During the night, the Triple Combo instrument was busy logging the hole. The instruments on the Triple Combo include a caliper to measure the condition of the hole, a temperature sensor to give a temperature profile for the hole and an instrument that measures resistivity. The resistivity of the rock tells scientists if the rock has been altered from fluid flow.

An initial look at the temperature data shows a temperature profile that is what you would expect form a slowly cooling massive rock formation with little or now fluid flow through the formation. The caliper showed that the hole is in about the same condition as it was seven years ago at the end of Expedition 305.

Unfortunately, after a good data collecting run, the instrument became stuck in the pipe. As with all operations on the ship, there was a procedure established for retrieving the Triple Combo. A crimper was sent down to attach to the logging tool and secure it in the pipe. The cable was then cut and the pipe was brought back up with the instrument attached. The crew will have to remove the Triple Combo from the pipe and then send down another drill string, find the hole and reenter before the second phase of logging can begin. It looks like this process will delay the logging by about a day. This could be a big concern if we had not arrived on site several days early. If there are no more big delays, there is still plenty of time to finish the work of the expedition.

Again, I am amazed at the versatility and problem solving skills of the crew of the JOIDES Resolution.