chris MacLeod (chair)
Federica Lenci (scientific Coordinator)
Paul Martin Holm (delegate) ESSAC, Denmark
Kari Strand (delegate) ESSAC, Finland
Benoit Ildefonse (alternate) ESSAC, France
Hans Brumsack (delegate) ESSAC, Germany
Hermann Kudrass (alternate)
Bryndís Brandsdóttir (delegate) ESSAC, Iceland
Brian McConnell (alternate) ESSAC, Ireland
Henk Brinkhuis (delegate) ESSAC, Netherlands
Fatima Abrantes (delegate) ESSAC, Portugal
Eve Arnold (delegate) ESSAC, Sweden
Judith McKenzie (delegate) ESSAC, Switzerland
Rachael James (alternate) ESSAC, U.K.
Bernard Avril
ESF
Catherine Mével
EMA
Patricia Maruéjol
Svetlana Zolotikova
Dan Evans
ESO
Alister Skinner
Alan Stevenson
Dave Falvey IODP-MI BoG
Heather Stewart UK IODP


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