16 September 2021

Attendees: Penkrot, Edgcomb, Lembke-Jene, LeVay, Blum, Childress, Crowder, Cummings, Hastedt, Hertzberg, Hoefig, Houpt, Julson, Lewis, Moortgat, Morgan, Nobles, Percuoco, Smith, T. Williams

(1) SampleMaster Replacement Project Update

• Catwalk module complete

  • Used on Exp 395C and 396. It has worked well, but has been slow with piece entry. 

  • Have been able to enter non-cored samples into the module, but has not yet been tested on the ship. 

• The next module, SampleTable, postponed until SaDR replacement is finished

  • Will be for entering samples off of section-halves.

  • Development about a year away. Need to use personnel for SaDR replacement project.

(2) SaDR Replacement Project Update

• SaDR is old, not user friendly, and needs to be replaced.

• Cannot use Laserfische through TAMU - it requires a University Net ID (internal TAMU affiliation)

• SaDR project involves Curation, EPMs, Publications

  • Track publications in new program

• Overall, new program will be similar to SaDR in terms of information collected - but user friendly!

• Will be able to integrate SaDR and SPLAT (sample list generator program)

  • Modifications to SPLAT will take place based on feedback from curators and EPMs

• New program will be used by all repositories - included in planning phase

  • Critical in test phase

(3) Core Storage Expansion Update

• Nearing the end of space in GCR. Can only hold another 15 km.

• Plan: expand refrigerated storage into XRF lab and GCR warehouse

• Move XRF lab to front lab with rock saws (these areas will be separate and dust/contamination has been thought about)

• Shrink wrap machine from warehouse to space on loading dock

• Refrigerated vs A/C storage

  • Project team wants to have all of the space refrigerated

  • KCC experimented with A/C storage. 3 years, did not see a noticeable change in physical properties. 

  • Want to do as much as we can to preserve cores.

• -80C freezers for microbiology - sufficient for microbiology samples

  • They fill up fast. 

  • Are there -80C freezer options that are larger?

• Going to get quotes for expansion and conversion of spaces.

(4) Other Business

• Making microbiology samples more accessible

  • There are samples out there stored in private -80C freezers that could be used by others.

  • Hard for GCR to keep track of samples once they are out of the repository.

  • Could use sample repository (SESAR) to register samples. https://www.geosamples.org/

  • Requires community to drive this effort, but GCR can facilitate and make SESAR visible.

• Issues with World Courier shipments

  • 385 and 395C had major issues with shipping, keeping samples cold, notifying recipient of delivery, customer service, etc.

  • JRSO looking at new vendors

(5) Review of Open Action Items