152-3 Impact of the Continental Scientific Drilling Facility in Advancing the Geosciences Capabilities and Community Engagement

Session: Integrating 20 Years of Scientific Drilling in the East African-Syrian Rift: A Session In Honor of Andrew Cohen (Posters)

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Scientific drilling and coring initiatives are indispensable tools for accessing continental subsurface samples that allow researchers to address fundamental questions in Earth Sciences. The NSF-sponsored Continental Scientific Drilling Facility (CSDF)–established in 2020 through the merger of LacCore and the CSD Coordination Office–functions as a central hub for U.S.-based and international scientists conducting ground-breaking studies across multiple areas in geosciences, spanning energy transition, fault mechanics and earthquakes, geomicrobiology, hydrology and critical zone, paleoclimate, paleoecology, and magmatic systems. In 2024, the CSD Facility supported over 200 projects, including 24 large drilling initiatives in different stages of development and implementation, providing end-to-end support that includes strategic planning, logistical coordination, field operations, analytical services, data stewardship, and community outreach. Some other metrics for 2024 include processing over 1,950 meters of core from 31 projects and hosting a total of 291 visitors from 89 domestic and international institutions. As part of its commitment to enhance community-driven science, the Facility coordinated science planning working group meetings throughout 2024. It convened in a community-wide workshop in October 2024 with the primary objective of identifying the most compelling scientific questions that involve continental scientific drilling, shaping the next decade of U.S.-based scientific drilling initiatives. The workshop also identified the infrastructure needs, ranging from drilling techniques, downhole geophysical survey equipment and technology, laboratory instrumentation, to data systems and repository infrastructure, which are necessary tools to meet the ambitious emerging scientific goals. The Facility continues to expand its support for new and interdisciplinary ground-breaking science, and we want to support you in both short-term and long-range needs, so reach out to us!

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-10547

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