Collaborative Research: Conference: Future of US Marine Seafloor and Subseafloor Sampling Capabilities Workshop

Scientists have studied the bottom of the ocean for the last 150 years, since the first systematic seafloor samples were taken during the HMS Challenger oceanographic expedition (1872-1876). This 150 years of seafloor sampling has not only transformed our understanding of processes within Planet Earth but also benefited societies. Science knowledge built through acquisition and analyses of seafloor samples include revolutionizing our understanding of plate tectonics, the carbon cycle, ice sheet dynamics, life in extreme environments, volcanism, Earth’s magnetic field, abrupt climate change, economic resources, biodiversity, and much more. Today, the resources for US seafloor sampling are changing, from the retirement and additions of key research vessels to technological improvements. This workshop aims to further help identify science priorities identified in various documents, including the 2050 Science Framework for Scientific Ocean Drilling, and infrastructure needed to address these priorities going forward. We will achieve this by bringing together scientists from the top of the field along with those just starting their careers as well as facilities operators, technical staff, and engineers. This workshop will aim to define what US infrastructure is needed to address grand scientific questions of the next few decades. The workshop will include keynote speakers who will discuss existing resources and future potential capabilities, along with breakout group discussions on specific topics. Participants will write a workshop report that will be made freely available to the public.Recent landscape changes in US oceanographic assets (vessels, infrastructure, etc.) and use cases highlight the need for a broad oceanographic community discussion to plan how to maintain and grow their research momentum over the next decade. Equally true, scientific need – particularly as defined by early- to mid-career oceanographers – will drive the evolution and design of new infrastructure on a variety of scales. This award will support a 2.5-day US oceanographic community-wide workshop, entitled: “Future of US seafloor and subseafloor sampling capabilities” and travel for ~80 participants from diverse backgrounds, scientific fields, institutions, and career stages. Participants will explore approaches to seafloor and sub-seafloor sampling within and beyond US oceanographic assets, including but not limited to rock, sediment, gas, fluid, and microbiologic sampling. The workshop will familiarize the participants with existing technologies and sample/data repositories that are currently available to support NSF science, and develop clear forward-thinking facility plans that meet present and future requirements. The workshop will facilitate community discussions with three comprehensive approaches: gathering as many marine sampling-dependent science disciplines as possible, having discussion of materials (e.g., cores and rock samples) and data in repositories and databases as “assets”, and engaging both science and engineering/technical communities. Through identifying and prioritizing critical science questions and goals raised by the community, especially early to mid-career scientists, the workshop discussion will match those needs to existing and aspirational technological capabilities that could be deployed from existing and/or near-future vessels operating in the NSF-supported system. The workshop will highlight the community desire for better understanding of the seafloor sample/core repositories’ accessibilities and functionalities for both planning future cruises as well as synthesis efforts. The workshop will be held in March 2024 at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution with participation from the US science, UNOLS facility operators’ community and representatives of funding agencies. We will aim to invite ~ 60% early career science participants, as these discussions directly impact their future. The final report will be published in a peer-reviewed journal with Digital Object Identifier (DOI) as well as being presented at University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System annual meetings.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.