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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Archive of Core and Site/Hole Data and Photographs from the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP)

browse graphicDSDP drill sites
The Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) operated the D/V GLOMAR CHALLENGER from 1968-1983, drilling 1,112 holes at 624 sites worldwide. The DSDP was funded by the US National Science Foundation and several foreign countries through the Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling (JOIDES), and was operated by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The DSDP data management group at SIO compiled a full suite of computerized marine geological and geophysical data files before they were disbanded in 1987, at which time the data files were transferred to NGDC and to the Ocean Drilling Program at Texas A&M University for distribution.In 1989, with support from, and in cooperation with, the Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Inc., U.S. Science Support Program, NGDC produced two compact discs (CDROM) containing all computerized DSDP data. In 2000, all but the logging and geophysical data were re-released as 1 CD-ROM with an HTML interface. Data are available for free online download. In 2007, the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) transferred digital images of all core photographs and closeup core photographs in their collection to NGDC for archive. Due to their volume, these data are not available online, but are archived and available on request. The photo collections consists of 17,635 high-resolution TIFF files, volume 553.34 gigabytes.
  • Cite as: Deep Sea Drilling Project.1989: Archive of Core and Site/Hole Data and Photographs from the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP). Third. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/10.7289/V54M92G2. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.ngdc.mgg.geology:G00993
Search Data
  • Web forms interface (search)
    Text interface to search and download data and access related links through the Index to Marine and Lacustrine Geological Samples (IMLGS). Descriptive data in this system were produced by the staff of the DSDP from the SCREEN and smearslide data files.
  • Map viewer (search)
    ArcGIS interactive map interface to search and download data and access related links through the Index to Marine and Lacustrine Geological Samples (IMLGS).
Download Data
  • Data files and documentation (download)
    Web version of data and documentation from the original 1989 CD-ROM (modified in 2000 for web access) containing ASCII text versions of all prime data files from the DSDP. Data file access by leg, site/hole, data type, and geographic area.
Distribution Formats
  • ASCII
  • TIFF
  • JPEG
Ordering Instructions Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact Marine Geology Data Manager
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
geology.info@noaa.gov
Coverage Description Global sea floor - sparse locations
Time Period 1968-01-01 to 2000-12-31
Spatial Reference System urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG:4326
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -178.5
East: 179.7380
South: -77.4420
North: 76.15000
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
  • Metadata Landing Page
    How to cite this data set (doi:10.7289/V54M92G2), all access options, and complete documentation.
  • Archive Web page
    Web page of information about the database
  • Originator's Web page
    Access data and information from the IODP website
  • Originator's documentation
    Ocean Drilling Program (1988): Deep Sea Drilling Project documentation files. Ocean Drilling Program Technical Note 9. doi:10.2973/odp.tn.9.1988. PDF document containing an image of the original documentation files for the DSDP prime data types.
Associated Resources
  • NCEI Marine Geology Data Archive
    • Parent Archive
      Information about the Marine Geology Data Archive at NCEI.
  • Index to Marine and Lacustrine Geological Samples (IMLGS)
    • Parent Database
      The parent IMLGS database contains more/related data and information.
  • A Hypercube of Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Marine Geological and Geophysical Data
  • Archive of Core and Site/Hole Data and Photographs from the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP)
  • Archive of Core and Site/Hole Data and Photographs from the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP)
  • Archive of Geosample Information from Scientific Ocean Drilling
  • NOAA/NCEI Marine Geology WAF
Publication Dates
  • publication: 1989-12-31
  • revision: 2013-08-21
Edition Third
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Digital image
Digital document - digital representation of a primarily textual item (can contain illustrations also)
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency Not planned - Completed data set, no additions planned.
Supplemental Information
The original, 1989 DSDP CDROM set included two discs and access software developed by NGDC for DOS and Macintosh platforms. Disc I contained sediment and hard rock descriptive and analytical data, documentation files, and several summary and reference files. Disc II contained downhole logging in the Schlumberger LIS format, and underway geophysical data (bathymetry, magnetics, and navigation) in the MGD77 format - the borehole and geophysical data are not included in the current metadata record/data set. Not all data types are included for all legs. Data files on the discs include the following: Age profile, carbon-carbonate, core depth recovery, density-porosity, gamma ray attenuation porosity evaluator (GRAPE), hard rock major and minor element geochemistry, thin section and visual descriptions of hard rock samples, interstitial water chemistry paleomagnetism of sediment and hard rock samples, paleonotology (including 22 fossil groups), smear slide descriptions, sonic velocity, vane shear, visual core descriptions, and x-ray mineralogy. Core images were scanned from paper photographs/negatives by staff of the Ocean Drilling Program. Additional images of laboratory forms, were scanned from microfilm under an NGDC CDMP project. All images are available offline only due to volume. Note: on Feb 22, 2006 latitude/longitude information was updated for LEG 001 Hole 2 to correct an error that was present since the files were first transferred to NGDC. ODP personnel certified the correction.
