INA
NANNO NEWS February 2004

Nanno News is the newsletter of the International Nannoplankton Association. The printed version is sent out to members with the Journal of Nannoplankton Research.
Editor Jean Self-Trail, HTML conversion by Jeremy Young.

Contents



Foreword
Hi everyone and welcome to a new year of Nanno News! I hope the New Year finds you all healthy and happy. I just wanted to remind you to send me any information pertaining to the nannofossil community that you would like to see appear in the next issue of Nanno News. This can include pictures, job announcements, meetings circulars, PhD completions, software recommendations, etc. Any information relevant to both the research and industry aspects of calcareous nannofossil study is welcome. Additionally, I would love to hear feedback from you regarding format and content of this newsletter! Would you like to see special features? More pictures? Less talk? Just let me know; I'm at your disposal. So, sit back and enjoy this latest issue and know that in less than seven months, we'll all be meeting in beautiful, warm (at least I hope so; its snowing as I write this!) Lisbon, Portugal. Until then, cheers!
Jean M. Self-Trail, Nanno News Editor, jstrail@usgs.gov


Industry News

As I write this column, it is mid-January and I am taking a welcome break from working offshore. I have been working there with just a few short breaks since mid-October. Although the hours required for this type of work are long, and the separation from family and friends gets taxing sometimes, this work is my favorite part of the job. Work in the office consists of interpreting other people's reports, attending meetings (plenty of those offshore as well!) and mundane bureaucratic tasks. A few months of intense field work with a direct connection to the bottom line is good for the soul. Besides, looking at fossils was what I got into this business for.
I received a couple of e-mails about my most recent previous column. Software review appears to be somewhat popular (two memos' worth), so I will return to that theme in the near future. I'm particularly interested in interpretive software. If you have a product you'd like to see discussed, please let me know. Other recent feedback has requested that I say something about the basics of industrial biostratigraphy. In this column I'll discuss the types of sample material we use.
The most common type of sample material used for biostratigraphy is 'ditch cuttings' (commonly referred to as just 'cuttings'). Cuttings are the bits of ground-up sediment and rock produced by the bit while drilling. In order for them to be useful, one must know from what depth a given set of cuttings came. In the modern drilling setting, one can get a fairly accurate depth determination for most cuttings. Here's how it works: Modern oil wells are drilled with rotary drilling equipment. This consists of the familiar derrick, with either a rotary table or a top drive, the drill string, and the mud system. The drill string consists of the bottom hole assembly and the drillpipe. The bottom hole assembly is made up of a bit and whatever downhole electric logging tools are required for the job. In the last decade, logging while drilling has become ubiquitous and bits (usually polycrystalline diamond) have become a science in themselves. The mud system consists of mud pumps, mud pits, shale shakers, various centrifuges and, of course, drilling mud. The drill string is hollow, and mud is circulated out through jets in the bit, up the annulus, and back to the surface. Drilling mud is specially formulated with specific properties of weight and viscosity to hold formation fluids in while allowing the hole to be cleaned. The drilling mud carries the cuttings to the surface. They are separated from the mud by the shale shakers. The shakers are large machines (about the size of an automobile) which run the mud over vibrating screens. The mud passes through the screens, and is returned via the centrifuges, which remove finer contaminants, to the mud pits. From there it is recirculated. The cuttings are retained momentarily on top of the shaker screens. They gradually vibrate off the edge and are removed with a large horizontal auger, which carries them away for environmentally safe disposal.
It is at the shaker that cuttings samples are periodically collected. In a modern setting, the samples are collected by one of the mudlogging crew. A mudlogger's job on the rig is monitoring the well. This includes evaluating hydrocarbon shows (gas dissolved in the drilling mud, and oil and condensate on the cuttings), lith descriptions, and sample lag. Sample lag is the calculation that determines exactly what depth the cuttings coming over the shaker came from. The calculation for this determination, which involves many variables, including hole volume, pump pressure and other things, is handled by computers. Samples from wells in the Gulf of Mexico are generally caught at 30' (~10m) intervals. After the sample is caught, the screen is cleaned, so that whatever sample material is there has accumulated since the last sample was caught. The samples are bagged up, labeled with the depth interval, and shipped in for analysis. When we are on location, we get a paper coffee-cupful right off the shaker. At this point, the cuttings are covered with drilling mud, which can be sticky, oily, caustic and generally nasty. Processing the samples in this condition would require another column.
Amazingly, with all the chances for problems, cuttings work quite well and give us a good picture of what we're drilling through. Cuttings from key wells and washed sample material are a valuable commodity. They are warehoused and traded with other companies.
Sidewall cores are another type of sample used by the oil and gas industry. These samples are small plugs of material collected with a wire-line tool after a section has been drilled. The tool either shoots a small core barrel into the hole wall or has a small rotary drilling mechanism which drives a small barrel into the wall. The advantage of this type of sample is that one knows exactly where it came from. One had better know, however, exactly what one is looking for and exactly at what depth. In practice, in the Gulf of Mexico, sidewall cores are considered to be of extremely limited value for biostratigraphy. I've been told they are used with some success elsewhere. Their greatest value is for reservoir analysis.
Lastly, there are conventional cores. Most of us are familiar with these from the DSDP, ODP, and other research efforts. In 23 years in the oil industry, I've sampled only one conventional core for biostratigraphy. We just don't see them.
I'll discuss more about sampling, processing, and biostratigraphic analysis in future columns. I appreciate your feedback! Send e-mail!
Mike Styzen, Industry News Correspondent, mstyzen@earthlink.net


