EXP403 Lab Officer Report

Chieh Peng

Summary

EXP403 completed 7 drilling sites and recovered total of 5343.23 meter of sedimentary cores
High content of methane and other hydrocarbon compounds are found in most of the sites. Several holes in sites U1618/U1620 have to be terminated due to C1/C2 ratio anomalies.
Most of the cores during this expedition experienced expansion and gas pressure. Staff constantly need to repair cracked and crushed liners, and handle expanded core material.
Three program aides, Jesse Yeon and River Rivera sailed in the core lab, Brittany Stockmaster sailed as Underway/Downhole lab technician.
Tiffany Liao sailed as contractor in the imaging special position. All 4 did an excellent job.
Latest COPE mitigation was followed. 2 COVID cases were detected at beginning of the expedition. Both personnel were isolated following COPE protocol.
One scientist was extremely ill during portcall, and was sent to local hospital and went home subsequently.

During the global Crowdstrike issue, several instrument hosts and office PC were affected. Including XSCAN/STMSL/SRM/DHML/Microscope/NGA/CHNS/Navipac (Underway). These PC were stuck in the recovery mode until the faulty code was removed. Several computers lost their profiles and instrument setting. All have to be re-setup. MCSs Kerry and Nick worked overtime to get all computers back to working condition within 10 hours.
Ancient DNA sampling were conducted in various sites/holes. Special procedure was established and followed on the catwalk and in splitting room. Detail is described in Chemistry/MBIO report
Alternative non-HF method was used for analyzing dinoflagellate cysts samples. Method used was established from Exp400, and detail is described in X403 biostratigraphy method. Interference of clay particles and diatoms can sometimes obscured the results.
Assisting Demob activities by conducting chemical/industrial material inventory, collecting SDS for hazardous material, and disposing non-hazardous material
Assisting Demob activities by conducting chemical/industrial material inventory, collecting SDS for hazardous material, and disposing non-hazardous material
X404D DEMOB space is created in Confluence to host all share documents for demob.
All core lab tracks IMS reports are generated and linked under each lab space in X404D Demob
Various Chemistry lab instrument methods are also generated as pdf file and linked under chemistry lab instrument in X404D Demob

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