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Abstract

Some close-up core photographs have been tonally enhanced to better illustrate particular features of interest.Cover photograph shows the Oden (left), Sovetskiy Soyuz (middle), and drilling vessel Vidar Viking (right) on location in the Arctic sea ice. Photograph by Jens Matthiessen. The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) is the most ambitious ocean exploration and drilling program ever undertaken. With multiple platforms and multiple partners, our research spans the globe and truly represents international collaboration and diplomacy among scientists and nations interested in attaining scientific goals. ISSNThe Proceedings present the scientific and engineering results of IODP drilling projects, each an important component of an international program designed to better understand Earth, its environmental changes and processes, the deep biosphere, and climate change.The collective effort required to conduct each IODP expedition is colossal. Beginning with scientists who submit ocean drilling research proposals, there are others who evaluate, rank, and prioritize proposals. Scientists also schedule the science operations, select science party members from scores of international scientists qualified to participate, plan platform operations, ready the drillship, and choose borehole locations. There are onboard logistics to manage and critical communications to coordinate among various academic institutions, governments, and national science organizations. And the resulting data must be managed and made accessible to scientists, particularly those who will prepare future proposals. Every aspect of planning an IODP expedition takes a village-or several. There are many participants and many more stakeholders.

Episodic fresh surface waters in the Eocene Arctic Ocean

“…2), compared to an early Palaeogene average of 3% (ref. 9). Azolla maxima co-vary with physical parameters such as sediment density and magnetic susceptibility and with TOC content, suggesting that in these intervals Azolla remains constitute a dominant organic component of the bulk sediment (Fig.…”

“…The basal middle Eocene Azolla pulses in the Nordic seas are consistently associated with the last (abundant) Figure 2 | Core recovery, chronology, palynological, physical properties and geochemical data across the Azolla phase of holes 302-4A and 913B. Correlation is based on the termination of the Azolla phase, and the general ACEX age model 9 . E. urs.…”

“…The recent Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 302 (or Arctic Coring Expedition, ACEX) successfully recovered an expanded uppermost Palaeocene to middle Eocene sediment sequence from the Lomonosov ridge 9,10 (Fig. 1).…”

“…The sequence is barren of carbonate but comprises abundant organic matter, biosilica and pyrite 9 . Often, submillimetre laminations are present, while benthic microfossils are frequently absent 9 , evidencing sluggish deep water ventilation. Organic (mainly dinoflagellate cyst) and siliceous microfossil assemblages record an early Palaeogene Arctic Ocean with generally low surface water salinity.…”

“…8 Norwegian Polar Institute, Polar Environmental Center, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway. 9 Department of Earth Sciences, Boston University, 685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. 10 British Geological Survey, Murchison House, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3LA, UK.…”