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MINUTES

Curators of Marine Geological Samples Meeting
5-7 October 1998
Hosted by the Ocean Drilling Program
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

Minutes compiled by Paula Worstell, SIO

Attendees (See Attachment 1, near end of report.)
Status of Action Items from May 1996 Curators' meeting (See Attachment 2, near end of report.)
List of acronyms/definitions (See Attachment 3, end of report.)

MEETING SUMMARY

The Curators of Marine Geological Samples group convened at the Ocean Drilling Program offices at Texas A&M University, 5-7 October 1998. Seventeen core curators, representing 10 facilities in the US, UK and Germany (ODP repositories counted as separate facilities) and the US National Geophysical Data Center/World Data Center for Geophysics & Marine Geology, Boulder attended. John Firth, ODP Curator, hosted the meeting and Carla Moore, NGDC, acted as meeting chair.

Presentations and discussions included overviews of curatorial facilities, non-destructive core-logging systems, the Index to Marine Geological Samples database, limnogeology and related curatorial issues, and improvements to core-describing procedures.

Some common themes in the discussions included the need to develop standards, to increase general awareness of the collections and their value, how to increase the "visibility" of the collections among funding agencies, and reinforcement of cooperative programs in data and collections management.

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Curators of Marine Geological Samples will be in September 1999, hosted by Alan Mix, Curator of the Marine Geology Repository at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon (Nick Pisias volunteered OSU to host the meeting and confirmation of the meeting's location and exact time is pending concurrence by Alan Mix).

INTRODUCTION

Carla Moore welcomed the attendees and thanked John Firth for hosting the current meeting. She noted that only two current attendees (Brian Edwards and herself) were present at the May 1996 Curators' meeting. Carla distributed copies of the minutes and action items from the last meeting, a database status report, and copies of recent correspondence pertaining to sediment classification received from Paula Worstell. She commended Chris Mato, former ODP curator, for her admirable job in assembling the minutes from the last meeting and reported on the status of action items from the 1996 Curators' Meeting, (see ATTACHMENT 2). Attendees updated their facility personnel and contact information.

THE INDEX TO MARINE GEOLOGICAL SAMPLES DATABASE REPORT

Carla Moore reported on the current status of the Index to Marine Geological Samples (AKA Curators') database including database revisions, data additions, user activity, addition of a new contributors' quality-control option, and the status of action items on the database from the May 1996 Curators' meeting. The group discussed and suggested new database action items at various times during the present meeting.

DATABASE REVISIONS

NGDC has made all database revisions assigned to it as action items during the 1996 Curators' meeting. NGDC created a new ORACLE version of the database in 1996, incorporating changes to parameters as voted at the 1996 meeting. An Excel spreadsheet-based entry program, posted in 1997 and modified in 1998 with input from the Curators, is currently in use. The entry program reflects the migration of the Curators' database from an "exchange format" to a free-form set of sanctioned parameters. This change has allowed inclusion of many more data fields and greater ease of data entry.

DATABASE ENTRIES

Since the 1996 Curators' meeting, SIO, OSU, and URI have contributed additional sample data; the USGS has contributed basic inventory information on roughly 2,500 samples. The database now contains information on 91,409 samples, up from 75,997 in 1994. NGDC's recent acquisition of the ORACLE Webserver and associated "tool kit" has greatly enhanced its database flexibility and user interface development capability. NGDC can receive data in virtually all formats, including printed cruise reports, and is willing to do ANYTHING to help the curatorial community integrate and display data. NGDC urges the group to use these capabilities to link core photographs, logging data, cruise reports, graphic core descriptions, metadata (data about data), repository pages, or anything useful.

DATABASE USAGE

Since January 1, 1998, the Curators' web pages (http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/curator/) have had 32,145 hits during 5,989 user sessions, averaging 117 hits and 21 user sessions daily. Seventy three percent are from the US; 9% are of unknown origin. Of the 20% international hits from 50 countries, the top users are: the UK, Germany, Australia, Japan, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, and France (in order of usage). Users from educational institutions are the most active, followed by commercial users. Most users search by geographic area.