IODP NEWS

Listed below is the web address showing the IODP ship's drilling schedule for years 2004 and 2005. This schedule is Phase 1 of the IODP riserless ship operations. A roughly one-year break will follow the fifth leg, in order to prepare a new vessel for Phase 2 operations, beginning in 2006 and continuing through 2013.
Juan De Fuca revisits the ODP Leg 168 area, in order to update some old CORKS and to drill more holes for CORKS. These will be used to study fluid flow off the flank of the ridge. Both sediment and basement will be cored. Based on Leg 168, which had a nannofossil specialist, one paleontologist may be needed to age-date the sediments.
North Atlantic 1 and 2 are Late Neogene, very high-resolution paleoceanography expeditions in the North Atlantic. In my opinion, each will need two nannofossil experts on board. Some sites to be drilled are revisiting old DSDP sites, such as 609 and others.
The website at JOI (http://www.joiscience.org/USSSP/CruiseApps/proposals.html) lists short summaries of each leg's objectives.
John Firth, IODP Correspondent, John-Firth@odp.tamu.edu



FORTHCOMING EVENTS


10th International Nannoplankton Association Conference

INA10, Lisbon 2004
August 28th - September 4th, 2004


Full details of this conference are available on the Conference Web Site.

Key Details from Second Circular
Executive Committee
Mário Cachão (University of Lisbon, Portugal)
Carlos Marques da Silva (University of Lisbon, Portugal)
Jorge Ferreira (Centre of Geology, University of Lisbon, Portugal)
Célia Lee (Centre of Geology, University of Lisbon, Portugal)
Jackie Lees (University College London, United Kingdom)
Áurea Narciso (Centre of Geology, University of Lisbon, Portugal)
Catarina Guerreiro (Centre of Geology, University of Lisbon, Portugal)
Anabela Oliveira (Hidrographic Institute, Portugal)
Aurora Bizarro (Hidrographic Institute, Portugal)
Marta Viana (Centre of Geology, University of Lisbon, Portugal)
Teresa Moita (INIAP, Portugal)
Alexandra Silva (INIAP, Portugal)

Registration
Registration fee is 120 EUR/160 EUR (INA members/non-members, respectively). Reduced rate 80 EUR for students. Registration fee will cover Conference Program, Abstract Volume, Ice-breaker Party, Coffee-breaks and Football & Beach event. NOTE: After April 30, 2004 fees will increase to 150 EUR/190 EUR (INA members/non-members, respectively) and to 100 EUR (students). Student status must be certified by an accompanying scientific supervisor's letter. Prospective attendee requests for INA sponsorship (INA members only) will be conveyed to the INA council (consult www.ina.fc.ul.pt).

