InterRidge Biweekly E-News Archive 2007

Below are copies of the biweekly e-news that is sent out to the interridge-mail list. The most recent e-news is listed first, at the top.

To view any of the previous messages sent out to the interridge-mail list, see below OR go to http://www.interridge.org/mailman/pipermail/interridge-mail/index.html and then click on Interridge-mail Archives in the first subheading. This will take you to all previously sent emails (since January 2007) sorted by month. =============================================== InterRidge Email #25 (December 31st, 2007) 1. InterRidge Info - Letter from the Chairs 2. News from the Ridge Crest - Southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge - Dive and Discover Expedition 12 3. Upcoming Meetings - 5th Asia Oceania Geosciences Society Conference, Busan, Korea, 16-20 June 2008 - MATE International Student ROV Competition, San Diego, CA, USA, 26-28 June 2008 - EuroScience Open Forum 2008, Barcelona, Spain, 18-22 July 2008 4. Jobs and Fellowships =============================================== 1. InterRidge Info Letter from the Chairs Jian Lin (Chair) and Chris German (Co-Chair) December 2007 (Excerpt from InterRidge News, Vol. 16, available at http://www.interridge.org/IRNewsletter) We are delighted to bring the exciting news of ongoing international progress in mid-ocean ridge research to you in this first issue of the annual InterRidge Newsletter from the Woods Hole office. Following are just a few examples of exciting progress in 2007 and new developments for 2008. 1. Contributions from emerging-economy nations One important trend in the last few years has been that emerging economies, such as India, China, and Korea, are developing national programs in ridge exploration and research, together with rapid increase in investments in deep-sea technology and strengthening of ties to the international community. In fall 2007, China has officially become an InterRidge Principal Member nation. China is the first new IR Principal Member in almost a decade. China is also the first developing country and newly industrialized country to become an IR Principal Member. In Nov. 2007, the IR Steering Committee meeting was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, thanks to the warm hosting of Dr. Sidney Mello and his Brazilian colleagues. Subsequently a very successful Mid-Ocean Ridge special session was held at the 10th International Conference of the Brazilian Geophysical Society. These events are part of an effort to promote ocean ridge research and exploration in South American countries and to strengthen ties within the IR community. With that in mind we are pleased to welcome Chile as our newest IR Corresponding Member nation. Exciting advances in ridge-crest science are taking place in many IR countries (see National News, InterRidge News, Vol. 16, 2007), and efforts are underway in Russia and New Zealand, among others, to upgrade their national IR memberships. 2. New InterRidge Working Groups to start in 2008 The IR Working Groups (WGs) play an essential role in promoting and coordinating new research that follows a focused theme of emerging scientific promise, or is conducted in a unique geographic setting along global ridge-crests where advances in science will benefit significantly from IR coordination. Four of our current WGs will continue into 2008: Biogeochemical Interaction at Deep-Sea Vents, Deep Earth Sampling, Monitoring and Observatories, and Ultraslow Spreading Ridges. The Biology WG has completed its mission (see Working Group Updates, InterRidge News, Vol. 16, 2007). In 2007 we invited new WG proposals from any IR member - or groups of members - and received seven high-quality WG proposals representing a diverse group of active international researchers. Following thorough review, the IR Steering Committee considered the following four proposals as mature enough to form new WGs. The proponents were asked to submit their revised proposals by the end of 2007, ready for WG activities to begin in 2008. • Imaging Crustal and Mantle Structure Beneath Mid-ocean Ridges (Contact: Nobukazu Seama, Japan). This WG will lead a planning effort to 1) promote experiments to image the mantle structure at one or two ridge systems through pooling of international expertise, instruments, and resources; and 2) encourage scientists to link effectively for interpreting and using the high quality images that result. • Vent Ecology (Contacts: Chuck Fisher, USA, and Stephane Hourdez, France). The primary goals of this WG are to foster international collaboration of research that will advance our understanding of the ecology of hydrothermal vents and to promote expanded collaborations between geologists, chemists and ecologists to understand the changes in vent communities over time. • Seafloor Mineralization (Contact: Maurice Tivey, USA). This WG will promote and coordinate international research on the science of seafloor mineral deposit formation, maturation, and evolution. The WG will promote development of techniques to locate such deposits, and to investigate the processes, including the biological roles, that are responsible for their formation and preservation. • Systematic Long-range Ridge Exploration (Contact: Colin Devey, Germany). This WG will promote international collaboration and develop strategies of using cutting-edge AUV technology and state-of-the-art sensors for the systematic investigation of hydrothermal and other ridge processes on regional to ocean-basin length scales. 3. New InterRidge Student Fellowship Program The IR Steering Committee has recommended a new IR Student Fellowship program. Two IR Student Fellowships, each up to $3000 US, will be awarded in 2008. This new program is designed to encourage international collaboration on any aspect of ridge-crest science by students (undergraduate or graduate). In particular we encourage applications seeking support for international cruise participation or laboratory use that add an international dimension to a student’s thesis work. A full description of the program will be announced in January 2008 with an expected application due date of March 2008. Be ready! We look forward to another exciting year, advancing ridge-crest research with the InterRidge community, in 2008! =============================================== 2. News from the Ridge Crest Southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge - Dive and Discover Expedition 12 The latest Dive and Discover expedition is taking place NOW along the Southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge! (Cruise dates: Dec. 31 - Jan. 17, 2008). Kristen Kusek, InterRidge's Education & Outreach Coordinator, is the science writer for the cruise. The team is testing out state-of-the-art communications technology on a hunt for hydrothermal vents using two new AUVs, Puma and Jaguar! Hop aboard and watch the action at: http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/expedition12/index.html. =============================================== 3. Upcoming Meetings 5th Asia Oceania Geosciences Society Conference, Busan, Korea, 16-20 June 2008 AOGS 2008 For more details: http://www.asiaoceania.org/aogs2008 Reminder: Deadline for abstract submission – January 24, 2008. There are several special sessions in Solid Earth: SE 71: Gas hydrate occurrences in Asia, SE 72: Recent multidisciplinary studies of mid-ocean ridges and ophiolites (see InterRidge Email #24), SE 73: Tectonic and magmatic evolution of western Pacific marginal basins, SE 74: Subduction zone: tectonics and magmatism. ------------------------------------------ MATE International Student ROV Competition, San Diego, CA, USA, 26-28 June 2008 2008 MATE International Student ROV Competition "Diving to the Deep: Uncovering the Mysteries of Mid-Ocean Ridges" http://www.marinetech.org/rov_competition/2008/index.php InterRidge will sponsor $250 awards for two teams ($500 total) that will participate in the annual MATE Center ROV Competition, to be held at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego, in June 2008. It will be the first year that the competition is focused specifically on mid-ocean ridges and hydrothermal vents, and the competition is also international in scope-- so IR's participation is a natural fit. We are excited to be a part of this very successful event, and our aim will be to actively support international participation in this event. One of IR's members will serve as the judge at the actual competition. ------------------------------------------ EuroScience Open Forum 2008, Barcelona, Spain, 18-22 July 2008 ESOF 2008, Barcelona, Spain www.esof2008.org InterRidge teamed up with the ChEss program of the Census of Marine Life to submit a proposal for an outreach exhibit during the EuroScience Open Forum meeting in July 18-22, 2008 in Barcelona, Spain. We are excited to report that our proposal, entitled "Deep Sea Oases: Exploring the Big, the Small and All by 2010", was ACCEPTED! Stay tuned for more details as we plan this event. (Note: IR participated in ESOF 2006 in Munich, Germany, which attracted more than 2100 participants from 58 countries-- including 485 journalists.) ESOF is Europe's "most important interdisciplinary meeting on science, technology and the humanities." ------------------------------------------ Meetings are also posted on the IR website (http://www.interridge.org/events). =============================================== 4. Jobs and Fellowships Two new jobs have been posted to the "interridge-classifieds" mailing list and our website (http://www.interridge.org/jobs): - Postdoctoral fellowship - Geodynamics - Monash University, Australia - Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Reader in Tectonics or Structural Geology - University of Leeds ------------------------------------------ To sign up for the interridge-classifieds list, go to - http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-classifieds =============================================== =============================================== InterRidge Email #24 (December 17th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Info - InterRidge News, Vol. 16, 2007 posted online 2. Upcoming Meetings - European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, 13-18 April 2008 - 5th Asia Oceania Geosciences Society Conference, Busan, Korea, 16-20 June 2008 - GLOBEC-EUROCEANS-FAO Symposium, Rome, Italy, 8-10 July 2008 - 33rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway, 6-14 August 2008 3. Jobs and Fellowships =============================================== 1. InterRidge Info InterRidge News, Vol. 16, 2007 posted online The InterRidge Office is pleased to announce that InterRidge News, Vol. 16, 2007, is now available on our website. This issue announces the four new Working Groups for 2008, features research articles from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and SE and SW Indian Ridges, provides updates from current Working Groups and member nations, lists upcoming cruises and events, and highlights this year's Photo and Image Competition. To download a PDF file of this latest issue of InterRidge News, please go to: http://www.interridge.org/IRNewsletter You have the option of downloading the full version as a 2MB file (lower resolution images) or the full version in high resolution in four sections (4 PDF files to concatenate). If you would like to receive this issue of InterRidge News as a hard copy in the mail, please be sure that you have checked this option in your Member Database User Account. Log on to the InterRidge website with your Username and Password and update your User Profile (in the IR Member Menu > My account > Edit > Other Info). If you are not an InterRidge Member, please join by creating a new user account. Questions? Contact: coordinator@interridge.org. =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, 13-18 April 2008 Deadline Abstract Submission: 14 January 2008. For more details: http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2008 New session at EGU 2008 that is of interest to InterRidge: OS22/BG6.6/GMPV37/MPRG16/TS11: From Mantle to Ocean: Energy, material and life cycles at mid ocean spreading axes The session will encompass 6 cross-disciplinary (geology, biology, biogeochemistry, oceanography) questions: -- How does the energy and mass transfer from the mantle into the ocean take place? -- What are the time scales on which processes at spreading axes occur? -- What factors govern where tectonic, magmatic, hydrothermal and biological processes occur on spreading axes? --What factors control the form and extent of hydrothermal circulation systems in the sub-surface? -- How do biological and hydrothermal processes interact? -- How do ridge morphology and ocean currents control the dispersal of chemical and biological signals of hydrothermal activity along the ridge? For a list of other InterRidge-related sessions at EGU 2008, please go to: http://www.interridge.org/node/3614. ------------------------------------------ 5th Asia Oceania Geosciences Society Conference, Busan, Korea, 16-20 June 2008 AOGS 2008 For more details: http://www.asiaoceania.org/aogs2008 Session (SE72): Recent Multidisciplinary Studies of Mid-Ocean Ridges and Ophiolites Conveners: Sung-Hyun Park, Jian Lin, John Chen, Susumu Umino, Natsue Abe, Raju Kamesh Mid-ocean ridges are the largest volcanic system on Earth and play an important role in the exchange of energy and material among various domains of our planet. Oceanic crust, covering over 65% of the Earth surface, is being generated at mid-ocean ridges. Submarine hydrothermal activities at mid-ocean ridges affect the chemistry of oceans and support a unique deep-sea ecosystem that is based on chemosynthesis rather than photosynthesis. Studies of mid-ocean-ridges are multidisciplinary in nature, encompassing disciplines of geology, geophysics, geochemistry, hydrothermalism, and biology. In recent years, several Asian countries including Japan, China, India, and Korea have started scientific programs to explore and investigate geological, hydrothermal, and biological processes at mid-ocean ridge and deep seafloor, while increasing collaborations with the US and European counterparts under the auspices of InterRidge. Ophiolites, which are ancient oceanic crust exposed on land, have also attracted scientists in Asia as they offer important accessible sections of mid-ocean ridges. In this session, we invite scientific contributions on diverse issues related to mid-ocean ridges and ophiolites. In particular, we welcome new results and interpretations from recent sea-going cruises, fieldworks, and laboratory studies. ------------------------------------------ GLOBEC-EUROCEANS-FAO Symposium, "Coping with global change in marine social-ecological systems," Rome, Italy, 8-10 July 2008 Marine ecosystem changes have impacts on, and consequences for, the human communities that depend on these systems, and how these human communities respond to these changes can have reciprocal impacts on marine ecosystems. These two highly inter-connected and interactive "ecological" (including physical-biological sub-systems) and "human" (including cultural, management, economic, and socio-political sub-systems) components are, however, usually studied independently from each other, and by different scientific disciplines with largely different scientific traditions ("natural" scientists; "social"` scientists and humanists). This symposium is designed to share experiences across disciplines and to identify key next steps and common elements and approaches that promote resilience of marine social-ecological systems in the face of global changes. Conveners: Dr. Ian Perry (Fisheries & Oceans Canada), Dr. Rosemary Ommer (University of Victoria, Canada) and Dr. Philippe Cury (IRD/CRH, France). Detailed information is available at the website: http://www.peopleandthesea.org. Abstracts will be accepted until January 1, 2008. For specific queries please contact globec@pml.ac.uk. ------------------------------------------ 33rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway, 6-14 August 2008 Geoscience World Congress 2008 “Earth System Science: Foundation for Sustainable Development" For more information, please see: http://www.33igc.org Abstract submission deadline: 1 February 2008. New session highlighting InterRidge research: Geodynamics and Plate Motions Interdisciplinary Symposium GDP-07: Mid-ocean ridges, a major geo-bio-hydro interface Conveners (alphabetical): Donna Blackman (Scripps, Geophysics), Colin Devey (IFM-GEOMAR, Petrology/Volcanology), Chuck Fisher (Penn State, Vent Macrobiology/Physiology), Chris German (WHOI, Hydrothermal Geochemistry), Nadine LeBris (IFREMER, Biogeochemistry) Until recently, our knowledge of many of the geological processes active at Mid-Ocean Ridges - one of the dominant features of global-scale plate-tectonics - and of the remarkable chemosynthetic communities that they host has been restricted to the results of short (< 1 month) very localised research cruises. Advances in deep submergence technology are rapidly making "fieldwork on the seafloor" and long-term continuous observation a feasible proposition. The intense volcanic, tectonic, hydrothermal and biological activity on oceanic spreading centers makes them one of the scientifically most exciting and interesting places to use these new technologies. In combination with ongoing broader-scale studies in the same area, these multi-disciplinary data allow new insights which stand to fundamentally change our view of the inter-dependent geological, hydrological and biological systems along the mid-ocean ridge axis. This session will showcase advances in ridge research, especially highlighting the results of international collaborations under the auspices of InterRidge. For a list of other InterRidge-related sessions at this event, please go to: http://www.interridge.org/meeting/geocongress2008. ------------------------------------------ Meetings are also posted on the IR website (http://www.interridge.org/events). =============================================== 3. Jobs and Fellowships Four new jobs have been posted to the "interridge-classifieds" mailing list and our website (http://www.interridge.org/jobs): - Several positions - Department of Geosciences - University of Houston - Professor of Oceanography - Florida State University - Assistant Professor - Biological Oceanography - Duke University - Postdoctoral Positions - Rutgers University, USA ------------------------------------------ To sign up for the interridge-classifieds list, go to - http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-classifieds =============================================== =============================================== InterRidge Email #23 (December 3rd, 2007) 1. News from the Ridge Crest - LADDER III cruise at the East Pacific Rise 2. Upcoming Meetings - R2K Community-Wide Science Meeting and MAR ISS Workshop 3. Jobs and Fellowships =============================================== 1. News from the Ridge Crest LADDER III cruise at the East Pacific Rise The InterRidge Office has received news from a U.S. research cruise at the East Pacific Rise 9ºN Integrated Studies Site. The LADDER III cruise, led by Chief Scientist Lauren Mullineaux from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, is underway (13 Nov - 3 Dec 2007) on R/V Atlantis with the research submersible Alvin. LADDER is an acronym for LArval Deep Dispersal on the East Pacific Rise. The LADDER project is truly interdisciplinary, merging the expertise of biologists, physical oceanographers, and modelers to understand how larval behaviors interact with topographically-influenced flows on mid-ocean ridges. The main objectives of the LADDER project are to determine how these interactions affect dispersal trajectories, maximal dispersal distances, and relative probabilities of larval supply to natal versus remote hydrothermal vents. Other PIs on this NSF-sponsored research include A. Thurnherr (LDEO), J. Ledwell and D. McGillicuddy (WHOI), and J. Lavelle (PMEL, NOAA). Several other projects are also being conducted during the LADDER III cruise, including a collaborative study with an Austrian group led by Monika Bright and an investigation of microstructure and turbulence led by Lou St. Laurent (FSU) and A. Thurnherr. Background information and daily dispatches from the cruise are posted online: http://www.whoi.edu/science/B/atlantis-15-26/. This website was created by Skylar Bayer, an undergraduate student from Brown University. The website is unique in that it was designed for high school students to follow the cruise and learn about oceanographic research from a scientist and student’s perspective. ------------------------------------------ News from the Ridge Crest on the IR website (http://www.interridge.org/RidgeCrestNews). =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings R2K Community-Wide Science Meeting and MAR ISS Workshop From 25-28 March 2008 the U.S. Ridge 2000 (R2K) Office will be hosting a two-day community-wide science meeting, followed by a two-day Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) Integrated Studies Site (ISS)-specific workshop in Portland, Oregon. R2K community-wide science meeting The Mantle to Microbe: Integrated Studies at Oceanic Spreading Centers meeting will be held Mar 25-26, 2008, in Portland, Oregon. The purpose of the meeting is in-depth scientific exchange, with emphasis on the interplay between various aspects of spreading and hydrothermal processes, and comparisons of the ecosystems, structure, and process rates at different sites. The first day includes several talks on interdisciplinary ridge science. The 2nd day has a series of short talks on specific sites, followed by a round-table discussion of inter-site comparisons. All participants are encouraged to bring a poster with their own results to discuss with colleagues during an evening session. The meeting agenda and a link to online registration are available at: http://ridge2000.org/science/meetings/WorkshopInfo.php?workshopID=spring08. All ridge scientists are invited to apply since the processes under discussion are relevant beyond R2K-specific study sites. R2K Mid-Atlantic Ridge ISS Implementation Plan workshop U.S. scientists interested in research along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, ~35°-37.5°N should plan to attend this workshop on March 27-28, 2008 to develop an Implementation Plan for R2K work at a new Integrated Studies Site. Discussions will include ways R2K work can best complement ongoing InterRidge efforts at MoMAR sites as well as consideration of any specific collaborations that would enhance overall outcomes via joint R2K-InterRidge investigation. Both US and international InterRidge participants are welcome to apply. The meeting agenda and a link to online registration are available at: http://ridge2000.org/science/meetings/WorkshopInfo.php?workshopID=MAR_IMP08. For more meeting information, contact the Ridge 2000 Office: Email: ridge2000@ucsd.edu ------------------------------------------ Meetings are also posted on the IR website (http://www.interridge.org/events). =============================================== 3. Jobs and Fellowships Two new jobs have been posted to the "interridge-classifieds" mailing list and our website (http://www.interridge.org/jobs): - Post-doctoral position - Durham University, UK - Positions in Solid-Earth Dynamics - Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory ------------------------------------------ To sign up for the interridge-classifieds list, go to - http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-classifieds =============================================== =============================================== InterRidge Email #22 (November 19th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information - Look for Call for InterRidge Student Fellow Proposals in Jan. 2008 - Working Group Update 2007: Ultra-slow spreading ridges 2. Upcoming Meetings - Additional ridge-related Sessions at EGU Assembly, Apr. 2008 3. Jobs and Fellowships =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information Look for Call for IR Student Fellow Proposals in Jan. 2008 The InterRidge Steering Committee has just completed its 2007 annual meeting. One of the outcomes of this meeting is that there will be a Call for InterRidge Student Fellow Proposals in Jan. 2008. As part of InterRidge’s mission to promote interdisciplinary, international, collaborative studies of oceanic spreading centers, we plan to invite proposals for two 2008 InterRidge Student Fellowships of up to $3000 US dollars each. These new fellowships are designed to encourage international collaboration on any aspect of ridge-crest science by students (undergraduate and graduate). In particular we encourage these awards to be used for international cruise participation, international laboratory use, and adding an international dimension to students' thesis work. We are making this preliminary announcement, now, to enable students to have additional time to start developing ideas for these proposals. The full announcement and criteria for application will be available in Jan. 2008 with an expected due date in Mar. 2008. ------------------------------------------ Working Group Update 2007: Ultra-slow spreading ridges The 2007 Update for the Ultra-slow spreading ridges Working Group is now available on the InterRidge website. To view the full text of the update, please go to: http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/4880. =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings Additional ridge-related sessions at European Geosciences Union Assembly Vienna, Austria, 13-18 April 2008 GD6: Structure and dynamics of mid-ocean ridges Mid-ocean ridges represent a unique window on mantle processes. After several decades of efforts from the marine geosciences community, many aspects are still debated, including mantle circulation and melting, melt migration and cooling, lower crustal accretion, magmatic or amagmatic extension, evolution of oceanic core complexes, melt distribution and mantle outcropping at ultra-slow ridges, interaction of various scales of mantle convection near hotspots ...etc. The session with bring together scientists from a large variety of interdisciplines, to compare and review observables and models of the structure and dynamics of mid-ocean ridges and associated mantle sources and circulation. GD7: Tracing hydrothermal circulation at mid-ocean ridges using geochemistry, geophysics and modeling The circulation of seawater within the axial zones and flanks of mid-ocean ridges: (i) influences heat transport from the lithosphere to the hydrosphere; (ii) modifies the bulk and isotopic chemical composition of the oceanic crust and its physical properties (magnetism, porosity, density and seismic velocity) via fluid-rock interaction and the formation of secondary minerals; and (iii) alters the chemistry of seawater through the expulsion of high to low temperature hydrothermal fluids at various depths. This session will bring together geophysicists, geochemists, mineralogists and modelers interested in the complexities of oceanic hydrothermal circulation. Within this broad remit, papers that aim to improve understanding of seawater circulation pathways through the oceanic crust and the role of hydrothermal cycling in heat, chemical and material fluxes between the lithosphere and the hydrosphere are particularly welcome. Deadlines: 7 December 2007: Support Applications (support for younger and more recently established scientists to attend the assembly). 14 January 2008: Abstract Submission. For more details: http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2008 ------------------------------------------ Meetings are also posted on the IR website (http://www.interridge.org/events). =============================================== 3. Jobs and Fellowships Four new jobs have been posted to the "interridge-classifieds" mailing list and our website (http://www.interridge.org/jobs): - Assistant Professor - Marine Geology and Geophysics - University of Washington - Chair - Department of Geography and Geology - University of North Carolina Wilmington - Assistant or Associate Professor - Geological Oceanography - Old Dominion University - Assistant Professor in Marine Geosciences - Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Chile ------------------------------------------ To sign up for the interridge-classifieds list, go to - http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-classifieds =============================================== =============================================== InterRidge Email #21 (November 5th, 2007)   1. Upcoming Meetings         - Special Session at European Geosciences Union Meeting, Apr. 2008         - SCAR/IASC IPY Open Science Conference, July 2008         - Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting, July 2008     2. Jobs and Fellowships   =============================================== 1. Upcoming Meetings Special Session at European Geosciences Union Meeting Vienna, Austria, 13-18 April 2008 Session co-sponsored by InterRidge: "Seafloor expression of tectonic and geomorphic processes" (GM6.2) Conveners: J. Hillier, N. Mitchell, M. Maia & T. Mulder Bathymetry records and preserves a wealth of information about tectonic (e.g. fault scarps), geomorphic (e.g. channel erosion & landsliding), volcanic and geodynamic processes. New bathymetry (e.g. multibeam), especially when combined with sub-seafloor measurement, provides an exciting opportunity to combine geomorphology & geophysics and to extend geomorphology offshore. This interdisciplinary session aims to examine the causes and consequences of the underwater landscape. The goal is to stimulate interdisciplinary work by bringing together researchers who quantify and characterize the shapes that form the seafloor, seek to understand the sub-surface processes at work and their impacts, or use bathymetry as a model input. A range of scales from ocean-wide (e.g. lithospheric cooling) to abyssal hills at the scale of meters, and datasets from satellite-predicted to multibeam are anticipated. We welcome any exciting submissions in the spirit of the session, even if your particular process or bathymetric expression has not been explicitly mentioned. Perhaps: Hot-spot ridge interaction; Submerged glacial geomorphology; Quantifying underwater volcanoes; What stops subduction earthquakes - seafloor features? For more information about the session: http://www.cosis.net/members/meetings/programme/view.php?m_id=49&p_id=304 You will find the session listed as GM6.2 in the geomorphology programme, and co-listed under SSP Stratigraphy, Sedimentology and Palaeontology, TS Tectonics and Structural, and GD Geodynamics. Deadlines: 7 December 2007: Deadline for Support Applications (support for younger and more recently established scientists to attend the assembly.  Details- http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2008/financial_support.html). 14 January 2008: Deadline for Abstract Submission. ------------------------------------------ SCAR/IASC IPY Open Science Conference Polar Research - Arctic and Antarctic Perspectives in the International Polar Year, St. Petersburg, Russia, 8-11 July 2008 Sponsored by: Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), International Arctic Science Committee (IASC). The IPY Joint Committee has endorsed this event as the first in a series of international interdisciplinary IPY conferences. It is therefore cosponsored by the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). Sessions will take place in the Pribaltiskaya Hotel and at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI). Selected Science Sessions, of interest to InterRidge, include: 1.0     STATUS AND CHANGE   1.1 Earth Structure and Geodynamics at the Poles 3.0     A SENSE OF DISCOVERY 3.1 Deep Sub-Ice Water, Hydrological Systems and Ice Sheet Interactions Abstract submission deadline: 15 Jan. 2008 For more information: http://www.scar-iasc-ipy2008.org/ ------------------------------------------ 2008 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting Cairns, Australia, 29 July – 1 August 2008 The Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting (WPGM) provides an opportunity for AGU members, and members of the sponsoring societies in the western Pacific region, to attend a meeting that serves the needs of geophysicists interested in studies in the western Pacific region. Papers on all related aspects of geophysical sciences are encouraged. The 2008 WPGM is being held at the Cairns Convention Centre, Queensland, Australia. Surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef and the World Heritage Rainforest, this tropical, yet sophisticated city offers a memorable time for all. Session Proposals Open: deadline 30 November 2007. General meeting inquiries: E-mail: wp-help@agu.org Meeting coordinators: Shermonta Grant, E-mail: SGrant@agu.org Melissa Markowitz, E-mail: MMarkowitz@agu.org For more information, please see: http://www.agu.org/meetings/wp08/ ------------------------------------------ Meetings are also posted on the IR website (http://www.interridge.org/events). =============================================== 2. Jobs and Fellowships Five new jobs have been posted to the "interridge-classifieds" mailing list and our website (http://www.interridge.org/jobs): - Positions available at JAMSTEC in the Institute for Research on Earth Evolution - Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Harvard University - Postdoctoral Fellowship at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory - WHOI Postdoctoral Scholar Program - MBARI Postdoctoral Fellowship ------------------------------------------ To sign up for the interridge-classifieds list, go to - http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-classifieds =============================================== =============================================== InterRidge Email #20 (October 22nd, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information              Member Database 2. Upcoming Meetings AGU 2008 Joint Assembly 3. Jobs and Fellowships 4. Other Report of International Data Exchange Workshop =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information Member Database We would like to invite you to update your information on the InterRidge Member Database (http://interridge.whoi.edu/members). Please follow the instructions below to update your contact details. Please be sure to check the box if you would like to receive the paper copy of the Annual InterRidge Newsletter – all previous subscriptions have been reset. Here's how to begin this process: 1. Click on this link (http://interridge.whoi.edu/user/password) and enter your email address as requested. (This is the same as if you had clicked on "Request new Password" on the Left Menu Bar on the InterRidge Website Homepage.) 2. Follow the directions emailed to you by the IR website. If you have any difficulties or questions, please do not hesitate to contact the IR Office – coordinator@interridge.org =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings AGU 2008 Joint Assembly, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 27–30 May 2008 http://www.agu.org/meetings/ja08/index.html Reminder: **Deadline for submitting session proposals is 31 October 2007** The 2008 Joint Assembly - a partnership among AGU, AAGG, CIGMEX, GS, MSA, SBGf, SEG, SPD/AAS and UMEC. The Program Committee is developing a Union-wide science program that will cover topics in all areas of geophysical sciences. ------------------------------------------ Meetings are also posted on the IR website (http://www.interridge.org/events). =============================================== 3. Jobs and Fellowships Six new jobs have been posted to the "interridge-classifieds" mailing list and our website (http://www.interridge.org/jobs): - Faculty positions, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego - Graduate Student Opportunities, School of Earth Sciences - OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY - Assistant/Associate Professors of Marine Science - University of Alaska Fairbanks - Assistant Professor - Geology - University of California Santa Cruz - Assistant/Associate Professor (2 positions: Geophysics, Geochemistry) - University of Miami - Position of Chief of Ocean Sciences - UNESCO ------------------------------------------ To sign up for the interridge-classifieds list, go to - http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-classifieds =============================================== 4. Other Report of International Data Exchange Workshop In May 2007, an International Data Exchange Workshop in Kiel, Germany, was co-sponsored by InterMARGINS, MARGINS, InterRidge, and Ridge2000. The workshop objectives were to explore opportunities for international data exchange and to address the cultural and political challenges for building a freely-accessible public data network that facilitates mid-ocean ridge and continental-margin research. The workshop report, titled "Building a global data network for studies of earth processes at the world's plate boundaries," is now available. To download the 2.8 MB PDF file, go to: http://interridge.whoi.edu/files/interridge/internatl_data_workshop_2007... =============================================== =============================================== InterRidge Email #19 (October 8th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information New InterRidge Coordinator Best Student Poster Award at IRTI 2. Upcoming Meetings Reunion Annuelle des Sciences de la Terre, 21-24 April 2008 Québec 2008, Joint Annual Meeting, 26-28 May 2008 AGU 2008 Joint Assembly, 27-30 May 2008 33rd International Geological Congress, 6-14 August 2008 3. Jobs and Fellowships =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information New InterRidge Coordinator Our current IR Coordinator, Dr. Rhian Waller, recently accepted a Young Investigator Fellowship from the University of Hawaii. We will miss Rhian dearly at the IR Office, but we are also very happy to see her career accomplishments. Rhian will officially start her new position in Hawaii on Dec. 1, 2007. Our new IR Coordinator is Dr. Stace Beaulieu. Stace is also a researcher in the WHOI Biology Department and has conducted studies at the East Pacific Rise 9N hydrothermal field with Lauren Mullineaux and Tim Shank, among others. To allow for the continued smooth running of the IR Office, the transition from Rhian to Stace will take place over the next 2 months. Please continue to use the address when contacting the IR Office. We appreciate greatly the tremendous contributions that Rhian has made to the IR program and look forward to working with Stace in the very near future! Best, Jian Lin and Chris German ------------------------------------------ Best Student Poster Award at IRTI We are very pleased to announce that Jillian Petersen received the InterRidge Best Student Poster Award (a certificate and US $700 cash award) at the recent InterRidge Theoretical Institute for Biogeochemical Interaction at Deep-Sea Vents. Jillian's abstract is titled "Hydrogen is an energy source for endosymbiotic bacteria of hydrothermal vent mussels" and can be found in the IR website: http://www.interridge.org/IRTI/2007/abstracts Jillian is a student at Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology. Congratulations, Jillian! =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings Reunion Annuelle des Sciences de la Terre, France, 21-24 April 2008 A session on "Ridges, Ophiolites, and Rifting" will be organized at the "Reunion Annuelle des Sciences de la Terre" meeting in Nancy (France), April 21-24, 2008. Conveners: David Jousselin, Mathilde Cannat For more information on the meeting, sessions, and registration: http://www.rst2008.u-nancy.fr/ ------------------------------------------ Québec 2008, Joint Annual Meeting, 26-28 May 2008 http://www.quebec2008.net With the theme "400 years of discovery", Québec 2008 proposes a scientific program that addresses resources and energy, sustainable environment and Earth evolution. Québec 2008 aims to provoke discussions and invites presentations that will touch on the scientific evolution and multidisciplinarity of the geosciences. Participating Associations: Geological Association of Canada, Mineralogical Association of Canada, Society of Economic Geologists, Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits Sessions with particular relevance for InterRidge: Symposium SY2: The geodynamic significance of suture zones, Symposium SY5: The plateau of Tibet Uplift and its impact on global climate For more information, contact Donna Kirkwood (dkirkwoo@nrcan.gc.ca) ------------------------------------------ AGU 2008 Joint Assembly, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 27-30 May 2008 http://www.agu.org/meetings/ja08/index.html **Deadline for submitting session proposals is 31 October 2007** The 2008 Joint Assembly - a partnership among AGU, AAGG, CIGMEX, GS, MSA, SBGf, SEG, SPD/AAS and UMEC. The Program Committee is developing a Union-wide science program that will cover topics in all areas of geophysical sciences. ------------------------------------------ 33rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway, 6-14 August 2008 http://www.33igc.org **Deadline for submitting abstracts is 1 Feb. 2008** Topical Symposium: The Future of Marine Resources Conveners: Sven Petersen, James Hein, Klaus Wallmann, Michael Wiedecke Deep-ocean mining will become a reality within this decade. Consequently, this is a crucial time for the consolidation and advancement of our understanding that can be applied to the exploration for and development of marine resources world wide. These efforts are being driven and promoted by National concerns and private industry alike. Energy and metal prices have as much as quadrupled over the past five-to-ten years and clearly show that economic and political factors will drive increasing exploration and exploitation in the oceans over the near term. This Special Session will emphasize the presentation of overview talks on individual marine resources, their resource potential, and their impact on humankind and the environment. Examples of potential resources that will be stressed include polymetallic/massive sulfides, ferromanganese crusts, manganese nodules, phosphorites, and gas hydrates. ------------------------------------------ Meetings are also posted on the IR website (http://www.interridge.org/calendar). =============================================== 3. Jobs and Fellowships Two new jobs have been posted to the "interridge-classifieds" mailing list and our website (http://www.interridge.org/jobs): - Assistant, Associate or Full Professor in Marine/Environmental Microbiology, University of California, San Diego, Division of Biological Sciences - Research Associate, Cardiff University, School of Earth, Ocean and Planetary Sciences / School of Mathematics ------------------------------------------ To sign up for the interridge-classifieds list, go to - http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-classifieds =============================================== =============================================== InterRidge Email #18 (September 24th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information InterRidge Theoretical Institute Biogeochemical Interaction at Deep Sea Vents - Talks now posted! 2. Upcoming Meetings 2008 Ocean Sciences Meeting - Abstract Submittal Deadline 2 October 2007 3. Jobs and Fellowships New job postings on "InterRidge Classifieds" =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information InterRidge Theoretical Institute Biogeochemical Interaction at Deep-Sea Vents Many thanks again to all of those participants in the extremely productive five day InterRidge Theoretical Institute. Many of the talks can now be found up on the website - http://www.interridge.org/IRTI/2007/agenda The workshop reports will also be posted soon! =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings 2008 Ocean Sciences Meeting From the Watershed to the Global Ocean March 2-7 2008 * Orlando, Florida, USA Co-sponsored by the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, the American Geophysical Union, The Oceanography Society and the Estuarine Research Federation. Abstract Submittal Deadline 2 October 2007 For additional information, please see the meeting website: http://www.aslo.org/meetings/orlando2008/ Water connects and binds us all. It moves from the top of the highest mountain to the depths of the deepest oceans. As limnologists, oceanographers, and educators, water is the lifeblood of our endeavors. Now, as never before, we recognize the interconnections between land and sea, and at the 2008 bi-annual Ocean Sciences Meeting we are going to recognize the important nature of these connections. Please join us March 2-7, 2008, in Orlando, Florida, for this event. We invite you to participate through submissions to oral or poster sessions. Following the trend at our recent meetings, increasing emphasis is being placed on poster sessions with the goal of not limiting the number of concurrent oral sessions and giving greater exposure to presenters at all sessions. We especially encourage the submission of poster presentations as a very effective means of facilitating discussion of research. Poster sessions will be scheduled at times when there are no conflicts from oral sessions or scheduled special workshops, field trips, or town meetings. The poster sessions include receptions to provide opportunities to make professional connections in a social setting. For more information, please contact the conference management office by e-mail at orlando2008@sgmeet.com or by phone at 800-929-ASLO or 254-399-9635. =============================================== 3. Jobs and Fellowships Three new jobs have been posted on the "interridge-classifieds" mailing list: - Biology Faculty, General & Microbiology - Tenure Track, Salem State College - EuroDEEP - PhD Studentships and postdoctoral researchers - Assistant professor - Marine invertebrate Zoology/ benthic ecology - USC To get these mails, sign up for the interridge-classifieds list - http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-classifieds - or visit the website - http://www.interridge.org/jobs =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #17 (September 14th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information              InterRidge Theoretical Institute: Biogeochemical Interaction at Deep-Sea Vents 2. Upcoming Meetings 33rd International Geological Congress 3. Jobs and Fellowships OCEAN SCIENCES DEPARTMENT Oceanographer - University of California, Santa Cruz Marine Ecology, Comparative Animal Physiology, and Structural Biology San Diego State University One Year Professor Position - Rhode Island- Marine Life Sciences Tenure-track Faculty Position in Biogeoscience University of Minnesota Department of Geology and Geophysics =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information InterRidge Theoretical Institute: Biogeochemical Interaction at Deep-Sea Vents