NEW ON-LINE DATA PREVIEW OPTION

Curators can now review their data in the form in which it will appear to users before NGDC uploads the file into the curators' database (following quality control by NGDC). Curators can select, view and plot data to the screen, then notify NGDC of any errors. Screen plots and color-coding are useful in spotting errors in positions.

INTERFACE DEVELOPMENT

Carla is developing a new interface to replace the outdated Java interface developed in 1996. She asked the group to provide suggestions to improve its "user friendliness," and/or other comments and ideas. The development URL is:

http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov:8800/mgg/plsql/curtest.search_screen

Curators were able to view the window at the meeting and make some comments directly to Carla at the meeting.

NEW REVISIONS TO DATABASE

The assembled group discussed other possible modifications at various times during the meeting (See also Action Items, below).

Carla also reiterated that NGDC prefers only corrected (by Matthew's tables) water-depth data. She also suggested that contributors might want to store images in high-resolution 24-bit JPEG form, being careful to avoid the higher JPEG compression options because they degrade the image.

SUMMARY - CURATORIAL FACILITIES

Representatives from the University of Rhode Island, British Ocean Sediment Core Repository, Oregon State University, US Geological Survey, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Ocean Drilling Program, and the Limnological Research Center (University of Minnesota) presented overviews of their curatorial operations. Attendees exchanged information about the history and development of their collections, existing facilities and equipment, types of collections and regions from which they were amassed, staffing and funding sources, types of data routinely collected, development and access to databases, special analytical equipment, sample distribution policies, and educational aspects.

TOOLS AND FACILITIES

Most repositories maintain sediment cores in refrigerated units at about 4 degrees C (and have additional dry-storage facilities). Most have laboratories with areas for core analysis, describing, core photography; some have multisensor-logging capabilities. OSU contains its multisensor logging unit in a portable van which may be placed on sea-going vessels allow for both sea- and shore-based logging. ODP has a pass-through cryogenic magnetometer adjacent to the Gulf Coast Repository, for shore-based paleomagnetic analyses of repository cores; it is in the process of constructing a multi-sensor tract at the Gulf Coast Repository for archive-half logging. Most repositories have shore-based core-splitting and rock-cutting tools in addition to reflected light and/or petrographic microscopes. Most repositories have some work space set aside for affiliated researchers or visiting scientists.

Much discussion during the curatorial presentations involved new multi-sensor core logging systems (see report, below).

All repositories face the real or potential problem of requiring additional space to accommodate new collections. In general, however, the repositories with growing collections have the means to expand, either to build or add modular units (URI) or to expand into undeveloped space in pre-existing areas. USGS-Menlo Park has the additional problem of repairing damage caused in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and ensuring personnel and core safety during future earthquakes. 

SHIPS

ODP drilling operations are carried on aboard the JOIDES Resolution, leased from SEDCO, the drilling subcontractor. Most US marine-coring institutions share the US oceanographic fleet under the scheduling supervision of UNOLS, as well as collecting from "ships of opportunity." The University of Minnesota group takes advantage of "ships of opportunity" to core sediments from lakes around the world.

SAMPLE DISTRIBUTION POLICY

Sample distribution policies are reasonably consistent, including review by the curator, principal investigator, a review committee or some combination thereof. Most contained a "PI statement" granting the cruise principal investigator exclusive rights to cruise samples for a specified period or rights to review all requests for a specified period. ODP does not allow distribution of samples to "subsequent requestors" until 12 months following termination of a cruise. Most requests received are appropriately for scientific study; some are for special educational projects or displays; curators reject those for purely commercial or non-scientific use.

DATA

All represented repositories collect, and make available, core data to interested scientists and to the public at large. Most represented repositories make data available through the Internet accessible Index to Marine Geological Samples ("Curators' database") developed by the Curators' group and maintained by NCEI/WDS for Geophysics. Several of the participating repositories also maintain local databases containing additional data and information accessible through Internet links.