Payment
Payment for registration, field-trips, conference dinner and accommodation payment (if booked through the INA10 organization) must be in Euro directly to Banco Espirito Santo, Faculdade de Ciencias Agency (see Registration Form and Hotel Form below, or on the website (www.ina.fc.ul.pt) by wire transfer or credit card (sorry, VISA only).
After payment, please send the Registration or Confirmation Form by fax (secure number +351-21-750-0119), or mail it to: INA10 Secretariat, Centro de Geologia, Fac. Ciencias, Univ. Lisboa, Edif. C6, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal. Cancellations prior to July 31st, 2002 will receive a reimbursement of 80% of the amount paid; all refund demands will be processed after the conference. Please note that no refunds will be possible after July 31st.

Accommodation
Hotel accommodation in Lisbon during "high season" is limited. Blocks of rooms have been reserved at three nearby 3 and 4 star hotels, at specially negotiated rates and will be booked through a warranty amount (see Hotel Form). There are also a limited number of university residential accommodations for lower income participants on a "first come, first served" basis.
There is the possibility for young participants to book rooms in a Youth Hostel at Parque das Nacoes ('Park of the Nations') in Lisbon, close to a Metro terminal station, at the website http://www.pousadasjuventude.pt/, or directly via the Central Reservations Office: Central Reservas - Rua Lœcio de Azevedo, nr. 29, 1600-146 Lisboa, Portugal. E-mail reservas@movijovem.pt; phone +351-707-20-3030; fax +351-21-723-2102.

Field trips and cruise
Field Trips and Cruise availability will be on a "first come, first served" basis.
Pre-conference field-trip (1 day), August 28th, 2004, Lisbon - Setœbal Peninsula
Visit to the fossiliferous Miocene units along the Natural Heritage-protected region of the "Fossil seacliff of Costa da Caparica" (convent of Capuchos, Foz da Fonte and Penedo). Walk on the Espichel Cape Jurassic-Cretaceous transition section and visit the dinosaur tracks responsible for the "Nossa Senhora do Cabo" legend. Visit the castle of S. Felipe (Setœbal) and the Sado estuary.
Cost: 15 EUR (INA members/students); 30 EUR (non-members), includes transport on bus and light meal at lunch time. Participants: maximum 50 persons. Trip by bus with easy walks. Average daytime temperature 28-32¼C. Sun-protection (hat, lotion) strongly recommended.

Post-conference field-trip (2 days), September 3-4th, 2004, Coimbra - Peniche - Obidos
Visit to the Natural Monument of the Dinosaur tracks of Galinha Quarry. Visit to the Jurassic sections of Coimbra, Condeixa and Mondego Cape. Visit to the Jurassic sections of Peniche. Walk to the medieval village and castle of îbidos. Taste the Ginginha specialty.
Cost: 130 EUR (INA members/students); 170 EUR (non-members), includes transport on bus, lunches and lodging. Participants: maximum 50 persons. Trip by bus with easy walks. Average daytime temperature 28-32C. Sun-protection (hat, lotion) strongly recommended.

Tagus Cruise (1 day), September 3rd, 2004
Water sampling for living coccolithophores along a transect from the external continental shelf through the Tagus river-mouth towards its inner estuary. Cost: 10 EUR (INA members/students); 30 EUR (non-members), includes transport to the Alfeite shipyard and lunch on board. Participants: maximum 10 persons. NOTE: Each participant must hold life insurance covering this type of event. Equipment: light clothing plus a sweater or waterproof vest.

