Welcome to the SAFOD Phase III Core Sample Request Site
The third round of requests for SAFOD Phase III core samples will begin 15 July 2011, hosted on this website.
The online tools available here have been developed to make each request round easier and to allow more collaboration between PI groups. If not already registered from Round 2, new PI groups are required to register using the form linked above. Before you do that, please review the material on this page to familiarize yourself with the complete request process.
For the current round, we will use the two-step process utilized during Round 2, in which initial sample requests must be made by a request closure date (15 August 2011). After that date, PI groups will have the opportunity to view all sample requests and revise the locations of their own requests. We encourage PI groups to communicate with each other to maximize the use of each section of the core.
[ CLOSED ]
I. History
About three years ago, EarthScope began making available physical samples collected during the SAFOD Phase III drilling process, including samples from the Phase III core recovered from the San Andreas Fault. This page provides a brief update on the first and second rounds of Phase III sample distribution, and outlines the schedule and process for the third Phase III sample distribution.
First, it is useful to summarize the responsibilities of all groups involved with SAFOD physical samples. SAFOD physical samples are curated at the Gulf Coast Repository (GCR) at Texas A&M University, under the supervision of John Firth. UNAVCO is the NSF awardee responsible for management of SAFOD and oversees SAFOD activities at GCR. At NSF’s recommendation, UNAVCO has in the past year established the SAFOD Core Sample Working Group (CoSWoG) to provide oversight of curation of SAFOD samples, methods used to take and distribute samples, etc. CoSWoG members include:
- John Logan (Chair), University of Oregon
- Brian Blackman, UNAVCO
- Adrian Borsa, UNAVCO
- Judith Chester, Texas A&M University
- John Firth, Texas A&M University
- Steve Hickman, US Geological Survey
- Andreas Kronenberg, Texas A&M University
- Demian Saffer, Pennsylvania State University
These groups work together to ensure that all physical samples are properly curated and that samples are distributed as directed. For the prior rounds of sample distribution, the SAFOD Sample Committee reviewed all requests and recommended a disposition for each sample to NSF. Approximately 607 samples were allocated among 18 PI groups during Rounds 1 and 2 in this fashion. For Round 3, a similar independent group of experts will review all requests and make recommendations on their disposition in order to maximize the scientific return while preserving adequate samples for future study. As before, NSF will make the final determination on sample distribution. Once those decisions are made, the CoSWoG, GCR, and UNAVCO will work together to ensure the distribution goes forward properly.
Because of the unique nature of the SAFOD core, new procedures have been developed for both distribution decisions and sampling. The SAFOD Sample Committee began an effort, which continues under CoSWoG, to investigate and develop sampling procedures for particularly friable material, such as those in core runs G-2-7 and G-2-8. In this round, PI groups can request friable material, and any samples that are recommended for distribution will only be distributed under terms of the sampling protocols under development. Please note that this may include requiring PI groups to travel to GCR to work with staff and/or other investigators to extract samples.
In addition, Chris Marone (Pennsylvania State University) and David Lockner (US Geological Survey, Menlo Park) are coordinating an inter-laboratory calibration effort for those investigators who are proposing measurements of physical properties, including measurements of permeability, fracture strength, electrical resistivity, and frictional strength. More information about the inter-laboratory calibration effort can be found at the request website http://www.geosc.psu.edu/~cjm/safod. Principal investigators who request samples for physical properties measurements will be expected to participate in the inter-laboratory calibration before being sent Phase III samples.
II. Current Request Round:
For the third request round, EarthScope and SAFOD personnel are again providing several online tools and submission forms to help expedite requests and to encourage collaboration amongst PIs. The tools were rolled out in February 2009 for use by both new and current investigators.
The sample request submission process will begin 15 July 2011 and conclude 15 August 2011, at which time PI groups will only be allowed to modify existing requests with the added capability of view all PI group sample requests per core run section. All modifications must be complete by 9 September 2011.