Guy Rothwell reported that at present no central database exists for European core data. EuroCore is a cooperative effort to address this problem by developing a consistent and comprehensive database for marine cores collected by, and held in European institutions. Current partners include organizations/institutions from Great Britain, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, France, and Portugal. EuroCore will join with EUMARSIN, another joint European consortium to centralize geological data, under a common, as yet to be determined name. EuroCore and EUMARSIN have different missions, with EUMARSIN responsible for core data only from European seas and the European continental shelf, including from the European Geological Survey, and EuroCore for the data collected from the World's oceans by European ships and held in European Institutions.

Guy Rothwell has invited Carla Moore to attend a database planning meeting for EuroCore in January 2000.

ORGANIZATION/FUNDING

Leadership and direction usually comes from senior scientists with specific research interests, who, in some cases receive only partial support for their curatorial effort. Staff comprises students (undergraduate to Ph.D. candidates), professional curatorial personnel, and post-doctoral appointees. Cruise principal investigators sometimes provide additional scientific and descriptive contributions. Some, (or in some cases, most), funding for the US repositories comes from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Office of Naval Research (ONR), US Government, with some added contributions from industry and respective universities. The UK BOSCOR repository is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). US curators encourage promoting "greater visibility" among funding agencies to ensure conservation and maintenance of irreplaceable collections.

EDUCATIONAL POLICIES

Educational aspects ranged from extensive interaction supporting Ph.D. programs to learning situations for a range of grade school to undergraduate students. Students are, or may be, involved in developing tools, techniques and software applicable to curatorial operations, website learning and in other visual and hands-on demonstrations. Some curators saw possibilities in expanding to more educational services and tapping funding resources available for such.

Non-destructive core logging was a major topic of the meeting, being addressed both in curatorial-facility presentations and as separate reports. Major core repositories, especially in those with active drilling and coring programs (and commensurate funding) are increasingly employing non-destructive core-logging techniques. Systems include x-ray and color imaging, x-ray fluorescence and multisensor logging. Repository representatives provided overviews of their systems and discussed the problem of generating and placing vast amounts of actually or potentially inconsistent data in databases.

OVERVIEWS

Walter Hale (ODP Bremen) presented an overview of the x-ray fluorescence system in use at the University of Bremen. Dave Gunn (BOSCOR), Bobbi Conard and Nick Pisias (OSU), and Bill Mills (ODP) provided details of their respective ship and/or shore multisensor operations. Steve Carey (URI) and Brian Edwards (USGS) commented on their x-ray imaging/scanning systems.

MULTISENSOR LOGGING AND CORE IMAGING

The multisensor logging tools are attracting particular attention as many types of data (electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, p-wave velocities, p-wave amplitudes, gamma ray attenuation porosity (bulk density), x-ray tomography, x-ray fluorescence, microwave (water-content) determinations, color-reflectance scanning, core-diameter measurements) may be efficiently logged with little or no disruption of the core surface. Both whole cores, "in the round," and split cores may be logged, and new sensors are being developed.

Various studies comparing the results of traditional analytical procedures against core-log interpretations demonstrated that the logs may serve as "proxies" for more time- and core-consuming analyses. Some examples are,

• The Split Core Analysis Track (SCAT), developed by Alan Mix and others at Oregon State, measures diffuse reflectance spectra. It offers high-resolution shape analyses and, owing to unique absorptional properties of mineral grains also indicates mineral composition. Color variation, thus component variation, has proven to be a very powerful correlation tool. Some examples from ODP coring include Leg 138, where hole to hole correlation was possible on the basis of carbonate content, Leg 154 where Neogene climatic variability was traced on the basis of core mineralogy, Leg 167, on the California margin where color reflectance served as a proxy for organic carbon.
  
  
• Ursula Roehl (University of Bremen) compared Leg 165 shipboard carbonate measurements against those obtained from the XRF core scanner. She found that the data were not significantly different, although the shipboard measurements required samples to be removed from the core, whereas the XRF scanner does not penetrate below the core surface.