Social events
Depending on the number of participants: Football & Beach Event (29th of August, Sunday); Sintra visit (UNESCO World Heritage Site); Peddy-paper visit to downtown Lisbon (1st September, afternoon).

Conference Dinner
A Conference Dinner will be organized for Wednesday, September 1st. Cost: 10 EUR (INA members/students); 50 EUR (non-members).

Abstracts These will be published in Journal of Nannoplankton Research instructions

Talks
As far as possible, all suggested presentations will be accommodated. Two distinct categories (long presentations and short presentations) will be considered: proposals for large-scope, long presentations (maximum two per scientific session, 30 min. duration) should be accompanied by an extended abstract with bibliographic references; proposals for more specific short presentations (maximum 15 min. duration) should be accompanied by a two-page abstract. In the case of a large number of proposals, participants may be limited to one oral presentation, or invited to change to a poster by the Scientific Commission, according to the scope of the talk.

Posters
Poster sessions will be formally organized. All posters will be displayed throughout the duration of the conference, but each day will focus on a specific poster theme related to the working session topic. Authors are invited to give a brief oral presentation/invitation of 2-3 min. (1-2 overheads) on their posters. Poster size: A0 (841 x 1189mm), vertical display. Material to fix posters will be available in the conference office at the beginning of the event.

Workshops
They will take place in one or more available rooms during the afternoon on Thursday, September 2nd 2004. Proposed theme (so far): Dissolution of nannofossils after coring. Proposers: Jean Self-Trail & David Jutson. Please feel free to propose other themes.

Technical equipment
During scientific talks, the following equipment will available: two overhead projectors; two slide projectors; a video beamer, compatible with PC/Mac computers. Authors are invited to bring PowerPoint¨ 2002 (or older) files on a CD ROM; pointers.

Publications
The Conference Proceedings will be published, either as part of the Special Publications Series of the INA or in a journal with wide distribution.

Third Circular
The third Circular will be sent by e-mail, ONLY to those who have returned the registration form, along with the required fees, before the April 30, 2004 deadline.

Important deadlines

The Micropalaeontological Society
Calcareous Plankton Spring Meeting
Thursday 13th - Saturday 15th May, 2004, Copenhagen

This is a meeting organised by the Foraminifera and Nannofossil Groups of The Micropalaeontological Society (formerly the British Micropaalaeontological Society). The nannofossil side is being organised by Emma Sheldon and it should be a very pleasant meeting with the special opportunity for exchange of insights between nannofossil and planktonic foram specialists. Full details


Secretary/Treasurer's report

Please note that the year after your name on your mailing label is the year through which your dues are paid. For example, 2003 means that your dues expired on December 31st, 2003 and your 2004 dues are payable. (An 'F' indicates that you have free membership.) If you discarded your wrapper without noticing the year, or if you have questions about your expiration date, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Jeremy Young and I have added another option for paying dues. We can accept payment through PayPal, the secure credit card payment website that is owned by eBay. Jeremy added a payment page to the INA website where you can pay your dues easily. If you are a student, be certain to select one of the 'student' options. You can choose to pay for one or three years (if you pay for three years, you receive a discount; this offer applies only to dues that are current and CANNOT be applied to dues for last year). Several members have paid their dues through PayPal and report that it is quick and easy.
We also can accept payment directly by American Express, Mastercard or Visa. If you wish to pay your dues by credit card, please provide me with your credit card number and its expiration date. If you choose to pay by check, please make your dues payment to 'International Nannoplankton Association'. PLEASE DO NOT MAKE YOUR CHECKS PAYABLE TO ME PERSONALLY.
 Please e-mail me if you have questions about how to pay by wire transfer to the INA account, how much you owe, or if you want to purchase back issues. I also have a few copies left of the INA CD-ROM 'Electronic Calcareous Nannofossils'.
Unfortunately, in mid-January 2004, I deleted 31 members who had not paid their dues for 2003. I sent reminders on the coccoliths list, personalized e-mails, and dues notices via snail mail. Many of you have not yet paid your dues for 2004; please consider doing this soon. Technically, dues are considered late after March 31st and attract a penalty of $5.