Please bear in mind the following when planning your sample requests:
- Samples are available to any qualified investigator, but priority will be given to NSF-funded investigations.
- All prior and prospective PIs must register either individually or as part of a PI group.
- If a given PI group has been allocated samples in a prior round that have not been distributed to that PI group by 15 July 2011, the PI group must renew their request for those samples using the new registration process.
- PI groups that have previously received SAFOD samples must describe the progress made with previous samples, the need for additional samples, and the status of the previous samples. These reports will be used during the evaluation of Round 3 requests. Please note that approval of requests during a prior round of sampling does not ensure approval for subsequent access to SAFOD samples.
- PI groups that have received samples for thin sections are obligated to make two thin sections at each location and to send the second section to GCR for deposit in the thin section library. No new samples will be distributed to any PI group that has not provided all required thin sections to GCR.
- PI groups that request samples for physical properties measurements, including friction, permeability, and other mechanical and transport properties, are expected to take part in the inter-laboratory calibration procedure. No new samples will be distributed to any PI group that has not provided all required data for the inter-laboratory calibration effort.
- Requests for friable samples (such as those in core runs G-2-7 and G-2-8) will be considered in this round, subject to the terms of sampling protocols under development by the CoSWoG. Please note that this may include requiring PI groups to travel to GCR to work with staff and/or other investigators to extract samples.
- Additional questions or comments may be addressed to Dr. Greg Anderson at greander@nsf.gov.
Timeline:
15 July 2011: Core viewer with samples distributed ready for use
New and current PIs will access the Core Viewer Tool that shows the samples that have been distributed in the first and second request rounds; the tool is available on the EarthScope Web site at http://www.earthscope.org/data/safod_core_samples. The core image shows the position, type of sample, and PI group for all samples distributed in the first and second rounds. We encourage PI groups to consider the previous distributions when they plan new sample requests, and to communicate with each other when appropriate, in order to maximize the scientific return on each sample.
15 July 2011: Registration of PI groups and submission of Round 3 core sample requests
PI groups who registered during Round 2 need only to authenticate using the login dialog at the top right of the Core Viewer Tool. New PI groups must be registered using the form available at http://prototype.earthscope.org/data/safod_registration. You must register before you will have access to the sample request form, and please note that each member of a PI group who wishes to have individualized access to this system must register.
Registration includes the option to request membership in an existing PI group. The submission form has entry points for a report of the current results obtained on the first and second round samples. The discussion does not need to be lengthy, but should give enough detail to indicate the state of your research. Members of the inter-laboratory calibration groups must also describe their activities. These responses will be considered during evaluation of Round 3 requests. Further guidance for filling out the sample request forms is given in the sample request pages.
15 August 2011: Submission of new Round 3 core sample requests closed
All new requests for core samples to be taken in third round must be submitted by this date. PI groups are still able to edit all existing Round 3 sample request submitted prior to this date.
15 August 2011: Core Viewer Tab displays all Round 3 sample requests and continues to allow location digitization for submitted sample requests
In addition to displaying samples taken in Rounds 1 and 2, the Core Viewer Tab available in the Core Sample Request Tool will also display data and the location of all Round 3 sample requests, along with the identity of the PI/PI group who submitted the request. Investigators will be allowed to change (redigitize) the position of their requests utilizing the 'Digitize Sample Request' option in the Core Viewer Tab. This capability maximizes the efficiency of sampling, improves and integrates the knowledge base, and aids in the development of new collaborations. No additional requests for core samples will be entertained at this time.
9 September 2011: Round 3 requests finalized
All modifications to submitted requests must be finalized by this date. All online editing functionality will be disabled. View-only capabilities will remain available in the Core Sample Request Tool indefinitely.
12 September 2011: Round 3 sample request review begins
Sept 2011 or earlier: Round 3 sample distribution begins
All requestors are notified of the sample distribution by email. PI groups may contact John Firth at GCR to begin the distribution.