GUNN EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR DEVELOPING STANDARDS in logging-data collection and presentation. He noted that at present huge volumes of data are being generated from different systems, with different calibration procedures and data-processing techniques. Standards are needed now to ensure data is relative, comparable, and compatible. Gunn also demonstrated changes (especially color and water content) as cores aged; core color changes quite quickly. Ideally, only fresh cores are logged, but standards and calibration procedures are also needed to extend logging techniques to older cores.

Atomic-particle rays are hazardous. Users discussed safety apparatuses and precautions taken.

Kerry Kelts presented a comprehensive overview of the status, goals, and curatorial issues surrounding lake coring and paleolimnological research. Funding for lake research is increasing as concerns of fluctuating global climates gain international attention. He noted the similarities and differences between lake and marine sediments and biota and approaches to their study. Lake deposits can provide annual sediment records, thus very high resolution. But, owing to the wide diversity of chemical, lithologic and biological environments, each lake presents a different complex set of interactions complicating their interpretation, "power with confusion."

Numerous geological questions are being addressed by lake coring. Lake study aids the correlation of worldwide continental events, including history of continental break-up and high-resolution worldwide correlation of non-marine species, and the paleohydrology of past continents. Abandoned rift basins are targets for petroleum exploration, as they often comprise organic carbon, overlain by porous sandstone, capped with impermeable shale. Moreover, sulfide accumulations in restricted basins often lead to development of ore deposits. Extreme lake environments offer the opportunity to study end members of biological and chemical systems. Moreover, rapidity of evolution in extreme and isolated (lake) environments give rise to a variety of new forms which may then be introduced to marine environments, possibly accounting for sudden appearance of forms in marine environments without apparent predecessors. Types and distribution of ancient lakes also indicate which parts of the globe were dry and which parts were wet. This allows for fascinating correlation of climatic events to events in human history, as well as to correlation to synchronous climatic events in other parts of the globe.

Study of lake sediments offers enormous scientific potential, "a lot of science for a "few" bucks." Efforts to increase international cooperation in continental drilling are underway and lake drilling should be an integral part of the effort.

To ensure best cooperative preservation, conservation, and utilization of these cores, (as well as others collected earlier on), Kerry is committed to developing curatorial policies and procedures similar to those in place in the marine community.

Historically, paleolimnologists have a tradition of "private core ownership" and no tradition of cooperative effort. At the Limnological Research Center, Kelts is developing a core-research facility to serve as a role model for lake-core curation. Cores collected with NSF funds are, after all, in the public domain and the DSDP/ODP program has demonstrated the many benefits of proper curation and cooperative study. He solicits the help from the marine-coring community in his efforts to ensure a similar program for handling the highly useful lake cores.

(Kelts also distributed handouts describing his smear-slide description techniques and sediment classification system for lake deposits. The handout is a part of a guide he is preparing for "optical determination of major components in lake sediments" which he hopes to have completed by the next meeting.)

Guy Rothwell led a discussion on improving and standardizing core-describing procedures, especially as related to improving smear-slide descriptions. Paula Worstell submitted a sediment classification scheme based upon sediment grain-size and constituents as determined (mostly) from smear-slide inspection.

SMEAR-SLIDES

Guy Rothwell noted that smear-slide analysis is a qualitative method which constitutes "the FIRST, and often, ONLY look at (the sedimentological properties) of the core." Smear-slides are quickly and easily prepared, and, because their preparation requires so little material, are virtually non-destructive. The information gained relative to time spent is very high making smear-slide analysis an excellent tool for basic (sediment) core description. He noted a marked deterioration in core descriptions between earlier and recent ocean-drilling/coring cruises saying, "core describers are a dying breed and principal investigators or students who are often called upon to do the descriptions, are not trained to a consistent standard."

In order to increase the RELIABILITY AND REPRODUCIBILITY of smear-slide data, Rothwell called upon the curatorial community to reach a common agreement regarding sediment classification, means of collecting and reporting data (interpreting weight or percentage of components, reporting absolute abundance of components versus defined relative abundances, improving recognition of sediment components.)

