The geographic scope of the Australasian Workshop is the eastern Indian Ocean, the southwest Pacific Ocean, and the Indian and Pacific sectors of the Southern Ocean. The workshop will highlight all four themes of the IODP 2013-2023 Science Plan. The importance of the southern hemisphere in the narratives of global plate tectonics and oceanography is well established, but under-studied. This is in large part due to the vastness of the regional oceans. Simply stated, the Australasia region is arguably the ideal region to address many of the fourteen science challenges: the Australian and Indian continents have undergone the largest and most rapid paleo-latitudinal shifts – essential to address both paleoclimate and tectonic questions; the region boasts arguably the greatest diversity of subduction zones from fully seismically coupled to uncoupled; the greatest array of youthful subduction zones globally; an extensive set of shallow marine seas and submerged continents (especially Zealandia) with extraordinary stratigraphic records waiting to be studied; and not only the largest suite of plume-related products but the largest mantle cold spot. Without a doubt, another round of IODP drilling within Australasia will dramatically improve our understanding of our planet’s evolution. Sampling of plateaus and ridges will not only provide an enormous wealth of information about their origin, but will also provide key samples to address paleoceanographic and paleoclimate questions. Further drilling of the Antarctic margin will increase our understanding of global and regional questions related to Antarctic ice sheet and global climate evolution and past land and sea ice extent from the Cretaceous through the Cenozoic. Geomicrobiological questions can be addressed on a number of expeditions, including carefully targeted, dominantly microbiological expeditions to study the deep biosphere in a variety of tectonic settings. Petrological and geochemical studies of ocean, backarc and arc crust, and of uplifted mantle remain a high priority, as do those of geological hazards.

The goal of the Australasian workshop is to trigger development of new IODP proposals and reinvigorate existing, compelling proposals. The workshop will be an opportunity to entrain a new generation of young scientists to work collaboratively to plan a new phase of ocean drilling in the Australasian region. The workshop will cover all possible IODP platforms, not just the JOIDES Resolution. European-funded alternative platforms are suitable for work in shallow-water reefal areas and on the Antarctic continental shelf. There is considerable optimism that IODP Proposal 871, for the use of the Chikyu to drill deep into the Cretaceous on the Lord Howe Rise, will soon come to fruition and provide strong encouragement for those hoping to use the Chikyu elsewhere in the Australasian region.

Questions?

Complete information about the workshop can be found here: Australasian IODP Regional Planning Workshop

Additional questions concerning support for U.S. participation can be directed to Mike Gurnis (gurnis@gps.caltech.edu).