Science AMA Series: Scientists are on board the R/V JOIDES Resolution
for two months to explore the story of climate change and of times past
(paleoclimatic changes), AMA!
Abstract
The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) conducts scientific
ocean drilling expeditions throughout the world’s oceans in search of
clues to Earth’s past. The current expedition is Expedition 359:
Maldives Monsoon, aboard the U.S. vessel for scientific ocean drilling,
the JOIDES Resolution www.joidesresolution.org. On this expedition we
are exploring the story of climate change and of times past
(paleoclimatic changes). Using core samples from off the coast of the
Maldives the scientists aim to reconstruct paleoceanographic evolution
over the past 23 million years. Drilling will provide cores required for
reconstructing changing current systems through time that are directly
related to the evolution of the Indian monsoon. As such the drift
deposits will provide a continuous record of Indian monsoon development
in the region. One important outcome of Expedition 359 is
ground-truthing the hypothesis that the dramatic, pronounced change in
the style of the sedimentary carbonate sequence stacking was caused by a
combination of relative sea level fluctuations and ocean current system
changes. The scientific objectives are to: - explore the variation in
regional monsoon systems over multi-million year time scales - learn how
scientists reconstruct the causes of fluctuations in ocean currents and
triggers of evolution - learn how sea level respond to a warming climate
- learn about magnitude and rate of past sea level change A team of 30
scientists from around the globe are on board for two months to work on
these questions. Hand-in-hand with the amazing technology required to
drill deep into the ocean floor, we are collecting the core samples that
hold clues to answer these questions. Join us to ask us anything about
this intriguing science, how we got here, what we hope to discover, and
our lives on board the ship! Update: Thanks for joining us, we really
enjoyed the questions. Some of us are now finished with our 12 hr shift
and we’re signing off. Please continue to send questions, visit our
website at www.joidesresolution.org, follow us on twitter @TheJR,
instagram joides_resolution, and like our
www.facebook.com/joidesresolution page!