As a means to improving the use and validity of smear-slide data, Rothwell suggested curators collaborate to develop REFERENCE COLLECTIONS and produce CD-ROM/Educational WebSite focussing upon training in core-describing, smear-slide techniques.

The smear-slide reference collection might contain, in addition to examples of common components, examples of unusual forms, and also STANDARDS with various grain-size percentages, weight percentages, representative environments, and index fossils. Collections of slide photomicrographs would further enhance the reference collection.

The assembled group fully endorsed both concepts (reference collections and educational CD-ROM), some noting that the education web site development would allow for "dynamic change," and general user accessibility. The CD-ROM would be made available to repositories, and ship-based labs.

(Guy Rothwell and Paula Worstell distributed smear-slides of some interesting components to the assembled group to initiate the reference collection exchange.)

Wolf Berger was unable to organize the subcommittee to investigate sediment classification schemes, as designated at the 1996 Curators' meeting. (Berger withdrew from the SIO Curatorship upon accepting the Interim Directorship of SIO.) At Bill Riedel's (SIO Curatorial Advisor) suggestion, Paula Worstell prepared a sediment classification scheme to "place on the table" at the present meeting.

Paula Worstell noted that preliminary core descriptions are the primary basis for future sample requests. Incomplete sediment descriptions lead to imprecise sample selection. Core describers need to "use the same words to mean the same things." Ideally data containing absolute percentages of grain sizes and sediment components should be accessible. That would negate the need for a classification system as each user could apply whatever classification he/she desired and each requestor could simply search on suitable components. But, in lieu of the detailed percentage data, a field containing the sediment name, as defined by a classification scheme, could relay considerable information about the core.

Paula's system is a modification of the ODP classification scheme tailored to fit the general format of the Curators' database. It is completely descriptive, based on what can be observed (directly and microscopically), without need for prior sedimentological interpretation. Every common lithologic component (mineral or fossil grain) is placed into a class, the relative percentages of which determine the sediment name.

Discussion centered around some details of the system. Not all agreed with the elimination of the "mixed sediment" class. Not all agreed that detailed component data/and or sediment description were necessary to the Curators' database. Paula argued that most requestors use two factors in selecting samples: geographic area AND area of research interest. Therefore the Curators' database should provide both "underway" and lithologic data. Some felt that placing detailed sediment descriptions and component information in the Curators' database was not necessary and added greatly to the effort of submitting cruise data.

CORE WRAPPING - OSU routinely wraps cores with Handiwrap in preparation for multisensor logging and to slow core aging (esp. water loss) and mold growth. John Firth noted that ODP has begun a project to wrap its repository core collections, but whether or not all of the older, already dry, sediment cores will be wrapped is uncertain. One attendee commented that the amount of water contained in sponges was so small compared to water content of the core, that they were virtually useless in maintaining water content. Firth noted that D-tubes used are porous, not air tight as some of us had thought. Attendees also discussed possible generation of post-storage sulfides (sulfuric acid) in the cores causing destruction to calcareous components.

ARCHIVAL IMAGING - Whereas most agreed that digital imaging is fast and extremely useful for descriptive work, reports, and sample selection, COLOR, or in some cases black and white, PHOTOGRAPHY is the only method with sufficiently high resolution for ARCHIVAL PURPOSES.

ODP REPOSITORY TOUR - John Firth gave a tour of the ODP Gulf Coast Repository including the very large core-handling area, huge refrigerated-storage area and of the Micropaleontological Reference Collection (MRC). He presented some interesting cores including a laminated diatom ooze from the upwelling zone off the Peruvian margin, ODP Leg 112. Cores are stacked to 12 feet high in the refrigerated storage, the upper rows being reached by high ladders. (Commented Brian Edwards, "I don't think they expect earthquakes here.") Core data are printed on end caps in bar codes that may be electronically scanned; archive and work sections have red and black end caps, respectively, for ease of identification. The MRC houses reference sets of smear, radiolarian, diatom, foram and nannoplankton slides from the DSDP and ODP legs. These are available (for viewing) to all interested researchers. The MRC at ODP/TAMU is one of several situated around the world, see URL:

