Beautiful fossil coral reefs deposits revealed in the bottoms of “core catchers” collected on IODP Exp. 389 (Image credit: Jody Webster)

Hi All, it’s been a really exciting last week of coring on IODP Exp. 389 (Hawaiian Drowned Reef). We were able to collect a spectacular suite of new cores from the drowned reef currently at ~ 150 m below present sea level. Based on our previous work in 2017 there is evidence that this fossil reef drowned as a direct result of meltwater pulse – 1A (MWP1A) that is associated with a very rapid rise in global sealevel some time between 14-15,000 years ago. The precise details of this event are still actively debated and this has signficant implications for how we understand the complex relationships between global warming, ice sheet dynamics, sea level changes and their impacts on coasts and coral reefs. We hope that the new cores we are collecting on IODP Exp. 389 will allow us to better understand the timing, rate and magnitude of this very important global event.

Following a port call in Honolulu we are now heading back to the Big Island to start Leg #2 of the Expedition. Wish us luck!

Cheers

Jody

#MarineScienceSydneyUni