This week has seen 120 international scientists from 45 institutions participate in the "InterRidge Theoretical Institute: Biogeochemical Interaction at Deep-Sea Vents" organized by Nadine LeBris and the IR Biogeochemical Working Group, and held at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA. The Workshop report of this highly successful meeting will be posted on this mailing list and on the InterRidge website in the coming weeks - watching this space! =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings 33rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway 05 to 14 August 2008 Symposium: Recent Developments on Marine Mineral Deposits Call for Abstracts: Please see website http://www.33igc.org for instructions for online submission of abstracts. Abstract submission deadline 1 February 2008 Co-convenors: David S. Cronan  (d.cronan@ic.ac.uk),   Peter A. Rona (rona@imcs.rutgers.edu) and Akira Usui (a-usui@cc.kochi-u.ac.jp) Summary description: This is an exciting and pivotal time for marine minerals. Industry is gearing up for initial mining of seafloor volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits in volcanic island arcs of the western Pacific. Mining of offshore diamond placers is a sustainable industry offshore southwest Africa. Marine aggregates for beach nourishment and construction materials continues as the global mainstay of marine mining. Pioneer Investors are positioned with the International Seabed Authority for exploration and eventual mining of manganese nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the eastern equatorial Pacific and in the Indian Ocean. Exploration and assessment continues on cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts on oceanic seamounts, and for various types of placer deposits and phosphorites on continental margins. The Session will attempt to encapsulate the current 'state of the art' in research on all of these marine minerals, and serve as a snapshot of the present situation in this field. It will be supported by two pillars, hydrothermal minerals and placers/aggregates, the two most active areas of research and development at the present time, with other marine minerals topics between. The relative importance of these respective topics can be estimated from the fact that marine aggregate and placer mining is well established, with mining of marine hydrothermal deposits projected for the end of the present decade. =============================================== 2. Jobs and Fellowships OCEAN SCIENCES DEPARTMENT Oceanographer - UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ The Ocean Sciences Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level RANK: Assistant Professor SALARY: Step and salary commensurate with qualifications and experience MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Ph.D. (or equivalent) in oceanography or related discipline, in hand at time of appointment; demonstrated potential for excellence as a researcher; and commitment to and talent for teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels POSITION AVAILABLE: Fall 2008 TO APPLY: Applicants should send a letter of application; a curriculum vitae; a statement of research and teaching interests; and the names and addresses of four referees (inc1ude phone, fax, e-mail). Applicants are invited to submit a statement addressing their contributions to diversity through their research, service, and/or teaching. Send materials to: Professor Andrew Moore, Search Committee Chair Ocean Sciences Department University of California 1156 High Street Santa Cruz, CA 95064 Please refer to position #842-08 in your reply ------------------------------ FACULTY POSITIONS Marine Ecology, Comparative Animal Physiology, and Structural Biology San Diego State University The Department of Biology seeks to fill three faculty positions at the ASSISTANT PROFESSOR level. Successful applicants will be expected to develop and maintain a vigorous, externally funded research program that complements the Department's current Programs in Cell and Molecular Biology, in Ecology, and in Evolutionary Biology. Our faculty participates in our undergraduate and graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.) teaching programs, and have the ability to interact with and mentor a diverse student body. Candidates with research interests in the following areas are desired: (a) marine ecology, working in coastal or estuarine system studying processes at the population, community, or ecosystem level; (b) comparative animal physiology/functional biology, with research interests centering on addressing evolutionary and/or ecological questions in whole animal physiology/functional biology using modern comparative/phylogenetic approaches; (c) structural biology with preference for candidates employing state-of-the-art techniques of cryo-electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and/or multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance to study the structure of biological macromolecules, macromolecular assemblies, and/or subcellular organelles. For more information see website: http://www.bio.sdsu.edu/jobs ------------------------------ ASSISTANT or ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (Marine Life Sciences) The Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO) of the University of Rhode Island invites applications from outstanding scientists for a calendar-year, tenure-track position with eight months of hard money per year. We are particularly interested in scientists who address one or more interdisciplinary topics in marine life sciences. Special attention will be given to applicants with skills in advanced technologies such as: genomics, proteomics, remote sensing, data assimilation, and numerical modeling. Visit our website: http://www.uri.edu/human_resources for full requirements. Review of applications will begin October 12, 2007, and continue until filled. Please send via e-mail or regular post, a letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy and research interests, and the names and addresses of four references to e-mail: marinelifesciencessearch@gso.uri.edu or to: Peter C. Cornillon, Search Chair, (Requisition # SCI011842), University of Rhode Island, P.O. Box G, Kingston, RI 02881 ------------------------------ Tenure-track Faculty Position in Biogeoscience University of Minnesota Department of Geology and Geophysics The Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in biogeoscience. Potential research areas include: microbe/mineral interactions; microbe/groundwater interactions; microbial evolution and biochemistry; the role of organisms in geological processes; organic geochemistry and paleoenvironments; biogeochemical cycling; origin and early evolution of life on Earth; analytical paleobiology; and astrobiology. We would be especially interested in candidates whose work would complement and extend our current strengths in stable-isotope paleoecology, paleoclimatology, limnogeology, environmental magnetism, low-temperature geochemistry, geofluids and environmental geology, marine geochemical modeling and hydrothermal vents, surface-lithosphere interactions, and Earth-surface dynamics. We are open to applicants whose training is outside the Earth sciences, but the candidate would be expected to concentrate on Earth sciences problems if hired. The successful candidate is expected to initiate and maintain a strong externally funded research program The review of completed applications will begin October 15, 2007 and continue until an appointment is made. Complete applications, which may be on paper or electronic, must include (1) curriculum vitae, (2) complete list of publications, (3) statement of research interest, (4) statement of teaching interests, and (5) names, addresses and e-mail addresses of at least four references. All candidates must complete an online application via the University of Minnesota employment system at: https://employment.umn.edu (requisition number 150214). Application materials may be sent to: Chris Paola, Biogeoscience Search Committee Chair, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Minnesota, 310 Pillsbury Dr. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA; cpaola@umn.edu. ===================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #16 (August 27th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information              China will become an InterRidge principal member Reminder - Call for Papers to InterRidge News 2007 2. Upcoming Meetings InterRidge Theoretical Institute            33rd International Geological Congress – Oslo 2008 =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information China will become an InterRidge principal member We are delighted to report that China will become a principal member nation of the InterRidge program. China will join other InterRidge principal member nations of France, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States. China's upgrade to an InterRidge principal member reflects China's increasing contributions to ocean sciences in general and to the exploration and research of global mid-ocean ridges in particular. In early 2007, Chinese scientists in collaboration with international colleagues have discovered the first active hydrothermal vent fields on the ultraslow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge (see InterRidge bi-weekly news #5, March 26, 2007). In 2005/06, the Chinese research ship Dayang Yihao conducted its first around-the-globe exploration of the East Pacific Rise, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Southwest Indian Ridge, and Central Indian Ridge (see InterRidge Annual Newsletter, p. 33-34, 2006, http://interridge.whoi.edu/files/interridge/IR_news_15.pdf). Dayang Yihao continued its expedition in 2007 with cruises to the Southeast Indian Ridge near St. Paul and Amsterdam, Southwest Indian Ridge, Central Indian Ridge, and Lau Basin (see InterRidge bi-weekly news #1, January 26, and news #14, July 20, 2007). Congratulations to China's progress under the leadership of COMRA (China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association), InterRidge-China Office, and IODP-China Office. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Reminder - Call for Papers to InterRidge News 2007 We are requesting article submissions for the 16th Volume of the InterRidge News, which will be published in October 2007. InterRidge News is published annually by the InterRidge Office, although articles are posted on the IR website as soon as they are accepted. The newsletter contains brief research articles, the world ridge cruise schedule, updates from the InterRidge Working Groups and from our National Correspondents, and a calendar of upcoming meetings of interest to the InterRidge community. InterRidge News is intended for the rapid publication of preliminary results and cruise reports that do not appear in other publications. Ridge crest researchers are encouraged to submit their findings as short articles, up to 4 manuscript pages in length, accompanied by up to 4 (color) figures. Articles involving multi-national cooperation are especially encouraged. Please see previous articles in InterRidge News (http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/106) for reference. The InterRidge office will accept the following types of articles: 1) cruise reports: shipboard or immediate post-cruise results, preliminary results of recent field work related to ridge research, back ark basins and ophiolites; and 2) general interest articles: new equipment, new ships, opinion articles, workshop reports, news or updates of ridge-related projects. All papers must be submitted by email to the InterRidge office (interridge@whoi.edu) by September 3rd 2007. For formatting guidelines, please see 'Submitting to InterRidge News' (http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/217) If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact Rhian – interridge@whoi.edu =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings InterRidge Theoretical Institute Abstracts, updated agenda and poster requirements are now available on the meeting website. http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/14 ------------------------------------------------- 33rd International Geological Congress – Oslo 2008 Geomicrobiology General Symposium: Low temperature alteration, mineralization and microbial interactions. Convenors: Ingunn Thorseth and Crispin Little Deadlines: 1st Feb 2008 – Abstract Submission Feb – March 2008 – Abstract acceptance 31st march 2008 – Registration fee deadline See – http://www.33igc.org – for more details. =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #15 (August 13th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information -Call for Papers to InterRidge News 2007 -The 2007 Biology Working Group Update is now available on the IR website http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/238 2. News from the Ridge Crest -UW student cruise to Endeavour 3. Upcoming Meetings -All Ridge-Crest Relevant Fall AGU Sessions; special highlight on Session on Low Magmatic Crust -6th International Conference on Asian Marine Geology 4. Jobs and Fellowships -Assistant Professor, Marine Biology: California State University, Fullerton -FACULTY Positions in ECOLOGY and EVOLUTION: UCLA -2 Post docs in Submarine Geomorphology: The University of Manchester 5. Other -New R2K Newsletter now available! =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information Call for Papers to InterRidge News 2007 We are requesting article submissions for the 16th Volume of the InterRidge News, which will be published in October 2007. InterRidge News is published annually by the InterRidge Office, although articles are posted on the IR website as soon as they are accepted. The newsletter contains brief research articles, the world ridge cruise schedule, updates from the InterRidge Working Groups and from our National Correspondents, and a calendar of upcoming meetings of interest to the InterRidge community. InterRidge News is intended for the rapid publication of preliminary results and cruise reports that do not appear in other publications. Ridge crest researchers are encouraged to submit their findings as short articles, up to 4 manuscript pages in length, accompanied by up to 4 (color) figures. Articles involving multi-national cooperation are especially encouraged. Please see previous articles in InterRidge News (http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/106) for reference. The InterRidge office will accept the following types of articles: 1) cruise reports: shipboard or immediate post-cruise results, preliminary results of recent field work related to ridge research, back ark basins and ophiolites; and 2) general interest articles: new equipment, new ships, opinion articles, workshop reports, news or updates of ridge-related projects. All papers must be submitted by email to the InterRidge office (interridge@whoi.edu) by September 3rd 2007. For formatting guidelines, please see 'Submitting to InterRidge News' (http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/217) If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact Rhian – interridge@whoi.edu ------------------------------------------- The 2007 Biology Working Group Update is now available on the IR website! http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/238 =============================================== 2. News from the Ridge Crest UW student cruise to Endeavour July 31 - August 12, 2007. A UW student cruise aboard R/V Thomas Thompson will use ROV ROPOS to conduct seafloor surveys in support of the NEPTUNE Canada cabled observatory and to recover seismometers at Endeavour. PI's on the cruise include Deb Kelley, William Wilcock, and Mitchell Elend of UW and Doug Toomey of U. of Oregon. Students participating in the cruise have created and are maintaining a website at: http://www.ocean.washington.edu/courses/oc411/ =============================================== 3. Upcoming Meetings All Ridge-Crest Relevant AGU sessions: B16 Geomicrobiology and Environmental Biogeochemistry of Iron and Manganese T04 The Behavior of Mid-Ocean Ridge Discontinuities T11 Faults In The Ocean Crust: Perspectives From Geology And Geophysics T19 The Generation Of Oceanic Lithosphere In Areas Of Low Effusive Magmatism - Where Has All The Crust Gone? V10 From the Arc to the Back-Arc: Linking Geochemical and Geophysical Observations with Geodynamic Models of the Mantle Wedge V12 Spreading Ridge Interactions with Hotspots, Subduction Zones, and Transforms V35 Seafloor Hydrothermal Systems Related to Volcanic Arcs See http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm07/?content=search for full information. HIGHLIGHT: AGU Fall Session on Low Magmatic Crust Special Session T19 of the 2007 AGU Fall Meeting is entitled “The Generation Of Oceanic Lithospheric in Areas of Low Effusive Magmatism: Where Has All The Crust Gone?” The aim is to discuss recent discoveries of the structures and processes associated with the generation and early evolution of oceanic crust and lithosphere in regions of apparently low effusive volcanism, extensive detachment faulting or oceanic core complexes. As convenors of this session, we encourage workers from any relevant discipline in any geographical area to submit a presentation to the session. The session description is given below, and further details are available at http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm07/ under “Preplanned Sessions”. Please note that the abstract submission deadline is September 6. Session description: Recent years have seen increasing interest in the processes associated with the generation and early evolution of oceanic crust and lithosphere in regions of apparently low effusive volcanism and/or extensive detachment faulting. Such regions are mostly, though not entirely, associated with low spreading rates such as the Gakkel Ridge and Southwest Indian Ridge, but include the somewhat faster spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 12ºN – 17ºN, segment ends elsewhere on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the relatively fast spreading Parece Vela ridge in the Philippine Sea, and perhaps areas of very slow-spread crust in otherwise fast-spreading regions such as Pito Deep on the boundary of the Easter Microplate. The processes and related scientific questions include the degree of mantle melting, melt transport mechanisms, routes and final destinations of melt (e.g. is lack of effusive volcanism balanced by greater degrees of deep gabbro intrusions?); the nature and geometry of peridotite upwelling and incorporation into the lithosphere; the architecture and evolution of oceanic core complexes; early alteration of the crust/lithosphere; and the properties and bio-geo-chemical consequences of peridotite-hosted hydrothermal systems. Many studies of these areas and processes have either just come to fruition (e.g., ODP Leg 209 drilling of peridotite exposures on the MAR at 15ºN, IODP Leg 304/305 drilling of the Atlantis Massif Oceanic Core Complex, work on the Gakkel and Southwest Indian Ridges), or have started recently and are ready for preliminary presentation and discussion (e.g., recent US expeditions to Pito Deep, oceanic core complexes at Kane Fracture Zone and MAR 12ºN-14ºN, and British, French, German and Russian expeditions investigating oceanic core complexes, low-effusive spreading and peridotite-hosted hydrothermal vents at MAR 12ºN-17ºN). A wide range of disciplines is involved in addressing these questions; we invite contributions from multi-disciplinary and multi-regional perspectives that are important for attaining solutions. Roger Searle, Durham University, r.c.searle@durham.ac.uk Eric Hellebrand, SOEST - University of Hawaii, ericwgh@hawaii.edu Maurice Tivey, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, mtivey@whoi.edu Benoit Ildefonse, CNRS - Université Montpellier 2, benoit.ildefonse@gm.univ-montp2.fr ------------------------------------------- 6th International Conference on Asian Marine Geology The 6th International Conference on Asian Marine Geology will be held on 29th August to 1st September in Kochi, Japan. Given the rapid development of explorations off the Asian Coasts, the Asian Waters appears as one of the most exciting areas in the world. In addition, the first Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) for understanding seismogenic and tsunamigenic processes in the Nankai Trough is going to utilize the newly built riser drilling vessel・ Detailed examination in the Asian Water by using various new techniques has yielded a lot of precious data so far. This conference aims to provide an opportunity for exchanging ideas arising from analysis of the new data and for discussing the fruitful scientific results obtained from the examinations/observations made in the Asian Waters. Chair of the organizing committee: W. Soh First Circular: http://ofgs.ori.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ICAMG6/ICAMG6_1stCircular.pdf Web page: http://ofgs.ori.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ICAMG6/ =============================================== 4. Jobs and Fellowships ASSISTANT PROFESSOR - Marine Biology California State University, Fullerton The Department of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), invites applications for a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor position in marine biology to begin August 2008. Applicants should have a Ph.D. and relevant postdoctoral experience. We are interested in candidates who can contribute to departmental concentrations in marine biology and in biodiversity, ecology, and conservation biology. Possible research areas include, but are not limited to, systematics, population genetics, phylogeography, marine plant-animal interactions, and invasive species. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an active, externally funded research program involving undergraduate and M.S. students, and be committed to excellence in teaching a diverse population of students. The successful candidate will contribute to an inquiry-based, lower-division core course (either evolution and biodiversity or principles of physiology and ecology), teach an upper-division/graduate-level course in phycology, and develop other upper-division elective courses in his/her area of expertise. CSUF is a member of the Southern California Marine Institute (website: http://scmi.us/) and is situated near other major universities that offer possibilities for collaboration. Send (1) curriculum vitae (including history of grant support), (2) a statement of research plans, (3) reprints of two to three recent, peer-reviewed publications, (4) a statement of teaching philosophy and experience, and (5) have three letters of recommendation sent to: Marine Biology Search Committee, Department of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92834-6850. Website: http://biology.fullerton.edu/ Review of applicants will begin November 16, 2007, and continue until a suitable candidate is appointed. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. Women and minority candidates are particularly encouraged to apply. CSUF is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Title IX/ADA Employer --------------------------------------------------- FACULTY POSITIONS in ECOLOGY and EVOLUTION UCLA Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCLA invites applications for two tenure-track positions for an ECOLOGIST and EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST, both at the ASSISTANT PROFESSOR level. We seek candidates who address central concepts in ecology and evolution using theory and/or experimentation. Applicants working on all systems, particularly those working in the marine realm, are welcome. The Department is also interested in individuals with a history of promoting diversity in education. The expected start date is September 2008. Candidates must have a Ph.D.; postdoctoral experience is desired. Salary is commensurate with education and experience. Successful candidates are expected to participate in undergraduate and graduate teaching and to maintain an externally funded research program. UCLA has outstanding resources, including the UC Natural Reserve System, the NSF Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM), the Institute of the Environment's Center for Tropical Research and Coastal Center, a departmental seawater lume facility, re-circulating seawater holding facilities, a coastal research vessel, and many core facilities. Applicants should submit application materials online (website: http://www.eeb.ucla.edu/ecoevobio) cover letter, curriculum vitae, statements of research and teaching interests, two to three publications, and names and addresses of three references. Please use job number: 0830-0708-01 (Ecologist) or 0830-0708-02 (Evolutionary Biologist) in all correspondence. For additional information, contact: Search Committee Chair Priyanga Amarasekare (e-mail: amarasek@ eeb.ucla.edu) Review of applications will begin September 15, 2007. UCLA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer with a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of diversity among its faculty and staff. --------------------------------------------------- THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER SCHOOL OF EARTH, ATMOSPHERIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Applications are invited for two post-doctoral researchers in submarine geomorphology. One post will involve deriving geomorphic parameters of canyons in a variety of submarine slope morphologic datasets, contributing to the growing subject of submarine slope geomorphologic modelling. The second post will apply "mesh" computing techniques to study irregularly spaced topographic data of one or more types of geological features depending on the applicant's experience and interest. This post may suit a physical volcanologist or sedimentologist experienced in working with topographic data. The appointments will be for 22 months in the first instance, with extension dependent on funding. The closing date for both posts is 10 September 2007. Further particulars and application details can be found at http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/jobs/research references EPS-155-07 and EPS-154-07. =============================================== 5. Other New R2K Newsletter now available! The summer, 2007 edition of the R2K newsletter is now available for download on the R2K website at: http://www.ridge2000.org/science/info/newsletters.php Highlights of this edition include: - an update on the R2K ISS site transition plan - in-depth updates on each of the current ISS, including information on upcoming cruises - relevant program updates, upcoming meetings, featured student and Ridge news highlights and more. Thanks to everyone who contributed items for this edition! We will be mailing out hardcopies of the newsletter to anyone who has selected "yes" to "receive printed materials from R2K" in their membership profiles towards the end of the month. =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #14 (July 30th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information Call for Papers to InterRidge News 2007 2. News from the Ridge Crest Chinese DY115-19 expedition 3. Upcoming Meetings InterRidge Theoretical Institute ‘Biogeochemical interaction at deep-sea vents’ 4. Jobs and Fellowships Six Ocean Observing Science and Engineering Faculty =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information Call for Papers to InterRidge News 2007 We are requesting article submissions for the 16th Volume of the InterRidge News, which will be published in October 2007. InterRidge News is published annually by the InterRidge Office, although articles are posted on the IR website as soon as they are accepted. The newsletter contains brief research articles, the world ridge cruise schedule, updates from the InterRidge Working Groups and from our National Correspondents, and a calendar of upcoming meetings of interest to the InterRidge community. InterRidge News is intended for the rapid publication of preliminary results and cruise reports that do not appear in other publications. Ridge crest researchers are encouraged to submit their findings as short articles, up to 4 manuscript pages in length, accompanied by up to 4 (color) figures. Articles involving multi-national cooperation are especially encouraged. Please see previous articles in InterRidge News (http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/106) for reference. The InterRidge office will accept the following types of articles: 1) cruise reports: shipboard or immediate post-cruise results, preliminary results of recent field work related to ridge research, back ark basins and ophiolites; and 2) general interest articles: new equipment, new ships, opinion articles, workshop reports, news or updates of ridge-related projects. All papers must be submitted by email to the InterRidge office (interridge@whoi.edu) by September 3rd 2007. For formatting guidelines, please see 'Submitting to InterRidge News' (http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/217) If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact Rhian – interridge@whoi.edu =============================================== 2. News from the Ridge Crest Continued exploration of the Southwest and Central Indian Ridge by Chinese DY115-19 expedition: New hydrothermal anomalies located by Leg 3 After discovering the first black smoker at the ultraslow spreading Southwestern Indian Ridge, Chinese R/V Dayangyihao continued its expedition with the third leg across the Indian Ocean. The leg started in Durban, South Africa on 15 March, 2007 and finished in Frementle, Australia on 24 April, 2007. This 39-day leg was funded and sponsored by China Ocean Mineral Resources R & D Association (COMRA) and led by Dr. Xiqiu Han, Second Institute of Oceanography, SOA. The objective of this leg was mainly to look for new active hydrothermal sites along the ultraslow spreading segment of the SW Indian Ridge (SWIR) and the moderately-fast spreading segment of the Central Indian Ridge (CIR). During this leg, geophysical mapping were performed using a Kongsberg EM120 multibeam system, Geometric G-880G magnenometer, GSS-2 and S-133 gravitimeters. To get higher resolution maps for the investigation area, the beam angle was reduced to 60°. TV-guided grab and gravity corer were used for geological sampling. A deep-sea video camera system was used for ocean floor observation. A 24-bottle CTD was deployed for water sampling. The in-situ hydrothermal plume detection was conducted using MAPRs (Miniature Autonomous Plume Recorder), Mets (Methane Sensor), and CTD sensors attached to the cable of deep-towed instruments. USBL-navigation (Ultra Short Baseline) was used whenever possible to obtain the most accurate location of the under-water instrument. Assisted by GIS, the under-water instruments and the sampling locations were monitered real-time, which greatly improved the quality of data and samples obtained. In total four new hydrothermal sites were found, three at the SWIR, and one located at the CIR. Each site showed intense signals of turbidity, methane and temperature anomalies in the water column, and supported by hydrothermal influenced sediments and rocks, anemones and white crabs were also occasionally observed at these sites. Besides, two ultramafic complex were located and sampled off-axis of the ridge at SWIR, interestingly, one is located 40km away from the central rift valley. The ultramafic rocks, basalts, sulfides and sediments collected will serve to study the hydrothermalism along the SWIR and CIR. The water column anomalies will serve to understand the distribution of plumes and constrain the hydrothermal sites discovered. However, more detailed and higher resolution survey work will be needed in future cruises to locate active venting sites. By, Xiqiu Han Email: xqhan@mail.hz.zj.cn Second Institute of Oceanography & Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, SOA 36 Baochu North Road, Hangzhou Zhejiang 310012, China =============================================== 3. Upcoming Meetings InterRidge Theoretical Institute ‘Biogeochemical interaction at deep-sea vents’ The deadline for registering and abstracts for the InterRidge Theoretical Institute is next Tuesday – 31st July 2007. The goal of this Theoretical Institute is to encourage multidisciplinary convergence in the study of interactions occurring at deep-sea vent sites between the biological and chemical components of the environment, and to increase collaborative efforts to develop new techniques for making key measurements to achieve this goal. The InterRidge Theoretical Institute will be comprised of two parts: 2 days of Short Courses and Advanced Lectures; and 3 days of Workshops. For more information and how to register, go to - http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/14 =============================================== 4. Jobs and Fellowships Six Ocean Observing Science and Engineering Faculty The School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) invites applications for six, newly appropriated tenure-track positions. We seek outstanding candidates whose combined skills improve SOEST capabilities in the following areas: ocean modeling and data assimilation; ocean observing technologies (autonomous vehicles, ocean gliders, cabled observatories, ocean acoustics, and coastal/ seafloor geodesy); coastal and/or watershed processes (hydrodynamics, sediment transport, hazards); and integrating data management and visualization of ocean observations to yield innovative public products. SOEST is launching a Pacific regional ocean observing system that will form the basis for ground-breaking new research programs, operational on-line products focused on the safe, clean, and productive capacity of Hawai‘i’s ocean and coasts, and training of the next generation’s workforce. We seek pioneering and enthusiastic scientists and engineers who will interact synergistically and with existing faculty to form a dynamic team of advanced researchers, specialists, and educators to fulfill the vision of ocean observing in Hawai‘i and the Pacific. Appointments will be at a range of levels (Assistant to Full Professor) and classifications (Instructional, Research and Specialist) based on the profile of the very best applicants. Successful candidates will have an established record of publication in international peer-reviewed scientific journals, or equivalent patents/products/ programs, recognized high potential in research funding, superior communication abilities, and the capacity to build a flourishing interdisciplinary research program. Minimum requirements for these positions include a Ph.D. or equivalent experience in a related scientific or engineering field. Information about SOEST can be found on our web site at www.soest.hawaii.edu. Applicants should supply curriculum vitae, including a list of publications, details regarding research funding, information describing teaching experience and interests, and a summary of research interests. Of special interest to the Search Committee will be statements of strategy to build collaborative programs with the new team of hires in addition to existing SOEST faculty. Mail addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of at least three references should be sent to: Ocean Observing Faculty Search School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology University of Hawai‘i at M¯anoa 1680 East-West Road, POST 802 Honolulu, HI 96822, USA For additional information call: (808) 956-9110. Review of applicants will begin September 1, 2007. The University of Hawai‘i is an EEO/AA employer. =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #13 (July 16th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information Call for Papers to InterRidge News 2007 2. News from the Ridge Crest MoMARDREAM Leg 1 MoMARDream (Leg 2) & BBMoMAR cruises 3. Upcoming Meetings ESONET/ European Seafloor Observatory Network 4. Jobs and Fellowships University of Aberdeen - Lecturer University of Lisbon - PostDoctoral Positions =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information Call for Papers to InterRidge News 2007 We are requesting article submissions for the 16th Volume of the InterRidge News, which will be published in October 2007. InterRidge News is published annually by the InterRidge Office, although articles are posted on the IR website as soon as they are accepted. The newsletter contains brief research articles, the world ridge cruise schedule, updates from the InterRidge Working Groups and from our National Correspondents, and a calendar of upcoming meetings of interest to the InterRidge community. InterRidge News is intended for the rapid publication of preliminary results and cruise reports that do not appear in other publications. Ridge crest researchers are encouraged to submit their findings as short articles, up to 4 manuscript pages in length, accompanied by up to 4 (color) figures. Articles involving multi-national cooperation are especially encouraged. Please see previous articles in InterRidge News (http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/106) for reference. The InterRidge office will accept the following types of articles: 1) cruise reports: shipboard or immediate post-cruise results, preliminary results of recent field work related to ridge research, back ark basins and ophiolites; and 2) general interest articles: new equipment, new ships, opinion articles, workshop reports, news or updates of ridge-related projects. All papers must be submitted by email to the InterRidge office (interridge@whoi.edu) by September 3rd 2007. For formatting guidelines, please see 'Submitting to InterRidge News' (http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/217) If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact Rhian – interridge@whoi.edu =============================================== 2. News from the Ridge Crest MoMARDREAM Leg 1 The MoMARDREAM-Naut cruise is the first part of the multidisciplinary project MOMARDREAM lead jointly by Jérôme Dyment (IPGP-Paris), Françoise Gaill (CNRS-Université Paris 6) and Yves Fouquet from Ifremer. The first 9-Nautile dives are dedicated to the biology and the geology of the Rainbow site. Françoise Gaill is the chief scientist and Jérome Dyment the project leader (July 9th-19th). At 2300 meter depth, Rainbow is among the few discovered MAR sites hosted on ultramafic rocks. The chemical composition of fluids is unique to date on many aspects including the exceptional enrichment of fluids in iron. This element therefore plays a major role in geological, hydrothermal and biological processes. MOMARDREAM objectives are related to these processes. One of the central issues is to understand the role of this element in the symbiotic relationship between Rimicaris exoculata shrimps and their associated bacteria. These interactions will be studied in situ and in vivo, in pressurized aquaria (IPOCAMP) sampled with PERISCOP. In addition, geological survey and sampling will be performed to anticipate an IODP drilling project leaded by Yves Fouquet (Ifremer-Brest). A second part of the MoMARDREAM cruise will be performed later with the VICTOR ROV for microbathymetry and magnetic surveys. For more information: http://www.insu.cnrs.fr/a2255,debut-de-la-campagne-momardream.html ------------------------------------------------- MoMARDream (Leg 2) & BBMoMAR cruises Integrated studies at the Lucky Strike vent fields (MoMAR) V. Ballu1, W. Crawford2, J. Escartin2, P.-M. Sarradin3 and Science Parties* 1Géophysique Spatiale, IPGP, Paris, France 2Géosciences Marines, IPGP, Paris, France 3DEEP-LEP, IFREMER, Plouzané, France The 2nd leg of the MoMARDREAM cruise (9 and 19-28 July) onboard "PourQuoi Pas?" (IFREMER/SHOM) and the submersible Nautile (IFREMER) will carry out multidisciplinary and integrated studies at the Lucky Strike hydrothermal site. Additional field work will be carried out onboard "Suroit" (IFREMER) during BBMoMAR (18-28 July 2007). This 2007 field work is part of a coordinated effort within the French MoMAR program monitor active processes and their feedback at a slow-spreading segment, and it is funded primarily by CNRS, INSU and IFREMER. Lucky Strike is the target for integrated and long-term monitoring projects within the MoMAR program. The goal is to understand the feedback between active processes operating at this site, including seismicity and deformation, hydrothermal activity, and the ecosystems that it supports. These cruises encompass several projects, 3 of which are multi-year. The results of these cruises, and the time series recorded by the instrumentation deployed will provide the basis for the full development of an integrated study site at a slow spreading ridge, and for the installation at longer term of a seafloor observatory within the European ESONET program. Installation of instrumentation at the seafloor for long-term measurements was initiated in 2006, during the Graviluck'06 and MOMARETO cruises. These included temperature sensors, time-lapse cameras, pressure gauges, geodetical benchmarks, geomicrobiological incubators, geochemical sensors and biological samplers. During the 2007 cruises instrumentation at the seafloor will be recovered so as to obtain a 2006-2007 time series. Redeployment of instruments, and expansion of the monitoring with additional sensors (i.e., OBSs for microseismicity) will provide time series for 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. These time series will include temperature, pressure, seismicity, electromagnetism, chemistry, ecology, imagery, geomicrobiology, etc. Information on the MoMARDREAM Leg 2 cruise can be found at: http://www.insu.cnrs.fr/a2255,debut-de-la-campagne-momardream.html Projects: BBMoMAR - PI: W. Crawford, CNRS/IPGP, Paris, France Bathyluck'07 - PI: J. Escartín, CNRS/IPGP, Paris, France Graviluck'07 - PI: V. Ballu, CNRS/IPGP, Paris, France RECO'07 - PI: P.M. Sarradin, IFREMER, Brest, France *Science parties: MoMARDREAM Leg 2: J. Ammann, J. Blandin, V. Ballu, A. Cogez, D. Cuvelier, S. Dentrecolas, D. Dusunur, J. Escartín, F. Fontaine, A. Godfroy, D. Guillon, C. Le Gall, N. Lesparre, O. Pot, C. Rommevaux-Jestin, J. Santos, P.-M. Sarradin BBMoMAR: L. Beguery, W. Crawford, J.-F. D'Eau, C. Duclos, A. Lourenço, G. Reverdin, P. Tarits =============================================== 3. Upcoming Meetings ESONET/ European Seafloor Observatory Network "All regions workshop" of Barcelona - September 5 to 7 2007 The aim of ESONET is to promote the implementation and European-scale management of a network of long-term multidisciplinary observatories in circum-European seas. These observatories will allow for long term monitoring of deep seafloor and water column processes related to ecosystem life and evolution, global changes and geo-hazards. Multi-disciplinarity and transnationality are keys to the success of ESONET, both for scientific reasons and for maximum use of observatory infrastructure. The first "All Regions Workshop" of ESONET will promote multi-disciplinarity and transnationality by welcoming new users and refining regional observatory objectives and instrumentation strategies, with respect to the experience and achievements of other deep sea observatory initiatives worldwide, and to other European and international partners. As an outcome of this workshop, we also anticipate the production of a provisional Science and Implementation Plan for the ESONET nodes. The first circular announcing the workshop is now available on the ESONET web site: http://www.ifremer.fr/esonet/esonet-noe/meetings/esonet-meetings.htm Roland PERSON Esonet Coordinator =============================================== 4. Jobs and Fellowships University of Aberdeen - Lecturer School of Biological Sciences Closing date: 26 July 2007 A highly motivated and interactive individual in community or population ecology of marine organisms, you will have interests in understanding the response of populations and communities to environmental change. You should have skills and interests that complement those of ecologists at the University of Aberdeen, in areas such as adaptation, life history evolution, population dynamics, trophic interactions, conservation biology, and empirical, statistical or theoretical approaches to fisheries management. For details see http://www.abdn.ac.uk/biologicalsci/research/ecology.shtml You must have a PhD in a relevant subject and an excellent publication record. You will run an active externally funded research program in any aspect of marine population or community or fisheries biology, supervise postgraduate students and contribute to teaching marine biology and ecology at undergraduate and Masters levels. The position is available for three years. Salary will be paid in the range of £33,101 – £39,525 per annum. For informal enquiries or to arrange a visit, please contact Professor Chris Secombes, Head of School (tel: 01224 272857, e-mail: c.secombes@abdn.ac.uk). Online application forms and further particulars are available from http://www.abdn.ac.uk/jobs Alternatively telephone (01224) 272727 (24 hour answering service) quoting reference number SBS007A for an application pack. Closing date: 26 July 2007 ----------------------------------------------------- University of Lisbon - PostDoctoral Positions UNIVERSIDADE DE LISBOA The University of Lisbon opens 85 research positions in the following areas, Biological sciences Biophysics Biomedicine Epidemiology Pharmaceutical sciences Chemistry Earth, Environment, Energy Marine sciences Mathematics Physics Information technologies Nanosciences History of Science Social sciences Geographical studies Comparative and Theatre studies Linguistics 5-year research contracts, base salary 43k€ The University of Lisbon is a reputed public university in the capital of Portugal. The campus is located in the city centre, hosting 20,000 students and over 50 active research units. Following a competitive governmental bid for science recruiting, our commitment to fostering research excellence resulted in the awarding of 85 new postdoctoral positions. OPEN Applications - for deadlines and conditions, http://www.ul.pt =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #12 (July 2nd, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information Biogeochemical Interactions Working Group Update 2007 2. News from the Ridge Crest The Arctic Gakkel Vents Expedition (AGAVE): July 1 - Aug. 10 3. Upcoming Meetings International Conference on Gas Hydrates - Energy, Climate and Environment - Taipei 4. Jobs and Fellowships Postdoctoral Oceanographer for Science Planning =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information Biogeochemical Interactions at Deep-Sea Vents Working Group Update 2007 To see the update go to - http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/216 =============================================== 2. News from the Ridge Crest The Arctic Gakkel Vents Expedition (AGAVE): July 1 - Aug. 10 2007 Longyearbyen, Svalbard to