http://www-odp.tamu.edu/mrc/mrcpage.HTML

ODP'S APPLECORE PROGRAM - Several attendees viewed the ODP's AppleCore program, a MAC-platform program that produces a stratigraphic representation of the cores. The graphic core description with lithologic symbols can be positioned adjacent to the descriptive text. Adjustments of scales, tick marks and labeling allow for a variable page presentation. The version that ODP uses is available commercially from Mike Ranger. His email address is:

mranger@cadvision.com

1. NSF Participation - Nick Pisias/Alan Mix or designee to invite an appropriate representative to the next Curators' meeting (Next meeting to held at Oregon State University).
   
   
2. Interaction of the Curators' Group with IMAGES - Nick Pisias to contact members of IMAGES to discuss possibility of making the Curators' group a consulting body to that organization.
   
   
3. Curators' Database User Interface - Attendees and non attendees are encouraged to review the new Curators' database user interface window and relay comments and suggestions to Carla. The URL is http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov:8800/mgg/plsql/curtest.search_screen
   
   
4. Curators' Database Modifications - Carla Moore to:
   
   
   • Replace codes in the database with selections from the sanctioned list of "plain English" equivalents and modify the entry program to reflect this change.
     
     
   • Modify the database to accommodate "point" samples.
     
     
   • Link cruise readme  files (data collection methods), cruise reports, core photos, graphic core descriptions, etc. to the database as requested. Steve Carey will contribute cruise reports. Paula Worstell will send test cruise readme files and possibly graphic core descriptions.
     
     
5. Curators' List server - Carla Moore to provide "All" with an updated list of all recipients of the Curators' List Server.
   
   
6. Core Storage Survey - John Firth to forward to "All" Tobias Moertz' questionnaire re core storage techniques. (Moertz' is conducting a study on core aging and core storage techniques.)
   
   
7. Multisensor data calibration and standards - Dave Gunn will make some recommendations for calibration standards, common logging practices and data processing procedures. He will investigate the production and application of calibration sections and synthetic core standards as a means of improving accuracy and consistency in the core-logging process. Progress to be reviewed at the next Curators' meeting.
   
   
8. Smear-Slide CD-ROM and Web site - Guy Rothwell to coordinate development of an educational CD-ROM and Web site demonstrating core describing and smear-slide techniques. Others to collaborate providing Guy with ideas and smear-slide images.
   
   
9. Reference Collections - All to exchange smear-slides and photomicrographs to develop reference materials with the purpose toward increasing consistency of smear-slide analyses and core descriptions.
   
   
10. Sediment Classification - Steve Carey to chair a committee comprising Brian Edwards, Guy Rothwell, June Wilson, and Paula Worstell to review and make recommendations concerning sediment classification. (Steve and/or Brian will check with Bill Hay and Tom Janecek, members of the 1996 subcommittee to determine if they have interest in serving.) The committee will work with Carla Moore to ensure database compatibility and will circulate its suggestions to "ALL" for comments. Presumably the scheme will be voted upon at the next Curators' meeting.
    
    
11. Data Sharing with EuroCore - Guy Rothwell and Carla Moore will explore opportunities for data sharing and possible data mirroring between the Curators' database and the new EuroCore database.
    
    
12. GEOTIMES Article - John Firth to prepare an article for publication in GEOTIMES reporting on the current meeting.
    
    
13. Meeting Report/Minutes - Paula Worstell to draft meeting report and minutes for distribution to meeting attendees. The final versions to be distributed to "ALL" on the Curators' List Server and WebPages at URL http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/curator/oct98minutes.html following review and approval of the meeting attendees.
    