Important reminder - If you move, please send your new address to me as soon as possible so your copy of the JNR does not get lost in the mail. If you do not notify us of your change of address, you are responsible for tracking down your lost JNR - we will not supply a replacement.

Number of members whose dues are paid through:
2004 69
2005 56
2006+ 25
Total membership 244
Individual Members 220
Companies/Libraries 23
Countries Represented 46
Stacia A. Spaulding, Secretary-Treasurer, jrice@tds.net

Financial Report for the US Account
July 1st, 2002 through December 31st, 2003

PREVIOUS BALANCE $18 362.99
INCOME
Dues $ 5 777.37
Sales of Back Issues of JNR $ 1 480.00
Sales of INA CD-ROM Ser. 1 $ 9 180.00
Interest $ 364.43

Total income $ 16 801.80

EXPENSES
JNR 24(2) $ 3 485.00
JNR 24(3) $ 2 059.00
JNR 25(1) $ 3 450.00
Atlas of Extant Nannos $ 4 978.89
INA9 Scholarships $ 2 992.00
Bank Fees $ 245.70
Credit Card Fees $ 440.39
Office Supplies $ 93.42
Postage $ 749.24

Total expenses $18 493.64

BALANCE $16 671.15

INA RENEWAL INFORMATION

The address label on your Journal of Nannoplankton Research shows the year in which your dues expire(d). Please note the date on the line following your name.
2003 - dues are now due.
2002 - please pay $20 for 2003 or $50 for 2003, 2004, and 2005
F - free membership. No payment required.
Note: These prices are in US Dollars. Student dues are 50% of professional dues.

NAME ___________________________________________________

AFFILIATION ______________________________________________

ADDRESS________________________________________________

CITY_____________________________________________________

STATE ________________________ ZIP CODE --------__________

COUNTRY______________________

E-MAIL ________________________

Is this a renewal? Yes No
Years for which you are paying: ____________


Status: Student or Professonal

Credit Card Account Number: ___________________________
(American Express, Visa, Mastercard)

Expiration Date: _____________

Please make checks payable to: International Nannoplankton Association
Send to: Stacia A. Spaulding, 345 Meadowbrook Farm Road, Proctorsville, Vermont 05153, USA; jrice@tds.net


BACK ISSUES FOR SALE

Back issues of the INA Newsletter/Journal of Nannoplankton Research, from 1979 to 2003, are available: Individual members: complete sets: $325; Libraries: complete sets: $550. Shipping (surface mail) is included in these prices. If you would like to order, please contact the Treasurer.
We encourage you to show a copy of your JNR to your library and ask them to order a set. Also, most individual issues are available. Please contact Stacia Spaulding at jrice@tds.net for inquiries, or if you want to place an order.


MEMBERSHP CHANGES

NEW MEMBERS
NB In email addresses the @ symbol has been replaced by a *, apparenty this reduces the chances of the spam merchants copying your address

Mikael Axelsson, ETH Zentrum, NO H34.3, CH-8092 Zurich, SWITZERLAND, mikael.axelsson*erdw.ethz.ch

Partha Bhattacharya, B-1096 MIG Flat (DDA), East of Loni Road, P.O. Nandnagari, New Delhi 110093, INDIA, parthabhatta*hotmail.com

Todd Boesiger, P.O. Box 83702, Lincoln, NE 68501, USA, tboesig*bigred.unl.edu

Sergio Bonomo, Dip. Geologia e Geodesia, Corso Tukory 131, 90100 Palermo, ITALY sergiobonomo*libero.it

Andrew Bowman, 1127 North 21st Street, Apt. B, Lincoln, NE 68503, USA, abowman2*bigred.unl.edu

Emily Browning, 4019 Sumner Street, Lincoln, NE 68506, USA, ebrowning3*hotmail.com