Tromso, Norway. MV Oden. AGAVE is a multi-disciplinary expedition with the primary purpose of finding and characterizing hydrothermal vent fields along ice-covered portions of the Gakkel Ridge. Four instrument platforms will be used. A CTD/rosette system will be used to characterize water column properties and to search for hydrothermal plumes in target areas defined by results from the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge Experiment (AMORE) in 2001. An AUV equipped with water column sensors, including a mass spectrometer and a long-range optical backscatter system, will search for plume "stems" that tightly constrain the seafloor position of the source vent field. An AUV equipped with seafloor sensors, including a multibeam sonar, a magnetometer, and a digital camera, will make high-resolution maps and mosaics of the vent fields. A new wireline camera and sampling system with real-time surface telemetry will be used to obtain biological and geological samples. PIs: Hedy Edmonds, Susan Humphris, Robert Reves-Sohn, Timothy Shank, and Hanumant Singh To follow the cruise go to – WHOI’s Dive and Discover – http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/expedition11/index.html Polar Discovery - http://polardiscovery.whoi.edu/expedition2/index.html =============================================== 3. Upcoming Meetings International Conference on Gas Hydrates - Energy, Climate and Environment National Taiwan University, Taipei Conference - 4-5 October, 2007 Field Trip - 6-8 October, 2007 Conference Goals The purposes of this gas hydrate conference are to present a comprehensive expert review of the latest development in the rapidly emerging field of gas hydrate research, examine gas hydrate investigation status in the Asian and Pacific region, provide expert advises on gas hydrate investigation, future, and encourage international cooperation on gas hydrate research. The conference will be comprised of two days of oral and poster presentations. After the 2-day conference, a 3-day field excursion will be arranged to see the geology and mud volcanoes in southern Taiwan. Conference Website - http://140.112.68.2/ghc/ =============================================== 4. Jobs and Fellowships Postdoctoral Oceanographer for Science Planning The Consortium for Ocean Leadership, a new corporation resulting from the merger of the Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Inc. (JOI) and the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE), has an immediate opening in its Washington, D.C. office for a postdoctoral oceanographer to assist with science planning for the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). The OOI, which will be funded by the National Science Foundation, will construct an integrated observatory network to provide ocean, earth, and atmospheric scientists and educators with continuous, interactive access to the ocean. The postdoctoral oceanographer will analyze science requirements, provide liaison with the scientific community and the NSF, coordinate discussions with community experts and the project’s implementing organizations, develop presentations for design reviews, review, edit, and write documents, represent the corporation at scientific meetings and workshops, monitor progress against milestones, and perform related activities that require domain expertise in oceanography and basic understanding of current research areas. The successful candidate must have a Ph.D. in physical, chemical, or biological oceanography with experience and/or knowledge in the acquisition of in situ oceanographic data. Experience with experimental ocean observation platforms is advantageous. Demonstrated planning, decision-making, and problem-solving capabilities, demonstrated initiative to work independently to prioritize work and complete projects with general direction, and excellent communication and editorial skills are also required. This position will be for 12 months, extendable to 24 months, at a postdoctoral salary of $55,000 per year. The Consortium for Ocean Leadership provides an excellent benefit and retirement package. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. For consideration, please forward your letter of interest, complete resume/CV, the names of four references, and a representative writing sample to orion@joiscience.org. =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #11 (June 18th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information Monitoring and Observatories Working Group Update 2007 Reminder – Working Group Proposals Due 29th June 2007 2. News from the Ridge Crest The Arctic Gakkel Vents Expedition (AGAVE): July 1 - Aug. 10 3. Upcoming Meetings InterRidge Theoretical Institute – Working Group Sessions Full! International Conference on Gas Hydrates - Energy, Climate and Environment - Taipei 4. Jobs and Fellowships Postdoctoral Oceanographer for Science Planning Professor in Marine Organismal Biology =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information Monitoring and Observatories Working Group Update 2007 To see the update go to - http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/209 --------------------------------------- Reminder – Working Group Proposals Due 29th June 2007 Call for proposals from the international community for new InterRidge Working Groups The InterRidge Steering Committee is pleased to announce a call for proposals from the international community to establish new InterRidge Working Groups (WGs) in 2007. A proposal of 1-2 pages should be e-mailed to the InterRidge Office by Friday, June 29, 2007. This invitation is open to any member - or groups of members - of the international community. All proposals will be reviewed and the new WGs will be recommended by the InterRidge Steering Committee. The InterRidge WGs play an essential role in promoting, facilitating, and coordinating new research that follows a focused theme of emerging scientific promise, or is conducted in a unique geographic setting along global ridge-crests where advances in science will benefit significantly from InterRidge coordination. The WGs will work closely with the InterRidge Steering Committee and the InterRidge Office. The WGs will discuss issues related to focused science themes and/or geographic regions, convene group meetings and community-wide workshops, and promote and coordinate new international research cruises and related work. In 2006 the InterRidge Steering Committee recommended the following generic plan for how a WG should operate (also published in the fall 2006 InterRidge Newsletter): 1. A group of up to 10 international proponents submit a proposal to InterRidge Office for the formation of a WG. 2. Each proposal is considered by the InterRidge Steering Committee. If accepted, the InterRidge program will provide US $2,000 "leverage money" to help a maximum of 10 people to meet, possibly flanking another major congress. The aim of the meeting is for these proponents to finalize a plan for a workshop. 3. The workshop plan is submitted to the InterRidge Steering Committee. If accepted, US $3,000 is given for workshop support/leverage. 4. The WG may have two end-member outcomes - either it produces a clear plan for how InterRidge can help push forward science through a coordinated effort, or it concludes that national programs are dealing with the burning issues at present and so InterRidge involvement is not absolutely necessary at the time. The former outcome could lead to a proposal to InterRidge to continue the WG, the latter outcome leads to the WG disbanding. By the end of 2006, two InterRidge WGs had completed their intended missions: "Ridge-hotspot interactions" and "Back-arc spreading centers". That leaves InterRidge with five currently-active WGs: 1) Biogeochemical interactions at deep-sea vents 2) Biology 3) Deep Earth sampling 4) Monitoring and observatories 5) Ultra-slow spreading ridges (see www.interridge.org for details) We look forwarding to receiving your proposals and ideas for new InterRidge Working Groups! =============================================== 2. News from the Ridge Crest The Arctic Gakkel Vents Expedition (AGAVE): July 1 - Aug. 10 2007 Longyearbyen, Svalbard to Tromso, Norway. MV Oden. AGAVE is a multi-disciplinary expedition with the primary purpose of finding and characterizing hydrothermal vent fields along ice-covered portions of the Gakkel Ridge. Four instrument platforms will be used. A CTD/rosette system will be used to characterize water column properties and to search for hydrothermal plumes in target areas defined by results from the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge Experiment (AMORE) in 2001. An AUV equipped with water column sensors, including a mass spectrometer and a long-range optical backscatter system, will search for plume "stems" that tightly constrain the seafloor position of the source vent field. An AUV equipped with seafloor sensors, including a multibeam sonar, a magnetometer, and a digital camera, will make high-resolution maps and mosaics of the vent fields. A new wireline camera and sampling system with real-time surface telemetry will be used to obtain biological and geological samples. PIs: Hedy Edmonds, Susan Humphris, Robert Reves-Sohn, Timothy Shank, and Hanumant Singh To follow the cruise go to – WHOI’s Dive and Discover – http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/expedition11/index.html Polar Discovery - http://polardiscovery.whoi.edu/expedition2/index.html =============================================== 3. Upcoming Meetings InterRidge Theoretical Institute – Working Group Workshops Full! The Working Group workshop sessions of the InterRidge Theoretical Institute are full and there are only 20 places left for the lectures, so register soon if you wish to attend. Details of the meeting can be found at - http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/14 ------------------------------------------- International Conference on Gas Hydrates - Energy, Climate and Environment National Taiwan University, Taipei Conference - 4-5 October, 2007 Field Trip - 6-8 October, 2007 Conference Goals The purposes of this gas hydrate conference are to present a comprehensive expert review of the latest development in the rapidly emerging field of gas hydrate research, examine gas hydrate investigation status in the Asian and Pacific region, provide expert advises on gas hydrate investigation, future, and encourage international cooperation on gas hydrate research. The conference will be comprised of two days of oral and poster presentations. After the 2-day conference, a 3-day field excursion will be arranged to see the geology and mud volcanoes in southern Taiwan. Conference Website - http://140.112.68.2/ghc/ =============================================== 4. Jobs and Fellowships Postdoctoral Oceanographer for Science Planning The Consortium for Ocean Leadership, a new corporation resulting from the merger of the Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Inc. (JOI) and the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE), has an immediate opening in its Washington, D.C. office for a postdoctoral oceanographer to assist with science planning for the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). The OOI, which will be funded by the National Science Foundation, will construct an integrated observatory network to provide ocean, earth, and atmospheric scientists and educators with continuous, interactive access to the ocean. The postdoctoral oceanographer will analyze science requirements, provide liaison with the scientific community and the NSF, coordinate discussions with community experts and the project’s implementing organizations, develop presentations for design reviews, review, edit, and write documents, represent the corporation at scientific meetings and workshops, monitor progress against milestones, and perform related activities that require domain expertise in oceanography and basic understanding of current research areas. The successful candidate must have a Ph.D. in physical, chemical, or biological oceanography with experience and/or knowledge in the acquisition of in situ oceanographic data. Experience with experimental ocean observation platforms is advantageous. Demonstrated planning, decision-making, and problem-solving capabilities, demonstrated initiative to work independently to prioritize work and complete projects with general direction, and excellent communication and editorial skills are also required. This position will be for 12 months, extendable to 24 months, at a postdoctoral salary of $55,000 per year. The Consortium for Ocean Leadership provides an excellent benefit and retirement package. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. For consideration, please forward your letter of interest, complete resume/CV, the names of four references, and a representative writing sample to orion@joiscience.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Professor in Marine Organismal Biology Professor in Marine Organismal Biology University of Bergen Deadline: 18 June 2007 University of Bergen is a city university. Parts of the campus are in fact situated in the town centre. We have about 17.000 students and nearly 3000 employees. UiB is renowned for its research which holds a high European standard and we have three Centres of Excellence (CoE). The University of Bergen has a strong international profile which entails close co-operation with universities all over the world Professor in Marine Organismal Biology at the Department of Biology The professor will work on marine invertebrates bridging the fields of evolutionary and developmental processes, systematics, phylogeny and evolutionary history using a combined approach accumulating data from many different fields. Start-up funding will be made available to help the successful candidate quickly becoming established in the position More at http://www.uib.no/stilling and http://www.bio.uib.no/pages/home.php Submit application in 5 copies, sorted into 5 bundles, to the Department of Biology, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, NO-5020 Bergen, Norway, by 18 June 2007 =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #10 (June 4th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information Deep Earth Sampling Working Group Update 2007 2. News from the Ridge Crest R/V Hakuho-maru at the Central Indian Ridge 3. Upcoming Meetings AGU Session Proposals Due Wednesday 13th June 2007 Download the Abstract Volume for the Russian Ridges ‘07 Meeting Early Registration Extended for the InterRidge Theoretical Institute 4. Jobs and Fellowships InterRidge Classifieds! =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information Deep Earth Sampling Working Group Update 2007 Over the next five weeks we will be announcing the release of the 2007 Working Group updates. The first group to be featured is the Deep Earth Sampling Working Group led by Benoit Ildefonse (CNRS/ISTEEM). To view the working group update, go to http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/198 =============================================== 2. News from the Ridge Crest R/V Hakuho-maru at the Central Indian Ridge The KH-06-4 Research Cruise by R/V Hakuho-maru was conducted from 7 December 2006 to 5 January 2007, in the Central Indian Ridge. The research proposal was prepared by K. Tamaki, T. Ura, T. Gamo and others. We principally focused on advancing the understanding of the Rodriguez Segment (Segments 15 and 16) of CIR (the Central Indian Ridge) where the previous geological and geophysical studies were ongoing as UK and French programs. We conducted four operations; geophysical mapping by SeaBeam, magnetics, and gravity, AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) dives, CTD hydrocasts, and rock samplings. The principal results of the cruise are summarized as follows. (1) Success of the dives by AUV at the axis of mid-oceanic ridge AUV, r2D4, developed by the Institute of Industrial Sciences, University of Tokyo, successfully dived at the axial part of the CIR at its 2800 m water depth and collected high- resolution side scan sonar images, interferometric bathymetry, anomalies of manganese components in the sea water, geomagnetic data, and others. The diving at the Segment 16 of CIR was especially successful with complete sidescan sonar mapping of a large lava plain at the axial rift zone that was named as Great Dodo Lava Plain and the finding of possible hydrothermal site by a realtime manganese analyzer (GAMOS) installed on the AUV. (2) Findings of two hydrothermal sites. Two possible active hydrothermal sites are newly found during the cruise by the CTD operation and AUV operation. One is in the Segment 15 and the other is in the Segment 16. Although further surveys by ROV or submersible are necessary, the intensive signals of manganese anomaly in the deepsea water suggest strong possibility of existence of active hydrothermal sites. (3) High resolution mapping of the axial rift of CIR High resolution bathymetric mapping of the axial rift zones of Segments 15 , 16 , 17 and 18 was achieved by high frequency multi narrow beam bathymetric mapping system with a sonic frequency of 20kHz and footprint of 1 degree. The resultant mapping of 50 m grid may be one the best quality mapping of the mid-ocanis ridges in the world. (4) Pinpoint identification of the contact the Reunion Hotspot plume and CIR spreading axis Very contact of the eastern extension of the Gastiao Ridge and the axial volcanic chain of the Segment 15 was identified by the high resolution axial mapping. We found a plateau, which was named as the Roger Plateau, between the Gastiao Ridge and the axial rift of the Segment 15. Whole the feature of the Roger Plateau appears to be formed by hotspot-ridge interaction process. (5) Bathymetric and magnetic mapping of near axis semountsins Two seamountains were mapped with high resolution bathymetry and magnetics at the Segment 16. The seamountains have the relative heights of 1300-1800 m and are located at 20km to 40km to the north from the axis of the Segment 16. The seamounts are unusually large at the near axis zone of the mid-oceanic ridge and suggest intensive magmatism at the Segment 16 as well as the occurrence of the Great Dodo Lava Plain. By Kyoko Okino =============================================== 3. Upcoming Meetings AGU Session Proposals - Wednesday 13th June 2007 Members of the Earth and space sciences community are invited to propose a session for the 2007 Fall Meeting. You may submit a session proposal to any discipline. Proposals may cover any topic of scientific interest. The Program Committee will not consider tribute or celebratory sessions. Session proposals may be edited, modified, or combined at the suggestion or request of a Program Committee member, and with appropriate discussion with the convener. The Program Committee will consider all session proposals at a meeting in June, and you will be notified about their acceptance decisions in early July. To propose an AGU session, go to - http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm07/program.html ----------------------------------------- Download the Abstract Volume for the Russian Ridges ‘07 Meeting The abstract volume for the Russian Ridge Workshop ’07 is now available on the InterRidge website. To download go to http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/93 and click the abstract link. ---------------------------------- Early Registration Extended for the InterRidge Theoretical Institute ‘Biogeochemical interaction at deep-sea vents’. The goal of this Theoretical Institute is to encourage multidisciplinary convergence in the study of interactions occurring at deep-sea vent sites between the biological and chemical components of the environment, and to increase collaborative efforts to develop new techniques for making key measurements to achieve this goal. The InterRidge Theoretical Institute will be comprised of two parts: 2 days of Short Courses and Advanced Lectures; and 3 days of Workshops. Early register for $75 ($30 for students) until June 15th, 2007 Late registration will be open until July 31st, 2007 - $100 ($50 for students) Places are limited for both the Short Courses and the Workshops, so register now to reserve your place! R2K travel funds of up to $800 will be available for US Students, details will be posted soon! Please contact me if you have any questions – interridge@whoi.edu =============================================== 4. Jobs and Fellowships InterRidge Classifieds! A new mailing list has just been created to better serve you the InterRidge community. This list is called the “InterRidge Classifieds” and will contain international ridge related job information aimed at students, postdocs and anyone looking for (or looking to post) a fellowship, internship or job! To subscribe to this list go to – http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-classifieds There will be no set schedule for this email list, as jobs will be posted immediately, but expect at least two emails per month. We are looking to advertise internships, fellowships, PhD positions, postdoc positions as well as technician and faculty jobs. Please pass this list onto your students and postdocs, as well as any administrators who deal with advertising job listings. To post an advert to this list, either email to me (interridge@whoi.edu) or directly to the list – interridge-classifieds@whoi.edu – all posts will be checked before being emailed =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #9 (May 21st, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information Call for proposals from the international community for new InterRidge Working Groups 2. Upcoming Meetings Geologische Vereinigung – Bremen – October 3-5 2007 10th International Congress of the Brazilian Geophysical Society =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information Call for proposals from the international community for new InterRidge Working Groups The InterRidge Steering Committee is pleased to announce a call for proposals from the international community to establish new InterRidge Working Groups (WGs) in 2007. A proposal of 1-2 pages should be e-mailed to the InterRidge Office by Friday, June 29, 2007. This invitation is open to any member - or groups of members - of the international community. All proposals will be reviewed and the new WGs will be recommended by the InterRidge Steering Committee. The InterRidge WGs play an essential role in promoting, facilitating, and coordinating new research that follows a focused theme of emerging scientific promise, or is conducted in a unique geographic setting along global ridge-crests where advances in science will benefit significantly from InterRidge coordination. The WGs will work closely with the InterRidge Steering Committee and the InterRidge Office. The WGs will discuss issues related to focused science themes and/or geographic regions, convene group meetings and community-wide workshops, and promote and coordinate new international research cruises and related work. In 2006 the InterRidge Steering Committee recommended the following generic plan for how a WG should operate (also published in the fall 2006 InterRidge Newsletter): 1. A group of up to 10 international proponents submit a proposal to InterRidge Office for the formation of a WG. 2. Each proposal is considered by the InterRidge Steering Committee. If accepted, the InterRidge program will provide US $2,000 "leverage money" to help a maximum of 10 people to meet, possibly flanking another major congress. The aim of the meeting is for these proponents to finalize a plan for a workshop. 