Purpose Scientific Research
Use Limitations
  • Produced by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Not subject to copyright protection within the United States.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Deep Sea Drilling Project.1989: Archive of Core and Site/Hole Data and Photographs from the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP). Third. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/10.7289/V54M92G2. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
  • Deep Sea Drilling Project
Originators
  • Peter Woodbury
    Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Science Operator for the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP)
  • Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling (JOIDES)
  • U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
Publishers
  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Acknowledgments
  • The DSDP data were prepared by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography with funding from the Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling (JOIDES). The CD-ROM data set was prepared by the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center with support from the US National Science Foundation through the Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Inc. (JOI). Core Data from the Deep Sea Drilling Project Legs 1-96, World Data Center for Marine Geology and Geophysics, Boulder, Seafloor Series Volume 1, 2000. Digital core photographs were produced by the DSDP, ODP, and IODP.
Theme keywords Library of Congress Subject Headings
  • Scientific archives
  • Electronic records
  • Oceanography
  • Ocean bottom
  • Geology
  • Submarine geology
  • Marine sediments
SeaDataNet Common Vocabularies
  • Marine geology
USGS Science Topics
  • Sea-floor characteristics
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
  • Earth Science > OCEANS > Marine Geophysics > Marine Magnetics
  • Earth Science > OCEANS > Marine Sediments > Sedimentation
  • Earth Science > OCEANS > Marine Sediments > Sediment Composition
  • Earth Science > OCEANS > Marine Sediments > Stratigraphic Sequence
  • Earth Science > Paleoclimate > Ocean/Lake Records > Sediments
  • Earth Science > PALEOCLIMATE > Ocean/Lake Records > Stratigraphic Sequence
  • Earth Science > SOLID EARTH > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Age Determinations
  • Earth Science > SOLID EARTH > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Bedrock Lithology
  • Earth Science > SOLID EARTH > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Igneous Rocks
  • Earth Science > SOLID EARTH > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Metamorphic Rocks
  • Earth Science > SOLID EARTH > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Sedimentary Rocks
  • Earth Science > SOLID EARTH > Geomagnetism > Paleomagnetism
Data Center keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC > National Geophysical Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Platform keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords
  • In Situ Ocean-based Platforms > Ships
Instrument keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Photon/Optical Detectors > Cameras
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Corers > Coring Devices
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Corers > ROCK CORERS
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Corers > Sediment Corers
Place keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
  • SOLID EARTH > CRUST
  • Geographic Region > Global Ocean
  • Vertical Location >Sea Floor
Project keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Project Keywords
  • ODP/DSDP > Ocean Drilling Program/Deep Sea Drilling Program
  • ICSU-WDS > International Council for Science - World Data System
Uncontrolled vocabulary
  • Deep Sea Drilling Project
  • DSDP
Use Constraints
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
  • While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.
Access Constraints
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
  • Access to this dataset is unrestricted.
Other Constraints Cite as: Deep Sea Drilling Project.1989: Archive of Core and Site/Hole Data and Photographs from the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP). Third. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/10.7289/V54M92G2. Accessed [date].
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Lineage Statement Prior to transmission to NGDC, the core data were maintained in a pre-relational database management system written in Algol on a Burroughs computer. Data were written off to 9-track magnetic tape for transfer to both NGDC and the successor Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) at Texas A and M University. The Burroughs computer was then decommissioned and no further work was possible to change or correct the data that came from it. Peter Woodbury did do some post-database correction on the SCREEN database. Digital images were scanned by staff of the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) at Texas A and M University, from core photographs taken by DSDP staff, and some later photographs taken by ODP staff.
Processing Environment Native Dataset Environment: ASCII text
Source Datasets
Lineage information for: repository
Processing Steps
  • 2015-04-22T00:00:00 - NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015.
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments
Platform
    Last Modified: 2020-04-21
    For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncei.info@noaa.gov