Bianca De Bernardi, Dip. di Scienze della Terra "Ardito Desio", Via Maniogalli 34, 20133 Milano, ITALY, bianca.debernardi*unimi.it

Alicia Kahn, Rutgers University, Geological Science, Wright Geological Laboratory, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8066, USA, kahn*rci.rutgers.edu

Mariuz Kedzierski, Jagiellonian University, Institute of Geological Sciences, 30-063 Krakow, POLAND, ubkedzie*if.uj.edu.pl

Meral Kobrich, Universitat Bremen (FB 5), Sedimentologie/Mikropalaontologie, Klagenfurterstrasse, D-28359 Bremen, GERMANY, koebrich*uni-bremen.de

Craig Koch, FFF 53 Clapham Common Northside, London SW4 9RX, UK, c.koch*nhm.ac.uk

Hsin-chi Lan, Geological Institute, ETHZ, Zurich 8092, SWITZERLAND, lan*erdw.ethz.ch

Patrizia Maiorano, Campus Universitario, Dip. Geologia e Geofisica , Via E. Orabona, 4 , 70125 Bari , ITALY , p.maiorano*geo.uniba.it

Maria Marino, Dip. Geologia e Geofisica , Via E. Orabona, 4 , 70125 Bari , ITALY , marino*geo.uniba.it

Robertson Research Intl. Ltd., Tyn y Coed, Llanrhos, Llandudno, LL30 1SA, Conwy , UK

Maria Wanderley, Av. Genaro de Carvalho, 1201/bloco 5, apto 110, Recreio, Rio de Janeiro 22.79 5077, BRAZIL, dolores*geologia.ufrj.br

Pierre A. Zippi , Biostratigraphy.com , 7518 Twin Oaks Court , Garland, TX 75044 , USA, paz*biostratigraphy.com

ADDRESS CHANGES

Mário Cachao, Dept. Geologia Fac. Ciencias Univ. Lisboa, Edificio C6, 4 Piso, sala 55, Lisboa 1749-016, PORTUGAL

Robert Campbell, Shell International Exploration & Production, P.O. Box 51510 , New Orleans, LA 70151-1510, USA

Marianto Castro Mora, Avenida Los Eucaliptos, Conjunto Residencial Los Eucaliptos, Casa 8-4, Urbanizacion Los Parques, Lomas de Urquia, Carrizal, Estado Mirando 1203, VENEZUELA

Marietta De Leon, National Institute of Geological Sciences, College of Science, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101, PHILIPPINES

Terri Dunn, 30 Egret St., New Orleans, LA 70124, USA

Allan Gil S. Fernando, Division of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, N10 W8 Sapporo 060-0810, JAPAN

Markus Geisen, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Pelagic Ecosystems - Marine Carbon Fluxes, Am Handelshafen 12, D-27570 Bremerhaven, GERMANY

Samanatha Gibbs, The Penn State University, Deike Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA

Fabiennne Giraud, Laboratoire PEPS-UMRSI2S, 2 rue Raphael Dubois, 69622 Villeurbanne cedex, FRANCE

Kyoko Hagino-Tomioka, Dept. of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, N10 W8, Sapporo 060-0810, JAPAN

David Hulks, Ichron Ltd., 5 Dalby Court, Gadbrook Business Park, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 7TN, UK

Jens O. Herrle, Southampton Oceanography Centre, School of Ocean & Earth Science, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK

Denise Kulhanek, 5640 Maple Forest Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32303, USA

Berit Riddervold Heimdal, Granalleen 5, N-1363 Hovik, NORWAY

Anatoliy Shumnyk, Department of Geological Sciences, 4100, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4100, or, Bugware Incorporated, 4027 Bobbin Brook Circle, Tallahassee, FL, 32312, USA

Fabrizio Tremolada, Department of Geosciences, 503 Deike Building, Pennslyvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA, Ben Walsworth-Bell, 14 Tithe Barn Drive, Maidenhead, Berks SL6 2DG, UK,