3. The workshop plan is submitted to the InterRidge Steering Committee. If accepted, US $3,000 is given for workshop support/leverage. 4. The WG may have two end-member outcomes - either it produces a clear plan for how InterRidge can help push forward science through a coordinated effort, or it concludes that national programs are dealing with the burning issues at present and so InterRidge involvement is not absolutely necessary at the time. The former outcome could lead to a proposal to InterRidge to continue the WG, the latter outcome leads to the WG disbanding. By the end of 2006, two InterRidge WGs had completed their intended missions: "Ridge-hotspot interactions" and "Back-arc spreading centers". That leaves InterRidge with five currently-active WGs: 1) Biogeochemical interactions at deep-sea vents 2) Biology 3) Deep Earth sampling 4) Monitoring and observatories 5) Ultra-slow spreading ridges (see www.interridge.org for details) We look forwarding to receiving your proposals and ideas for new InterRidge Working Groups! =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings Geologische Vereinigung – Bremen – October 3-5 2007 This year’s annual ‘Geologische Vereinigung’ meeting in Bremen has the Theme “The Ocean in the Earth System”. The meeting runs from October 1 to 5 with sessions being held from October 3 to 5. The program is posted in the second circular (http://www.rcom.marum.de/GV2007.html). We would like to encourage you to contribute to our session “*Submarine magmatic and hydrothermal processes (A3)”* Session abstract: The accretion of oceanic crust and associated element and fluid fluxes profoundly influence the ongoing differentiation of our planet. Recent explorations of oceanic spreading centres and island arc systems have demonstrated direct linkages between magmatic and hydrothermal systems that can be investigated by geochemical investigations of vent fluid chemistry. Likewise, advances in experimental and theoretical approaches have shed new light on the role of melt-rock and water-rock interactions in magmatic-hydrothermal systems. This session invites all contributions pertaining to the submarine magmatic accretion of ocean floor, seamounts and arcs, and to the investigation of hydrothermal vents developed in these settings. Papers examining interactions and feedbacks between magmatic and hydrothermal systems, or presentations addressing hydrothermal system interactions with the oceans are particularly welcome. Abstract submission deadline is June 15. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. We are looking forward to meeting you in Bremen. Best regards, Wolfgang Bach (wbach@uni-bremen.de) Andrea Koschinsky (a.koschinsky@iu-bremen.de) Klas Lackschewitz (klackschewitz@ifm-geomar.de) 10th International Congress of the Brazilian Geophysical Society Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Nov. 19-23, 2007 http://congresso.sbgf.org.br/ Abstract Deadline: May 27, 2007 Special Technical Sessions (Nov. 20, 2007): Tectonic & Volcanic Processes at Mid-Ocean Ridges Co-Chairs: Marcia Maia (IUUM/UBO, France), Sidney Mello (LAGEMAR/UFF, Brazil), Jian Lin (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA) Mid-ocean ridges provide a unique tectonic window for investigating oceanic crustal and mantle processes at various scales. Melts from the partially molten mantle rocks are focused beneath mid-ocean ridges to form magma lens and oceanic crust and provide heat for hydrothermal circulation. Mantle rocks may also outcrop directly on the seafloor at slow- and ultraslow-spreading ridges. We invite contributions of recent work on morphological, geological, geophysical, and geochemical studies of mid-ocean ridges at any locations in the world oceans. Both field observational and theoretical modeling studies of ridge processes are encouraged. Example key issues to be discussed include 1) the role of spreading rate, hydrothermal cooling, and mantle temperatures and source geochemistry in controlling the ridge dynamics; and 2) the links between tectonic, hydrothermal, and mantle processes at mid-ocean ridges. Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents & Biology Co-Chairs: Nadine Le Bris (IFERMER, France), Francoise Gaill (CNRS, France), Paulo Suguio (IOUSP, Brazil), Chris German (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA) Deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps ecosystems can function independently of sunlight, with chemosynthesis being the primary energy source for the development of complex faunal communities in these environments. Today much of the 60,000 km of the mid-ocean ridge still remains unexplored. Magmatic processes controlling rifting may separate hydrothermal vent sites over many ridge segments. Faunal composition over large distances is not easily predictable; it may relate to larval dispersal and chance recruitment as vent fields may be separated by tens to hundreds of kilometers. We invite contributions to broaden the discussions on the most recent scientific discoveries on hydrothermal vents and biology, setting the necessary framework essential for environmental assessment of these chemosynthetic ecosystems and to promote further potential international collaboration with high-quality internationally-led research, and diverse expertise (geological, biogeochemical, physical, biological, and from microbes to megafauna, from taxonomy to physiology). =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #8 (May 7th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information Photo Competition Winners Up! 2. News from the Ridge Crest EPR 9˚50'N Ridge2000 ISS Summary 3. Upcoming Meetings Sixth Italian Forum of Earth Sciences 2007 4. Jobs and Fellowships Professorship for Marine Geophysics ESSAC Science Coordinator position TAWNI Reminder 5. Other Field trip to Corsica =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information Photo Competition Winners Up! We had a great response to the InterRidge Photo Competition and would like to announce the following winners – Gui Manuel Machado Menezes – for the “Azores Triple Junction” Akira Asada – for the “The Great Dodo Lava Plain” Dana Yoerger – for “Comra Celebrations” Roger Searle and Abigail Bralee – for” FUJI Dome Oceanic Core Complex” David Jousselin – for “Oman Ophiolite” The winning photos will be featured in this years InterRidge News, and can be seen at – http://interridge.whoi.edu/node/166 Many thanks for all your entries! Please send along any Ridge Science related photos and images you would like to share with the community to myself at the InterRidge office – coordinator@interridge.org – it’s your stunning images that keep us in the public eye! =============================================== 2. News from the Ridge Crest EPR 9˚50'N Ridge2000 ISS Summary In March-April 2007, S. White (U. South Carolina) and A. Soule (WHOI) conducted a near-bottom sidescan sonar survey using the WHOI-NDSF 120 kHz deep-towed DSL120a system over the site of the 2005-2006 eruptions near 9˚50'N along the East Pacific Rise crest. The 2-m pixel sidescan mosaic, when compared with a pre-eruption sidescan imagery collected with the same instrument in 2001 (Schouten, Fornari, Tivey - WHOI) reveals significant changes to the seafloor in the eruption area. The previous volcanic structure of the ridge crest, as indicated by variations in acoustic texture, has been overprinted by new lobate and sheet flows including numerous new lava channels emanating from the axial summit trough and feeding flows that reached up to 2 km from the axis. Observations and samples of lava from the 2005-2006 eruptions were collected by Jason2 during a 3-day ROV dive. Several near-bottom high resolution multibeam surveys over the axial summit trough and installation of navigation benchmarks at 4 sites were also conducted during the dive. The field work was funded by the National Science Foundation's Ridge2000 Program. =============================================== 3. Upcoming Meetings Sixth Italian Forum of Earth Sciences 2007 Geoitalia 2007, Rimini, Italy 12th-14th September 2007 There will be a thematic session on Ophiolites and Modern Oceanic Lithosphere that will be held at the Sixth Italian Forum of Earth Sciences which will be followed by a field trip to Corsica ophiolites (16th-21nd September 2007). Thematic session on ophiolites and modern oceanic lithosphere at the Sixth Italian Forum of Earth Sciences (Geoitalia 2007, Rimini, Italy 12th-14th September 2007). The aim of the session is to discuss the recent data and observations on the magmatic, tectonic, metamorphic, hydrothermal, sedimentary, and biogenic processes recorded by the peri-Mediterranean ophiolites, as well as on the mechanisms of their incorporation into the continental margins. Multidisciplinary researches on the modern oceanic lithosphere are also welcome. Some invited speakers (L. Beccaluva, E. Bonatti, V. Bortolotti Y. Dilek, G.B.Piccardo) will give general talks on the state of art on preminent topics regarding ophiolites from different geodynamic settings and oceanic lithosphere. We encourage all the interested people to submit abstracts in this session Deadline: 14th May 2007 More information go to - http://www.geoitalia.org For any questions please contact the conveners: Alessandra Montanini, University of Parma (alessandra.montanini@unipr.it) Emilio Saccani, University of Ferrara (sac@unife.it) =============================================== 4. Job & Fellowships Professorship for Marine Geophysics The Leibniz-Institute of Marine Sciences (IFM-GEOMAR) at the Christian-Albrechts-Universität in Kiel (CAU), Research Division Dynamics of the ocean floor, invites applications for a - W 2-Professorship for Marine Geophysics (successor to Prof. Timothy Reston) This position is to be filled by October 1st, 2007 or as soon as possible thereafter. We are seeking a marine geophysicist with experience in the development and execution of experiments and expeditions, especially in the field of marine seismics. Of particular interest are candidates with proven interest and experience in the development and use of innovative techniques of high resolution imaging and data analysis. Active participation in the Excellence Cluster „The Future Ocean, in the DFG Cooperative Research Programm 574 (Subduction Factory) and in collaboratory projects within the group Marine Geodynamics at IFM-GEOMAR is expected. Candidates should possess the German Habilitation or show equivalent achievements. Teaching duties will be carried out in the BSc/MSc programs in Geophysics. Candidates should be able to teach in English. The Christian-Albrechts-Universität in Kiel wishes to increase the number of women in both research and teaching positions and so expressly encourages qualified women to apply. Women with comparable qualifications and abilities to male competitors will be given preferential treatment. The University is proactive towards employment of disabled people – disabled applicants will, by similar qualification, be given preferential treatment. Applications with the usual documentation (C.V., copies of certificates, literature list, three particularly relevant reprints, short statement of research aims) in English should be sent by May 25th, 2007 to Dekan der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät Christian-Albrechts-Universität D-24098 Kiel Germany -------------------------------------------------- ESSAC Science Coordinator position. ESSAC (ECORD Science Support & Advisory Committee) invites applications for the ESSAC Science Coordinator position. The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) is an international research program that explores the history and structure of the Earth as recorded in seafloor sediments and rocks. The Program comprises three partners : the USA, Japan and a consortium of 17 European countries organized through ECORD (European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling - http://www.ecord.org/). The Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) supports the French involvement in IODP. The ECORD Science Support and Advisory Committee (ESSAC - http://www.essac.ecord.org/index.php) is responsible for the scientific and technological planning and coordination of Europe's contribution to IODP. During the period 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2009 the ESSAC Office will be located at the CEREGE, Aix-en-Provence, France and supervised by the ESSAC Chair (Dr. Gilbert Camoin). Starting date : 1 October 2007 or earlier (15 September 2007) if possible. Duration : Until 30 Sept 2009. Qualifications : Minimum postdoctoral level. Location : CEREGE, Europôle Méditerranéen de l¹Arbois, BP80, F-13545 Aix-en-Provence cedex 4 (http://www.cerege.fr). General job description : The Science Coordinator will be expected to manage the activities of the ESSAC Office. The role will be wide ranging, from the day-to-day management of the Office to communication with ESSAC delegates, the wider European, Japanese and US science communities and national funding agencies. The Coordinator will assist in outreach activities, and will be expected to take the lead in preparing scientific reports that detail ECORD scientific participation and general science activities in IODP. The Coordinator will act as full-time scientific secretary to the ESSAC Chairman and, when requested, ECORD Council. The Coordinator will attend meetings with the ESSAC Chairman (e.g. ESSAC, PMO etc.). Depending upon circumstances, the Science Coordinator may have some time to be actively involved in academic research, including in IODP science themes. Requirements : Applicants should have a background in Earth Sciences with a PhD degree, be fluent in English and have excellent (verbal and written) communication skills. Experience in management and science communication is required and the ability to function in a multidisciplinary research environment is essential. Initiative, flexibility and professional autonomy are important assets. The applicant should ideally be able to work in a multilingual environment. Salary : CNRS contract ; range : 1800-2200 EUROS net/month (depending on the background). Applications : Formal applications should comprise a Cover Letter, outlining past experience of relevance to the position and a statement explaining why the job of Science Coordinator interests you, a CV, the names and contact details of three referees, and a publication list. Applications should be sent via email to Dr. Gilbert Camoin (gcamoin@cerege.fr) by July 1st, 2007. Further information : You are encouraged to contact Dr. Gilbert Camoin (tel: +33-4-42-97-15-14; email: gcamoin@cerege.fr) for further details about the position. ------------------------------------------- TAWNI Reminder Training Awards for New Investigators Submission Deadline 14th May 2007 The aim of TAWNI is to provide the necessary funds for upcoming investigators to participate in short stays or activities to further develop their skills in relation to taxonomical issues during their postgraduate or postdoctoral career. In particular, the Awards can be used for the following research activities: 1. Visits to laboratories with specific taxonomical expertise (both morphological and molecular). 2. Participate in taxonomy workshops 3. Participation in cruises for sample curation and taxonomy at sea 4. Participation in post-cruise meetings for synthesis of collection data and taxonomy 5. Data organisation and inclusion into ChEssBase If you would like to propose any other taxonomy-related activity, please contact us before submitting your proposal to evaluate its relevance to the TAWNI programme. Please see - http://www.soc.soton.ac.uk/chess/tawni.php - for more information, or contact - Dr Maria Baker National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK mb11@noc.soton.ac.uk or Dr Eva Ramirez-Llodra Marine Sciences Institute, Barcelona, Spain ezr@icm.csic.es =============================================== 5. Other Field trip to Corsica Field trip to Corsica (France) from 16th to 21st September 2007 organized by the Italian Working Group on Mediterranean Ophiolites (G.L.O.M.) The field trip will focus on the ophiolites from the Jurassic Ligurian Tethys which are considered as on-land analogues of modern ultraslow-spreading ridges and on the metamorphic history of the European continental margin of the Ligurian Tethys represented by the Tenda massif. Anyone interested in participating please email to Alessandra Montanini ( alessandra.montanini@unipr.it) Deadline: 31st May 2007 For further informations and program of the field trip see http://www.unipr.it/arpa/dipgeo/CorsicaFieldTrip.htm =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #7 (April 23rd, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information New InterRidge Website Online Today! 2. Upcoming Meetings InterRidge Theoretical Institute ‘Biogeochemical interaction at deep-sea vents’ Ocean Continent Transition workshop =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information New InterRidge Website Online Today! The new InterRidge website is now online, please go to http://www.interridge.org - and can be viewed in Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer 7. There are several modules still to come in this new website – including an up-to-date Membership database and a new Cruise Database. Until these are released you will not be able to login, but watch this space for more information as it becomes available. Please still send us your cruise news and we will put it up in the Cruise Information Section until the database is ready! As part of the construction of this new database we want you – the IR community – to contribute. Please send us your news, events, jobs and information to include on our pages as well as our biweekly email. More archived material is being added all the time to this new site, but please send us your suggestions and anything you feel is missing – this is your webpage! We would like to thank all the contributors who helped put this new website together, including all the computer support staff here at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. This new website has been created in Drupal open source software by Katherine Joyce, Andy Maffei, Julie Allen, Rhian Waller and Kristen Kusek. =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings InterRidge Theoretical Institute ‘Biogeochemical interaction at deep-sea vents’ Registration is now open for the InterRidge Theoretical Workshop! The goal of this Theoretical Workshop is to encourage multidisciplinary convergence in the study of interactions occurring at deep-sea vent sites between the biological and chemical components of the environment, and to increase collaborative efforts to develop new techniques for making key measurements to achieve this goal. The InterRidge Theoretical Institute will be comprised of 2 parts: 2 days of short courses and Advanced Lectures and 3 days of Workshops. For more information visit the InterRidge website – http://www.interridge.org – under Upcoming Events Or contact Rhian Waller – coordinator@interridge.org __________________________________ Ocean Continent Transition workshop Just a short update on the Ocean Continent Transition workshop to be held in Paris in September (19 to 21) 2007 at the Academy of Sciences. So far the response has been encouraging with people from academia and industry from a wide range of countries. Oral presentations (mainly key note speeches) and poster presentations, the latter introduced by short 3 minute talks, will form the frame for discussions that will focus on the structure of deep margins and the processes controlling continental breakup. Particular attention will be paid to poster sessions (see preliminary program). More information concerning the meeting, its aim as well as a preliminary program of invited presentations can be found, together with the specific abstract guidelines at the following web site: http://www.academie-sciences.fr/conferences/colloques/pdf/OCTmeeting2007... The deadline for submission of abstracts for posters is May 1st. In case of problems or of questions do not hesitate to contact one of the three convenors: Gianreto Manatschal (manatschal@illite.u-strasbg.fr) Gwenn Péron-Pinvidic (gwenn@eost.u-strasbg.fr) Philippe Huchon (philippe.huchon@lgs.jussieu.fr) =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #6 (April 9th, 2007) 1. InterRidge Information Thank you for the photos! New Website coming soon! 2. Upcoming Meetings Goldschmidt session announcements 3. Opportunities ChEss Training Awards for New Investigators – Tawni Awards 4. Other Oceanography Magazine – copies available for Program Managers =============================================== 1. InterRidge Information Thank you for the photos! The InterRidge Photo Competition entries have closed, winners will be announced in the next biweekly email. Winning photos will be featured in the rotating banner of the new website (coming soon), in our fliers and in volume 16 of the InterRidge News, coming out later this year. If you ever have any media you would like to donate to InterRidge to use in it's education and outreach material, please email the coordinator - coordinator@interridge.org ------------------------------------------------------------ New Website Coming Soon! Apologies to those who have been having trouble accessing the InterRidge.org website. We’re undergoing an overhaul of the portal at the moment and will have the new website up and running in the next few weeks. =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings Goldschmidt session announcements S37: The Oceanic crust - Magma chamber processes and high-temperature reactions Conveners: Juergen Koepke (koepke@mineralogie.uni-hannover.de); Sumio Miyashita (miyashit@geo.sc.niigata-u.ac.jp) This session is intended to bring together researchers working in the in-situ oceanic crust and on ophiolites to discuss the variety of chemical and physical processes related to MORB magma chambers beneath the ocean ridges. Topics will include: (1) shallow-level differentiation of MORB including related experimental studies, (2) formation of cumulate gabbros, (3) mantle-crust interactions, (4) the transition zone between gabbro and sheeted dikes, as recently drilled by IODP expedition 312, (5) reactions between gabbroic rocks and seawater-derived fluids at very high temperatures. S38: The Oceanic crust - Hydrothermal processes Conveners: Colin W. Devey (cdevey@ifm-geomar.de); W. Bach (wbach@uni-bremen.de) Keynote: M. Tivey (WHOI, USA) Studying modern submarine hydrothermal systems provides important insights into the formation and development of seafloor vent sites, which have a global impact on the chemical composition of seawater and the alteration of the oceanic crust. The complex origin and evolution of hydrothermal systems is caused by diverse oceanic and tectonic settings, and complex hydrothermal circulation, which is a function of varying geochemical and geological conditions. The physico-chemical conditions and the alteration of the crust, the sulfide textures as well as the structure and the geological setting of the deposits can be studied in these natural laboratories. This symposium is intended to bring together a wide range of scientists working on specific aspects helping to reconstruct processes, reactions and the nature of the fluid flow paths in marine hydrothermal systems. S39: The Oceanic crust - Bio-geochemistry of hydrothermal fluids Conveners: Richard Seifert (seifert@geowiss.uni-hamburg.de); Andrea Koschinsky (a.koschinsky@iu-bremen.de ) Keynote speaker: Dave Butterfield, (PMEL - Seattle, WA, USA) Hydrothermal circulation plays a key role for the heat and mass transfer from the Earthís mantle and crust to the shallow subsurface and the water column. Information on subsurface processes are encoded in the physicochemical parameters of emanating fluids. New data from field campaigns, laboratory experiments, and rigorous theoretical modelling have considerably contributed to reading this record. Studies of organic compounds present in hydrothermal fluids and organisms thriving in hydrothermal environments have delivered insights into the evolution of early life in terms of prebiotic organic synthesis and chemoautotrophic life. This session is aimed to combine diverse approaches addressing a wide variety of topics in organic and inorganic geochemisty of hydrothermal fluids to assist in a better understanding of the functioning and significance of hydrothermal systems in energy and mass transfer from the crust to the ocean. We solicit papers that provide information from direct observations, modelling, or experimental results towards fingerprinting the geochemical processes in hydrothermal systems. Topics of emphasis include: physiochemical controls on fluid composition, supercritical fluid behaviour, catalytic reaction networks at high pressure and temperature, organometallic complexes in fluids, imprint of fluid composition on the vent fauna, abiotic formation of organic compounds, bio-geochemical processes in hydrothermal plumes, heat and mass transfer, and temporal evolution of hydrothermal systems. =============================================== 3. Opportunities ChEss Training Awards for New Investigators – Tawni Awards The aim of TAWNI is to provide the necessary funds for upcoming investigators (ranging from undergraduates to post doctoral researchers) to visit international laboratories with specific taxonomical expertise, participate in taxonomy workshops or join research cruises involved in deep-sea chemosynthetic biological research. The specific objectives of the programme are to enable new investigators to further develop skills related to taxonomical issues, such as: 1- Taxonomy and collections at sea. 2- Visits to laboratories with specific taxonomical expertise (both morphological and molecular). 