    

Meeting report prepared by P. Worstell, Oct./Nov. 1998

• Jim Broda to review device codes, propose new coding scheme/list. All participants to forward device code lists to Jim as input & review proposed new list via list server. Participants provide lists to Jim by 1 June, completion by September 1996 - pending
  
  
• Brian representing USGS/NGDC to check into JAVA security issues and report to group (due June 30 1996) - done
  
  
• Jim Broda to supply translation routine for Munsell color codes to English equivalents via his worker Roger - done
  
  
• NGDC will revise entry/edit programs to new specifications, and add translations from additional classification schemes (Shepard, etc.) in consultation with June Wilson - new specifications done, additional schemes not added
  
  
• Rusty Lotti will check with TESH meeting participants for additional information - status unknown
  
  
• Dawn Graber will provide NGDC with a list of lake description terminology, NGDC will incorporate them into the sample descriptors - pending, descriptors not yet received
  
  
• Effective May 1996, with the understanding that historical files will be updated as time/funds/students become available; that cores with no recovery will be clearly flagged and sent to NGDC. If comments are available then they should be included with data submitted to NGDC - policy decision, no action yet
  
  
• Review current list server subscription (accomplished at meeting) NGDC will send out messages asking subscribers to confirm their wish to be on the list - done
  
  
• Each institute repository provide facility statistics such as: storage capacity/growth numbers, number of new meters that can be stored in the existing area, costs for core racks to store additional cores - pending
  
  
• Alan Mix should provide a "strawman" list for discussion of which basic tools and services which should be common to all repositories. The discussion could be conducted over the list server - pending
  
  
• NGDC to create a Curator WWW page with links to special pages created and maintained at each institution to post curatorial "news" - Draft will be non-public, after testing, the group will decide which parts to be public/non-public. The list server & list archive page will remain non-public - Curator page done, links implemented, no other materials received for implementation
  
  
• Chris Mato put a copy of sections from the curatorial cookbook on the Curator WWW page - pending
  
  
• Carla provide a means to ftp electronic files from the WWW - done
  
  

Database items:

• Expansion of cruise and sample fields to 15 digits each (Moore) - done
  
  
• New device codes list (Broda) - pending, but now unnecessary (see new 10/98 action items list)
  
  
• Sediment trap, multicorer, kastenlot added to old list (Moore) - done
  
  
• Add '19' to year field making the database Y2K compliant (Moore) - done
  
  
• Expand precision of lat/lon to hundredths of minutes available (Moore) - done
  
  
• Consensus - do not add core condition code after discussion (no action)
  
  
• Consensus - leave current storage codes (no action)
  
  
• Images - consensus add capability to link directly to image, or to site with image, or to information that image exists at facility, with link to facility (Moore) - not done, no information received from institutions to link
  
  
• Expand depth to top/bottom of interval to have tenths of cm (mm) precision capability (Moore) - done
  
  
• Add province code for salt water inland lakes (Moore) - done
  
  
• Add field for standardized Munsell color code to curators' database - use standard translation list (Moore, Broda) - done
  
  
• Drop the current multi-card, fixed-field format as an exchange mechanism (Moore) - done
  
  
• Send in digital information to NGDC even though it may not include the core description and analyses, and sampling may still be restricted to the original scientific group (All) - USGS has done so
  
  
• NGDC will put a field in the database to flag samples from which materials are no longer available (Moore) - done
  
  
• NGDC should only receive corrected water depths (All) - ?
  
  
• Consensus, round off diameter of core to whole cm and put actual diameter in comments, if necessary
  
  
• NGDC will rename 'subdominant component' to 'other components'; four additional 'other components' fields will be added (Moore) - done
  
  
• Wolf Berger to chair subcommittee to look into sedimentary classification schemes; subcommittee members; Tom Janecek, Phil Weaver, Bill Hay, Brian Edwards - pending (see classification discussion)
  
  
• NGDC will provide the ability to put the sediment trap locations and investigator information into the Curators' database (Moore) - done/available, not yet used
  
  
• Metadata will be kept at NGDC, ancillary core data will be kept at the institute level which will be available for user access through the local curator. Should the institute no longer be capable or willing to provide the ancillary data to the user, the institute will provide the data to NGDC/World Data Center for MGG, Boulder - (not an action item, just policy note - also note that NCEI/WDS for Geophysics will gladly accept any kind of data and make it available, at the request of any institution)
  
  

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