This programme supports the UK’s membership of the IODP. This will enable UK scientists to carry out research to provide a better understanding of plate tectonic processes, the Earth’s crustal structure and composition, life in ancient oceans, and climate change.
Investigating the Earth and its history by exploring beneath the seabed
This research programme supports the UK’s membership in the IODP. IODP is providing a better understanding of plate tectonic processes, the Earth’s crustal structure and composition, environmental conditions and life in ancient oceans, and climate change. IODP builds upon the legacies of the early ocean drilling voyages, including the Deep Sea Drilling Project (1968 to 1983) and the Ocean Drilling Program (1983 to 2003).
IODP is made up of an international partnership of scientists and institutions building upon 40 years of ocean drilling. The UK is an integral member of the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD), which, together with the US and Japan, funds and steers the research.
NERC’s research programme is supporting the UK’s membership in IODP, enabling UK scientists to:
- help ensure that IODP carries out the best and highest priority science
- participate in and obtain material from drilling legs
- capitalise on the results of IODP drilling and UK technologies, allowing them to benefit from technological advances in deep sea drilling