3- Participating in post-cruise meetings for synthesis, taxonomy and data input to ChEssBase. Calls for Proposals The second Call for Proposals is now online. There will be 2 Awards for this Call. The are published on the ChEss web site and announced via e-mail through the ChEss, CoML, InterRidge and Ridge 2000 mailing lists. The applicant should prepare a two-page proposal (see Call for details) including a detailed budget and CV. Maximum funds available for each awarded proposal will be 5,000 US$. These funds will not be available for salaries. The applicant should have, at the time of applying, an acceptance from the host institution. The application should include a letter of support from the host institution with matching funds (e.g. laboratory space, laboratory consumables, berth on research ship). =============================================== 3. Other Oceanography Magazine – copies available for Program Managers The InterRidge special volume of Oceanography Magazine is out! Details of articles and how to order can be found on http://www.tos.org/oceanography/issues/current.html The InterRidge Office has reserved a limited number of this special issue for sending to the science funding agencies of various InterRidge nations. If you would like a copy of the magazine to be sent to the funding agencies of your country, please e-mail coordinator@interridge.org the name and mailing address of the relevant science program managers in your country. =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #5 (March 26th, 2007) 1. List Information Send us your news! 2. Upcoming Meetings 10th Symposium on Aquatic Microbial Ecology – Portugal – 2-7th September REMINDER - Ridge to Rift Workshop – Southampton (UK) – 28-29th June 3. News from the Ridge-Crest First Active Hydrothermal Vent Field found at the Ultraslow Spreading Southwest Indian Ridge =============================================== 1. List Information We’re looking for your news to post in the InterRidge Bi-Weekly Email. Please email us details of meetings, job vacancies, upcoming cruises, cruise news and anything else the International community might be interested in to either – interridge-mail@whoi.edu or email me at coordinator@interridge.org =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings 10th Symposium on Aquatic Microbial Ecology – Portugal – 2-7th September The 10th Symposium on Aquatic Microbial Ecology will be held from 2nd to 7th September 2007 at Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal. All information including registration and abstract submission online can be accessed at http://www.ualg.pt/fcma/same10/ Please note that deadline for early registration is April 30th and abstract submission ends June 1st 2007. There are Meeting Attendance Grants from FEMS available for SAME10. Forms can be downloaded from the SAME10 website (Fees page) or from http://www.fems-microbiology.org/website/nl/page64.asp and sent directly to FEMS Central Office until April 1st. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ridge to Rift Workshop – Southampton (UK) – 28-29th June Just a reminder that registration is still available for this workshop – details can be found on the website – http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/gg/rift_ridge07/ Or by emailing Gavin Elliot (gme@noc.soton.ac.uk) or Bramley Murton (bjm@soc.soton.ac.uk) =============================================== 3. News from the Ridge-Crest InterRidge China Update: Chinese Research Cruises Discovered the First Active Hydrothermal Vent Field at the Ultraslow Spreading Southwest Indian Ridge Two recent Chinese research cruises on board Chinese R/V DayangYihao have successfully discovered the first active hydrothermal vent field at the ultraslow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge and collected hydrothermal sulfide deposit samples from the vent sites. The newly discovered hydrothermal vent field is in the central eastern portion of the Southwest Indian Ridge and is located on the western end of a magmatically robust spreading segment. These cruises were funded and sponsored by the China Ocean Mineral Resources R & D Association (COMRA) and were conducted on the 105-meter-long R/V DayangYihao. The first direct color video footages of the active hydrothermal vent field were obtained by a deep-towed video camera on February 7, 2007 during the Leg 1 of the COMRA DY115-19 expedition. This new vent field was then extensively photographed and surveyed in great details in late February-early March during the subsequent Leg 2 of the DY115-19 expedition using the Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE) of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). More than 5,000 near-bottom color photos were taken and several types of water column data were recorded during three phases of ABE dives, revealing detailed seafloor geology, water column anomalies, and ecological features. Within the approximately 120-m-long by 100-m-wide hydrothermal vent field, three groups of active hydrothermal vents were identified and color images of black smokers and ecological community were obtained by ABE flying 5 m above the seafloor. Hydrothermal sulfide deposits were then successfully obtained from the newly discovered vent sites using COMRA’s TV-guided grabber. During the Leg 1 of the DY115-19 expedition in February 2007, the Chinese science party on board R/V DayangYihao conducted extensive water column surveys using MAPR, CTD, and other sensors and measured major water column turbidity anomalies (up to 3.8 volts), noticeable temperature anomalies (up to 0.2°C), as well as methane anomalies. The first signs of strong water column turbidity anomalies in this part of the Southwest Indian Ridge were discovered in November 2005 by MAPR instruments installed above a Chinese deep-tow vehicle during the Indian Ocean leg of the COMRA-sponsored first modern Chinese around-the-globe expedition (see InterRidge News, vol. 15, pp. 33-34, 2006). The 2005 and 2007 multi-leg Chinese research cruises to mid-ocean ridges are funded by COMRA (http://www.comra.org). COMRA was established in 1991 and overseas China’s national programs of deep-sea research, exploration of new ocean mineral resources, and development of new technologies for deep-sea research. Scientists and graduate students from more than 20 Chinese research institutions and universities have participated in various legs of the 297-day-long around-the-globe expedition in 2005, conducting researches in the central Pacific, East Pacific Rise, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Southwest Indian Ridge, and the Central Indian Ridge. A large number of Chinese scientists and students are also involved in the on-going 2007 multi-leg cruise, which conduct researches at all the three ridges in the Indian Ocean, the Lau Basin, and the Pacific Ocean. COMRA encourages international cooperation and has hosted international scientists in its cruises. Several US and German scientists had participated in the East Pacific Rise and Indian Ocean legs of the 2005 cruise. During the recent Leg 2 of the DY-115-19 expedition, the Chinese science party under the leadership of Chief Scientist Chunhui Tao has collaborated well with a five-member WHOI team (Jian Lin, Chris German, Dana Yoerger, Al Duester, and Andy Billings) in conducting the successful ABE dives at the Southwest Indian Ridge. The recent discovery of the first active hydrothermal vent field at the ultraslow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge is an important event for researches of the geological, hydrothermal, and biological processes of the Indian Ocean and ultraslow spreading ridges. This is also the first time that an active hydrothermal vent field was discovered by Chinese research cruises on board a Chinese research vessel, a milestone event in Chinese programs of ocean research and exploration of ocean mineral resources. It reflects China’s increasing contributions to international ridge research since China became an InterRidge associate member nation in late 2003. It is anticipated that China will play an increasingly important role in mid-ocean ridge research and exploration in the coming years and will continue to strengthen its cooperation with the InterRidge program and the international community. Correspondence: Y. John Chen, InterRidge China Office, Institute of Theoretical and Applied Geophysics, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; 86-10-6275-8277; johnyc@pku.edu.cn =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge Email #4 (March 12th, 2007) 1. List Information Subscribe, unsubscribe or changing your setting 2. Upcoming Meetings Rift to Ridge 07 workshop – Southampton June 28-29th 2007 GEOTRACES Workshop Pacific Basin Cruise Planning Meeting – Hawaii 26-29 June 2007 Continental Margins Open Science Conference – China 17-21 September 3. News from the Ridge-Crest Request for Information – RV Professor Logachev James Cook on the MAR Cruise Serpentine on the MAR =============================================== 1. List Information To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your settings on the InterRidge mailing list, go to http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-mail =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings Rift to Ridge 07 workshop – Southampton June 28-29th 2007 Just a short update on the Rift to Ridge 07 workshop to be held late June (28/29th) in Southampton at the National Oceanography Centre. So far the response has been encouraging with over 30 people both from academia and industry registering from a wide range of countries, in no particular order, the UK, Ireland, France, Iceland, Germany, Norway, USA, Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium. There is still some space available and registration is available through the website (see below). In addition we can announce generous additional sponsorship to that already in place from Statoil, which has allowed us to attract some more keynote speakers including Nicky White (University of Cambridge, UK) and Michael Larsen (Dong Energy, Denmark). A draft agenda will be available on the website http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/gg/rift_ridge07/ in the next few days also please find attached a new pdf flyer outlining details of the workshop. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone who you may feel would be interested in attending the workshop. If you have any queries don't hesitate to drop Gavin Elliot (gme@noc.soton.ac.uk) or Bramley Murton (bjm@soc.soton.ac.uk) an email. ------------------------------------------------------------- GEOTRACES Workshop Pacific Basin Cruise Planning Meeting – Hawaii 26-29 June 2007 GEOTRACES will host a planning workshop to define the scientific objectives, and to develop a strategy to achieve those objectives, for the Pacific Ocean. The workshop will be held at the University of Hawaii, on 26-29 June 2007. The goal of the workshop is to refine the scientific objectives developed in the GEOTRACES science plan (available from www.geotraces.org, and place those objectives into a framework of specific ocean sections and process studies. An important aspect of the workshop is to identify nations that are prepared to take the lead in carrying out specific cruises as elements of the broader basin-scale plan. Individuals who are prepared to organize research cruises and to secure funding to support those cruises are particularly encouraged to participate. The Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research can offer funds to assist with travel expenses of participants coming from developing nations. In addition, we anticipate that GEOTRACES will be able to offer a travel subsidy to plenary speakers and working group chairs. Unfortunately, at this time we do not have funds to reimburse travel expenses for other participants. If you wish to participate in the Pacific planning workshop or would like additional information about it, or if you simply wish to be kept informed about GEOTRACES Pacific planning activities, then send an e-mail to indicating your interest. Best wishes, Bob Anderson and Gideon Henderson, co-chairs, GEOTRACES SSC ------------------------------------------------------------- Continental Margins Open Science Conference – China 17-21 September IMBER ( http://www.imber.info/) and LOICZ ( http://www.loicz.org/) are jointly organizing a Continental Margins Open Science Conference which will be held September 17-21, 2007 at East China Normal University (ECNU), Shanghai, China. This conference will provide a discussion platform for highlighting the most recent advances in the field and try to identify emerging directions and future research challenges. The conference is open to all students and scientists involved in biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems in the continental margins. Coastal zones play a key role in Earth System functioning, by contributing significantly to the life support systems of most societies. The coastal system is experiencing global and natural pressure, such as atmospheric and open ocean-shelf exchange, that are also modified by local and human forcings. The larger scale forcings include proximity to large river plumes, physiography of the continental shelf, and human forcings that modify atmospheric deposition across broad shelf areas. These global, local, and human pressures interactively impact on biogeochemical cycles and the marine food webs and have direct consequences for society. The Conference, while building on biogeochemical advances from international programs such as JGOFS and LOICZ, aims to take the next steps in: · linking the biogeochemical cycles of the coastal and open oceans, · linking organisms, including higher organisms, to biogeochemical processes, · moving past the present-day status and incorporating response/prediction to the global and local changes, · exploring the function and possible future changes of the continental shelf pump and the climate related biogeochemistry of continental margins, and · assessing the variability and sustainability of the continental margin ecosystems More information is now available on the conference website http://www.confmanager.com/main.cfm?cid=792 We are also please to announce that registration is now OPEN! Abstract submission will be available very soon. If you have any questions about the conference, please contact: shanghai.osc@univ-brest. fr We look forward to meeting you in Shanghai. =============================================== 3. News from the Ridge-Crest Request for Information – RV Professor Logachev Does anyone know the Chief Scientists onboard the present cruise to the MAR of the RV Professor Logachev? If so could you please send me their details (interridge@whoi.edu) so I can pass them onto other parties presently working in the area. Many thanks for your help! ----------------------------------------------------------------- RRS James Cook on the MAR Roger Searle, Chris Macleod and Bramley Murton are leading the first cruise of the new UK vessel RRS James Cook, funded by the UKIODP programme, to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 15ºN. This is an area of extensive peridotite outcrop, and is perhaps the best known example at present of a so-called low-magmatic ridge. It was drilled by ODP Leg 209 in 2003, partly following recommendations from the InterRidge Meso-Scale Workshop report on 4‑D Architecture of the Oceanic Lithosphere (1993) and the subsequent workshop on Oceanic Lithosphere and Scientific Drilling into the 21st Century (1996), which was co-sponsored by InterRidge. There is a cruise website (aimed mainly at schools and the general public) at http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/gg/classroom@sea/JC007/ which will be updated during the cruise. Further information can be obtained from the co-chief scientists: Roger Searle (r.c.searle@durham.ac.uk); Chris MacLeod (macleod@cf.ac.uk); Bram Murton (bjm@soc.soton.ac.uk). ----------------------------------------------------------------- Cruise Serpentine on the MAR Cruise Serpentine, devoted to the study of the hydrothermal sites on ultramafic basements around 15°N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, has started from Canary Islands on February 26th and will end on April 6th in Canary Islands. The cruise is led by Yves Fouquet, with participants from IFREMER, other French institutions, and various laboratories in Russia. Daily information about the cruise (in French) can be found at http://www.ifremer.fr/serpentine/ =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge News #3 (February 26th, 2007) 1. List Information Archives 2. Upcoming Meetings 2007 Goldschmidt Conference: August 19 - 24, Cologne, Germany Russian Ridge Workshop’07, 5-7 June, 2007, Moscow IODP Workshop - Addressing Geologic Hazards Through Ocean Drilling 3. Jobs PhD- or ½ Post-Doc Position at Leibniz-Institute of Marine Sciences, IFM-GEOMAR, in Kiel, Germany 2007 POGO-SCOR Visiting Fellowships for Oceanographic Observations 4. News from the Ridge-Crest James Cook explores the oceans again – New British Ship goes to the Mid- Atlantic Ridge 5. Other Events and Opportunities Special issue from Marine Ecology - Vent, Seep, Whale and Wood-Fall communities Oceanography Magazine - Special Issue on InterRidge – March 2007 =============================================== 1. List Information To look at all previous messages sent out on the InterRidge mailing list, go to http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-mail and then click on Interridge-mail Archives in the first subheading. This will take you to all previously sent emails (since Jan 2007) sorted by month. =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings 2007 Goldschmidt Conference: August 19 - 24, Cologne, Germany: S48: Rates of heat and mass transport through mid-ocean ridges Session description: The processes of heat and mass transport operating at mid-ocean ridges, from mantle melting through to seafloor ecosystems, are intricately linked. However, the rates of processes in different parts of this system are poorly constrained. This session will focus on quantifying the rates of magmatic and hydrothermal processes at mid-ocean ridges addressing questions such as: What are the rates of mantle upwelling and melt ascent beneath ridges? How episodic is melt supply to the lithosphere? How rapidly do magmas crystallise and differentiate? How quickly does the surrounding crust cool? When and where do different hydrothermal reactions occur in the sub-seafloor? And, how quickly do hydrothermal systems respond to changes in the underlying system? This symposium will be a forum for discussing a wide range in temporal constraints on MOR processes. We welcome abstracts presenting both physical and chemical constraints on the rates of processes at mid-ocean ridges including numerical modeling, geophysical observation, experimental studies and geochemical analyses of fluid and rock samples. Conveners: Laurence Coogan (lacoogan@uvic.ca) and Craig Lundstrom (lundstro@uiuc.edu); Keynote Speaker: Jim Van Orman. Abstract deadline: 19th April 2007. Further details and registration are available at: www.goldschmidt2007.org ------------------- Russian Ridge Workshop’07, 5-7 June, 2007, Moscow Russian Ridge Workshop’07 dedicated to memory of Leonid Dmitriev – Founder of R-Ridge and one of pioneers in Study of Mid-Oceanic Ridge World System 5-7 June, 2007, Moscow Workshop Agenda: Geochemical, petrological and geophysical segmentation of the Mid-Oceanic Ridges and its relationships with geodynamic parameters of oceanic lithosphere accretion. Workshop will be held in Institute of the Geology of Ore Deposits, Petrography, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences (IGEM RAN) in frames of International Seminar “Interaction and Relationship of Hydrothetmal and Magmatic Systems of Oceanic Basins” with invited key-lectures. Abstracts should be send to following addresses until April 30, 2007: S.