An interdisciplinary approach to sampling hard rock cores of the oceanic crust for microbiological and biogeochemical research

Susan Q. Lang; Andrew McCaig; Peter Blum; Natsue Abe; Rémi Coltat; Jeremy R. Deans; Kristin L. Dickerson; Marguerite Godard; Barbara E. John; Frieder Klein; Rebecca Kuehn; Kuan-Yu Lin; C. Johan Lissenberg; Haiyang Liu; Ethan L. Lopes; William J. Brazelton; Oscar Cavazos; Toshio Nozaka; Andrew J. Parsons; Jordyn A. Robare; Gordon Southam; Vamdev Pathak; Johanna Suhonen; Mark K. Reagan; C. Geoffrey Wheat; Fengping Wang

doi:10.5194/sd-35-159-2026

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An interdisciplinary approach to sampling hard rock cores of the oceanic crust for microbiological and biogeochemical research

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An interdisciplinary approach to sampling hard rock cores of the oceanic crust for microbiological and biogeochemical research

Susan Q. Lang, Andrew McCaig, Peter Blum, Natsue Abe, Rémi Coltat, Jeremy R. Deans, Kristin L. Dickerson, Marguerite Godard, Barbara E. John, Frieder Klein, …

Scientific drilling (Hokkaido, Japan), Vol.35(2), pp.159-169

08/11/2026

DOI: 10.5194/sd-35-159-2026

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Abstract

Studying life in the deep, rocky subseafloor involves many layers of technological and methodological challenges, and each drilling project or expedition must make a series of choices to address these challenges. We report on the workflow for sampling hard rock cores for microbiological and biogeochemical research that was developed and optimized during International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 399. All steps of the workflow, including selection of the sample and its shipboard homogenization and subsampling for specific analyses, were designed to maximize the potential for interdisciplinary collaborations and syntheses of results. Furthermore, multiple strategies to minimize and detect potential microbial and organic chemical contamination of the core samples were employed, including the shipboard detection of a fluorescent chemical tracer pumped into the drill fluid. Contamination tracer levels were detectable on the exterior surfaces of the core but absent in the homogenized interiors of most core samples. Based on the experiences and preliminary results of this expedition, recommendations for processing samples on future expeditions are presented.

Details

Title: Subtitle: An interdisciplinary approach to sampling hard rock cores of the oceanic crust for microbiological and biogeochemical research
Creators: Susan Q. Lang - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Andrew McCaig - University of Leeds
Peter Blum - Texas A&M University
Natsue Abe - Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
Rémi Coltat - Université d'Orléans
Jeremy R. Deans - University of Southern Mississippi
Kristin L. Dickerson - University of California, Santa Cruz
Marguerite Godard - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Barbara E. John - University of Wyoming
Frieder Klein - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Rebecca Kuehn - Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
Kuan-Yu Lin - Purdue University West Lafayette
C. Johan Lissenberg - Cardiff University
Haiyang Liu - Institute of Oceanology
Ethan L. Lopes - Stanford University
William J. Brazelton - University of Utah
Oscar Cavazos - Texas A&M University
Toshio Nozaka - Okayama University
Andrew J. Parsons - University of Plymouth
Jordyn A. Robare - Arizona State University
Gordon Southam - The University of Queensland
Vamdev Pathak - Central University of Punjab
Johanna Suhonen - Texas A&M University
Mark K. Reagan - University of Iowa
C. Geoffrey Wheat - University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fengping Wang - Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Scientific drilling (Hokkaido, Japan), Vol.35(2), pp.159-169
DOI: 10.5194/sd-35-159-2026
ISSN: 1816-3459
eISSN: 1816-3459
Publisher: COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH
Number of pages: 11
Grant note: Institut national des sciences de l'Univers: ANR-22-EXOR-0001 Origins Directorate for Geosciences: OCE1326927, OCE1450528, GG009393-04 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacin: FJC2021-047190-I, MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 National Natural Science Foundation of China: 92251303 Natural Environment Research Council: NE/X019098/1, NE/Y001737/1, NE/Y002350/1, NE/Z000424/1 Japan Society for the Promotion of Science: KAKENHI 23K03528, 20H02005
This work was supported by the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP). Funding for the operation and management of the JOIDES Resolution was provided by the US National Science Foundation (NSF award OCE1326927). Funding to join Expedition 399 was provided by NSF award OCE1450528 for the US Science Support Program Office (USSSP-IODP subcontract 220 (GG009393-04)), the UK Natural Environment Research Council (grants NE/X019098/1, NE/Y001737/1, NE/Y002350/1, and NE/Z000424/1), a Juan de la Cierve fellowship (FJC2021-047190-I) funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion and the Agencia Estatal de Investigacion (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033), IODP France, ANR Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers-CNRS (grant ANR-22-EXOR-0001 Origins), National Natural Science Foundation of China, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (grant KAKENHI 23K03528 and 20H02005), Australia New Zealand International Consortium (ANZIC) IODP, IODP-China Office, Natural Science Foundation of China (grant 92251303), IODP Germany, J-DESC (Japan Drilling Earth Science Consortium), and National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
Language: English
Date published: 08/11/2026
Academic Unit: School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability
Record Identifier: 9985218625302771

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