In my previous blog
I summarised a variety of ways in which petrophysical data can provide insight
into a range of geoscience fields. But what use is this if you don’t have any
data to work with? So I thought this might make a useful next topic – sourcing
petrophysics data.
The short list
below details a few ways of acquiring publicly available petrophysics data. As
I work within the IODP my knowledge-base is a little skewed, that said however,
the list is in no particular order.
1. IODP
Let’s start with
the obvious, or at least the most obvious to me - the International Ocean Discovery
Program (IODP). The IODP is an international marine research collaboration that
explores Earth's history and dynamics using ocean-going research platforms to
recover data recorded in seafloor sediments and rocks, and to monitor
subseafloor environments (source).
Throughout its 50 year life-cycle the IODP has drilled, logged and collected
samples from almost every geological setting around the world’s oceans
(Goldberg, 1997). Such a useful resource that IODP data is even fed into the Neftex Earth Model, and IODP
microfossil data into Nannotax.
This breadth
however sometimes means that finding targeted data can be challenging for
researchers that are not fluent in IODP language and structure. For this reason
I will try and simplify the various databases below.
The IODP consists
of three operating platforms, the JOIDES Resolution, the Chikyu and the Mission-Specific
Platform (MSP) (see below). These operating platforms each have individual
online databases for the data they collect. Data types stored in these
databases include all data from core analyses both on whole round recovered
cores (e.g. multi-sensor track system data) and split/slabbed core (e.g. core
images, colour reflectance data); as well as all sample-based analyses (e.g.
discrete measurements, chemical analyses etc.). For a complete list of standard
measurements collected on every expedition click here.
Logging data (as
opposed to core/sample-based data) recovered by IODP on the other hand is simple
data to find - with all three operating platforms depositing data in the IODP
log database.
Links:
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| Databases associated with each IODP platform |
Downhole logging database
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MSP/Pangea
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Chikyu
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JOIDES Resolution:
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Overview
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JANUS (Pre Exp. 317 - 2009)
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LIMS (Post Exp. 317 - 2009)
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But what if you
wish to find data on a specific lithology or structure? Or what about from a particular
ocean/region? The IODP has undertaken nearly 300 scientific exploration
expeditions during its lifecycle and so knowing where they all went and what
they all drilled is a near impossibility.
There are 2 main
ways that I prefer to browse expeditions and find relevant data. The first is
to download the latest IODP KML file, load it into Google Earth and fly
around the world’s oceans. Each data point has associated expedition data and
it’s a great way to find the extent of IODP exploration in the area.
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| IODP drillsites plotted in Google Earth from KML download |
The second way is
to use the Scientific Earth Drilling Information Service (SEDIS) database. The
SEDIS database is a web-based search tool designed to increase the
accessibility of IODP data through various search functions. These include
searching for datasets by keyword/lithology, geographic area, map coordinates
and date. It is also possible to search IODP publications for keywords to find
references to related lithologies, structures or fields of research etc.
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| Searching for lithologies in the SEDIS database |
2. MGDS
IODP is not the
only source of publicly available petrophysics data. The Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS) provides a service for free public access to
marine geoscience research data. Since 2010, MGDS has
also been part of the Interdisciplinary
Earth Data Alliance (IEDA). This is a National Science
Foundation (NSF)-funded service for solid earth geoscience data. One way of
easily and visually browsing for data is by going to the IEDA data browser
and searching geographical locations by changing layer information. Layer data
includes:
- Integrated geochemistry data from PetDB, SedDB, MetPetDB, GEOROC, NavDat, USGS, and GANSEKI.
- MGDS Cruise Tracks - Marine geoscience research data acquired throughout the global oceans and adjoining continental margins. Very useful if you are searching for cruise data in specific locations.
- Geochronology - Community contributed database of U-Pb, (U-Th)/He, and Ar-Ar geochronology and thermochronology data.
- GMRT - Global Multi-Resolution Topography (GMRT) synthesis
- SESAR catalogs and preserves sample metadata profiles and operates the registry that distributes the International Geo Sample Number (IGSN).
- Seismic Data - Marine seismic data from active source studies conducted for academic research are managed through the Academic Seismic Portals (ASP) of LDEO and UTIG.
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| Seismic data lines shot in the Caribbean region and stored in the IEDA database. |
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| Ice flow velocity, plate velocity vector data, and seafloor crustal age data available inside GeoMapApp |
3. NDR
Even if this data is not
directly applicable to your research area, finding real data on similar
geological settings can be extremely useful for training both people and
machines in the pursuit of learning.
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| Oil and gas fields with available free data inside the National Data Repository |
So there it is,
three ways of sourcing free and publically available petrophysics data to help
answer all your marine geoscience questions. Happy searching.