А. Silantyev (Vernadsky Institute): Fax: 7-(095) 9382054 , silantyev@geokhi.ru G.A. Cherkashev (VNIIOkeangeologia): Fax:7-(812)1141470, e-mail: cherkashov@vniio.ru ------------------- IODP Workshop - Addressing Geologic Hazards Through Ocean Drilling Apply online by April 1, 2007 www.iodp.org/workshops August 26-30, 2007, Portland, Oregon The oceans are the sources of some of the most severe geologic hazards, including large tsunami-generating earthquakes, submarine landslides, and explosive volcanic eruptions. We seek to extract and read the geologic record of such events in marine sediments, and monitor material properties and physical processes associated with them. This workshop will bring together an interdisciplinary pool of scientists and engineers from research institutions, universities, and companies, for an open and detailed exchange of results, ideas, and experiences to better characterize and understand the causes and consequences of oceanic geologic hazards. The workshop will include a one-day field trip to Mount Saint Helens in order to examine the details of debris avalanche deposits and damage resulting from volcano collapse. Goals of the workshop are to (a) review the current state of community knowledge, (b) define outstanding research questions that can be addressed through scientific ocean drilling, (c) establish scientific priorities, (d) identify potential drilling targets, (e) evaluate existing technologies and scientific approaches, and (f) recommend the development of new instruments and/or new deployment strategies. This exchange will enhance international collaborations and stimulate teams of proponents to develop competitive IODP proposals addressing oceanic geologic hazards. IODP and other sponsoring agencies will support travel and expenses for approximately 80 participants. Interested scientists and engineers from all countries are advised to apply online at www.iodp.org/workshops on or before April 1, 2007. Selected participants will be contacted by the steering committee. Places will be reserved for advanced students and early career scientists. For more information, please visit the workshop web page. =============================================== 3. Jobs PhD- or ½ Post-Doc Position at Leibniz-Institute of Marine Sciences, IFM-GEOMAR, in Kiel, Germany In the interdisciplinary young researcher group NOVUM 1 “Nutrients Originating in Volcanoes and the effect on the eUphotic zone of the Marine ecosystem. Part 1 - volcanic ash” We are seeking a candidate for a position in our interdisciplinary research group. Candidates should at the minimum have a Master or German Diploma degree in science and a strong background in geoscience and will have the opportunity to hand in a PhD based on their research results (PhD position). We also encourage candidates with a PhD / doctoral degree in (geo-)science to apply (½ Post-Doc position). The appointee should have very good English language skills and a high motivation for multi-disciplinary research. The project is a multi-disciplinary study linking the research activities of research division 2, FB2 (Marine Biogeochemistry, departments Chemical Oceanography and Biogeochemical Modelling) and research division 4, FB4 (Dynamics of the Ocean Floor, department Magmatic and Hydrothermal Systems) at the IFM-GEOMAR and is relevant for the Excellence Cluster “The Future Ocean”. The aim of NOVUM 1 is to examine the role of volcanic ash for the surface ocean nutrient budget and the possible influence on phytoplankton growth, the marine-atmospheric interchange of C-S compounds and climate development. The appointee will focus on the nutrient mobilisation behaviour of ash from volcanic eruptions by means of geochemical methods, mainly in clean laboratories. Experience with the following techniques is advantageous but not required: anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV), electron microprobe (EMP), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The position is initially limited to one year. A continuation of at least one year is intended. The salary for the post is according to former German BAT IIa ½, now E13 ½ TV-L.The Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences is an equal opportunity employer and encourages female scientists and scientists with disabilities to apply. Applications should contain a brief letter of motivation and research interest, curriculum vitae, documentation of academic qualification, list of publications and names and contact information of two referees and be sent no later than 1. April 2007 using the keyword "NOVUM 1" to Leibniz-Institut für Meereswissenschaften Personalbüro Wischhofstraße 1-3 D-24148 Kiel Germany Informal enquiries can be addressed to Dr. Svend Duggen (FB4), at sduggen@ifm-geomar.de and Dr. Peter Croot (FB2) at pcroot@ifm- geomar.de. -------------------- 2007 POGO-SCOR Visiting Fellowships for Oceanographic Observations The announcement for the 2007 POGO-SCOR Visiting Fellowships for Oceanographic Observations is available now on the POGO website af http://www.ocean-partners.org/POGO_SCOR_Fellowships.htm =============================================== 4. News from the Ridge-Crest James Cook explores the oceans again In 1768, Captain James Cook set sail on the first of his three epoch-making cruises exploring the Pacific Ocean. Now, almost 240 years later, he is remembered in the naming of Britain’s latest blue-water research vessel, the Royal Research Ship James Cook, owned and operated by the Natural Environment Research Council. Roger Searle, Chris Macleod and Bramley Murton are leading the first cruise, funded by the UKIODP programme, to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 15ºN. This is an area of extensive peridotite outcrop, and is perhaps the best known example at present of a so-called low-magmatic ridge. It was drilled by ODP Leg 209 in 2003, partly following recommendations from the InterRidge Meso-Scale Workshop report on 4‑D Architecture of the Oceanic Lithosphere (1993) and the subsequent workshop on Oceanic Lithosphere and Scientific Drilling into the 21st Century (1996), which was co-sponsored by InterRidge. The 2007 project aims to extend the horizontally sparse but vertically dense ODP sampling by taking ~60 shallow, ~metre-long cores in carefully selected locations. It has the following objectives: 1. To identify and map peridotite outcrop using TOBI deep-towed sidescan sonar, magnetometer and swath bathymetry; 2. To use the BGS/BRIDGE wireline drill to recover short, oriented samples of peridotite (and other lithologies) for microstructural, petrological, geochemical and palaeomagnetic analysis; 3. To use these samples to assess the mode of emplacement and flow geometry of peridotite in the mantle lithosphere; 4. To use the samples to confirm lithological interpretations based on the geophysical data; 5. To determine detailed spreading histories and constrain geodynamic mechanisms for lithosphere emplacement and formation of ocean core complexes; 6. To investigate the transition from “magmatic” spreading (characterised by low RMBA, volcanic seafloor and well-lineated abyssal hills) to “amagmatic” spreading (characterised by less negative RMBA, probably non-volcanic seafloor and poorly lineated, blocky topography. There is a cruise website (aimed mainly at schools and the general public) at http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/gg/classroom@sea/JC007/ which will be updated during the cruise. Further information can be obtained from the co-chief scientists: Roger Searle (r.c.searle@durham.ac.uk); Chris MacLeod (macleod@cf.ac.uk); Bram Murton (bjm@soc.soton.ac.uk). =============================================== 5. Other Events and Opportunities Special issue from Marine Ecology Marine Ecology is pleased to announce the publication of a special issue dedicated to Vent, Seep, Whale– and Wood-Fall communities. Over the past 30 years the discovery of new chemosynthetic ecosystems has burgeoned worldwide, and our understanding has deepened and matured. The overlapping environmental conditions stimulated this collation of papers on different chemosynthetic environments into a single volume. The articles within this volume reflect the diversity of settings that support chemosynthetic communities, the highly multidisciplinary nature of explorations, the broad range of organisms associated with these systems and the breadth and complexity of questions being addressed. A wealth of biological disciplines are represented in the articles, in the hope that you, the reader, will find this volume stimulating and that it promotes cross-fertilization of information and ideas among researchers working in vents, seeps, whale- and wood falls. Read it online The issue will be comprised of 23 original research articles, all of which will be available as free content from Blackwell Synergy as of March 2007 (28:1) If you have a subscription to the journal you can read these articles beforehand with OnlineEarly. Buy a print copy You are eligible to receive a discounted rate for purchasing print copies of this issue. Only $50 (incl shipping) per copy. For further details contact Davina Quarterman at Blackwell Publishing. ---------------------------------- Oceanography Magazine - Special Issue on InterRidge – March 2007 Oceanography magazine is producing a special InterRidge issue with articles from the International community on ridge crest science. For details of articles, a look at the front cover and how to order copies, please go to – http://www.tos.org/oceanography/issues/current.html Kristen Kusek – kristenkusek@aol.com =============================================== ------------------------ InterRidge News #2 (February 12, 2007) 1. List Information Subscribing and posting messages 2. Upcoming Meetings Thematic session on ophiolites and modern oceanic lithosphere 3. Jobs Marine Geophysics and Geology Tenure-track Opening 4. News from the Ridge-Crest RV Atlantis Cruise AT15-15 – EPR 9N 5. Other Events and Opportunities Ophiolite Field Trip to Corsica =============================================== 1. List Information To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your settings on this list, please got to - http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-mail - please do not email the list with subscription requests. To post a message to be included in the next InterRidge news, please send it to interridge-mail@whoi.edu - as text only - please do not email with HTML format. Alternatively, you can email the message to coordinator@interridge.org for inclusion in the next mailing. =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings Thematic session on ophiolites and modern oceanic lithosphere Thematic session on ophiolites and modern oceanic lithosphere that will be held at the Sixth Italian Forum of Earth Sciences Geoitalia 2007, Rimini, Italy 12th-14th September 2007 The research activities carried out on the various aspects of the peri-Mediterranean ophiolites by a number of research groups in the past 30 years have represented a fundamental contribution to the ideas on the formation of ophiolites. Recent studies have demonstrated that these ophiolites represent a very complex scenario of geological processes and, in some cases, provide relevant clues as onland analogues of present-day oceanic lithosphere. The aim of the session is to discuss the recent data and observations on the magmatic, tectonic, metamorphic, hydrothermal, sedimentary, and biogenic processes recorded by the peri-Mediterranean ophiolites, as well as on the mechanisms of their incorporation into the continental margins. Multidisciplinary researches on the modern oceanic lithosphere are also welcome. Some invited speakers (L. Beccaluva, E. Bonatti, V. Bortolotti Y. Dilek, G.B.Piccardo) will give general talks on the state of art on preminent topics regarding ophiolites from different geodynamic settings and oceanic lithosphere. We encourage all the interested people to submit abstracts in this session Deadline: 14th May 2007 More information go to - http://www.geoitalia.org For any questions please contact the conveners: Alessandra Montanini, University of Parma, alessandra.montanini@unipr.it Emilio Saccani, University of Ferrara, sac@unife.it =============================================== 3. Jobs Marine Geophysics and Geology Tenure-track Opening Assistant Professor, position number 88192, Department of Geology and Geophysics, UHM SOEST , (Manoa), tenure track, full-time, 9-month appt, general funds Duties: The Department of Geology and Geophysics, School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology (SOEST), invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level from candidates with specialty in marine geophysics and geology (MGG). We seek a creative individual with outstanding research and teaching skills in one or more of the following areas: surficial processes, tectonics and structure, investigations of Earth’s interior. We especially encourage applicants with interest in building an active, externally funded field or observational program characterized by excellence in MGG. Minimum qualifications: Ph.D. in the geosciences; an established record of publication in international peer-reviewed scientific journals; recognized high potential in research funding; and skill in teaching geophysics and geology Pay range: I3M09, commensurate with qualifications and experience To apply: Applicants should supply a curriculum vitae, including a list of publications, details regarding research funding, information describing teaching experience and interests; a summary of research interests; and the addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of at least three references. Of special interest to the Search Committee will be statements of strategy to build collaborative research with existing expertise in G&G and other SOEST faculty. Application address: MGG Search, Department of Geology and Geophysics (POST 701), University of Hawaii =96 Manoa, 1680 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA Inquiries: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/asp/GG/index. Continuous recruitment. Review of applications will begin on Mar-15-2007 and will continue until the position is filled. =============================================== 4. News from the Ridge-Crest RV Atlantis Cruise AT15-15 – EPR 9N RV Atlantis Cruise AT15-15 has just returned to shore in Manzanillo, Mexico, marking completion of a series of 4 back-to-back Alvin programs diving to the US Ridge 2000 program's EPR 9°N Integrated Study Site - the site of recent (winter 2005-06) volcanic eruptions. During the most recent cruise, lead PI Tim Shank (WHOI) reports that the 21 days on station included 22 Alvin dives and 12 tow-cam tows, together with additional deployments of the "Insect" in situ sensor system, microbial pumps, time-lapse "RatCam" camera and 2 tide gauges - and still with time for 8 OBS recoveries! Principal goals were to assess the temporal changes in biological community structure, vent fluid chemistry, and microbial communities at 9°50'N and, hence, to determine the role microbial communities and chemical nutrients play in the process of invertebrate colonization. Highlights from the Alvin program included: exploration for and discovery of at least 6 newly-venting areas; use of new Hi-Definition and Stereo HighDefinition imaging systems on Alvin; and first use of a new thruster-driven "super slurp-gun". Details of the cruise can be found on the SEAS weblink at: http://www.ridge2000.org/ =============================================== 5. Other Events and Opportunities Ophiolite Field Trip to Corsica The Italian Working Group on Mediterranean Ophiolites (G.L.O.M.) is organizing a field trip to Corsica (France) from 16th to 21st September 2007. The field trip will focus on the ophiolites from the Jurassic Ligurian Tethys which are considered as on-land analogues of modern ultraslow-spreading ridges and on the metamorphic history of the European continental margin of the Ligurian Tethys represented by the Tenda massif. Anyone interested in participating please email to Alessandra Montanini (alessandra.montanini@unipr.it) before 31st May 2007 For further informations and a preliminary program of the field trip see http://www.unipr.it/arpa/dipgeo/CorsicaFieldTrip.htm =============================================== InterRidge News #1 (January 26, 2007) 1. Welcome from the new InterRidge Office in WHOI 2. Upcoming Meetings From Ridge to Rift Workshop, Southampton, UK IODP Workshop proposals currently being accepted 3. Upcoming Cruises China 4. Jobs Advertisements Chair and Lectureship in Earth Sciences, Cardiff University 5. Collaboration Opportunities and Other Events Deep-Tow Instrument Required for Indian Ocean Cruise From the Seafloor to the Space Station =============================================== 1. Welcome from the new InterRidge Office in WHOI We are delighted to send you this first bi-weekly news from the new office of the InterRidge (IR) program, which will be hosted at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) between 2007 and 2009. The new IR Office consists of a multi-disciplinary team of four individuals: Jian Lin (IR Chair, marine geophysics/tectonics/ geodynamics), Chris German (IR Co-Chair, geochemistry/ocean chemistry), Rhian Waller (IR Coordinator, marine biology), and Kristen Kusek (IR Outreach/Education Coordinator, science writer). The IR Office will work with the IR Steering Committee and Working Groups to promote and coordinate multi-disciplinary research of the geological, hydrothermal, and biological processes of mid-ocean ridges. The IR website http://interridge.org has now been transferred onto the WHOI servers, and is up and running. However, we are in the middle of an overhaul of the site, so some links may not be active and you will be seeing a change in the sites appearance over the coming months. If there is an article from the website that you need, please contact coordinator@interridge.org and we will email it out to you. The IR mailing list has also been updated into an interactive Mailman account. To subscribe, or unsubscribe, from this mailing list go to http://mailman.whoi.edu/mailman/listinfo/interridge-mail. If you have a news item that you would like to go out in the IR news, send it as an email (without attachments) to interridge-mail@whoi.edu and we will include it in the next issue, as well as post it on the IR new website when it is up and running. We welcome news from the international ridge research community on (but not limited to) the following categories: Upcoming meetings; Upcoming cruises; Opportunities for research/cruise collaborations; Graduate student/Postdoctoral/Job opportunities; Education and outreach events and opportunities; and any other news articles that would be of interest to the community. =============================================== 2. Upcoming Meetings North Atlantic – From Ridge to Rift Workshop, Southampton, UK, June 28-29, 2007 The Objectives of the workshop are to: - Assess the state of knowledge of the Iceland Hotspot and its influence on the evolution of the North Atlantic rifting and spreading ridges. - Identify the major gaps in our knowledge - Propose ways to fill those gaps - Coordinate proposed and planned IODP efforts aimed at addressing North Atlantic evolution. - Stimulate new proposals and identify mechanisms to lever funding. - Address the the hotspot phenomenon and its influence on ocean basin evolution in a 'joined-up' fashion. The workshop has been funded by UK-IODP and NOCS. We have an international line-up of guest speakers from including those from the USA, Iceland and Europe, from both academia and industry. Participants with a strong interest in developing proposals for work in the North Atlantic are strongly encouraged to attend. Full information, registration and logistics are available from the web site at: http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/gg/rift_ridge07/ ------------------------------ IODP Workshop proposals currently being accepted IODP-MI is currently soliciting proposals for workshops in 2008 and 2009. Please see the website for details – http://www.iodp.org/workshops =============================================== 3. Upcoming Cruises China: The Chinese research ship R/V Dayang 1 is conducting a series of cruises to investigate hydrothermal vents on mid-ocean ridges: Leg 1 is currently studying the Southeast Indian Ridge near the St. Paul-Amsterdam hotspot (Jan-Feb 2007); Leg 2 will investigate the Southwest Indian Ridge in collaboration with WHOI, using WHOI's ABE autonomous underwater vehicle (Feb-March 2007); Leg 3 will investigate the Southwest and Central Indian Ridge (March-April 2007); and Leg 4 will investigate the Lau Basin back-arc spreading center (April-May 2007). =============================================== 4. Job Advertisements Cardiff University, Chair and Lectureship in Earth Sciences, School of Earth, Ocean and Planetary Sciences The School of Earth, Ocean and Planetary Sciences is one of the leading research departments in the UK and is expanding its research and teaching in the general fields of earth surface processes, including sedimentology and geomorphology. Applications are invited for two vacancies at Chair and Lecturer level for candidates with research expertise in these fields. The School has research groups in related fields such as marine and coastal geoscience, palaeoclimatology, basin dynamics (including seismic interpretation and visualisation), and geoenvironmental research. Applications are especially sought from candidates with interests in coastal or shelf processes The Chair appointee will have an international record in the field and will be expected to demonstrate intellectual leadership through the development of an active research group. The position carries teaching responsibilities commensurate with the post. (Vacancy no. 805) The lecturer will be required to develop their own research projects, to obtain external funding for research and to take an active part in the teaching programme, including field classes. (Vacancy no. 806) Salary: Chair - A point on the Professorial Salary scale Lecturer - £26402 - £31525 per annum (Grade 6) £33465 - £38772 per annum (Grade 7) To work for an employer that values and promotes equality of opportunity, visit http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/jobs telephone + 44 (0) 29 2087 4017 or email vacancies@cardiff.ac.uk for an application form quoting the relevant vacancy number. Closing date: 19 February 2007 =============================================== 5. Collaboration Opportunities and Other Events Deep-Tow Instrument Required for Indian Ocean Cruise We are looking out for a deep-tow instrument package with side scan sonar (SSS), sub-bottom-profiler (SBP) with an optional Digital camera system for acoustic and visual data acquisition in deep waters (up to 5000 meters). We would like to deploy this system for the Hydrothermal Vent exploration along the Indian Ocean Ridge systems. The system to have provision for the attachment of additional sensors and deep-tow magnetometer etc. We intend to use it along the Carlsberg ridge (slow spreading MOR in the NW Indian Ocean) in a 45-50 days cruise during September - November 2007. The deep-tow system can be offered both on a collaborative mode or on a commercial hire-operate basis. Contact: Kamesh Raju, National Institute of Oceanography, India, kamesh@nio.org ---------------------------- From the Seafloor to the Space Station: Listen to the first-ever call between scientists on a deep-ocean submarine and astronauts on the International Space Station On January 26, join us for a rare conversation between two people on the edges of human exploration, as the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and NASA hold the first call from the deep ocean to the edge of space. Students, educators, and science lovers can learn more and participate by visiting http://www.whoi.edu/sites/SeafloorToStation. He is two miles under water; she is 200 miles up in the atmosphere. He works in a small, confined space, looking out onto a vast, unpopulated expanse--and so does she. He is out of the reach of sunlight, buried in a blanket of constant darkness. She sees the sun rise 15 times a day...if she has any time to look for it. Both are explorers of the last frontiers. Marine biologist Tim Shank, diving in the Alvin submersible, will compare notes on life, science, and exploration with astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams as she orbits on the International Space Station. You can be a part of that conversation: Submit questions for Tim and Suni to answer on the air. Visit the “Ask a question” page at http://www.whoi.edu/sites/SeafloorToStation for more information. ===============================================