This quilt is part of my JOIDES Resolution Expedition 390 (South Atlantic Transect I) collection. by clicking on the tag 390 quilt, you can see all the quilts I made before and after my two months on the South Atlantic Ocean.

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What was originally planned as two IODP scientific ocean drilling expeditions turned in to four. Originally, in 2020, the South Atlantic Transect (SAT) was scheduled to begin with the scientific research vessel JOIDES Resolution heading out to drill a transect of cores at six sites perpendicular to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Unfortunately, the two expeditions of the SAT (EXP 390 and EXP 393) were delayed because of COVID-19. While waiting to reschedule and sail with scientists on board, JOIDES Resolution continued its work with two engineering and sediment coring operations, the new expeditions 390C and 395E. These engineering expeditions focused on coring initial sediment sections and installing reentry cones and casing systems at five of the six drill sites for the SAT. With this preparation work, the science operations were maximized during 390 and 393 once they sailed in 2022.

The scientific objectives for Expeditions 390 and 393 (from Coggon et al., (2022)) include:

1. Quantify the timing, duration, and extent of ridge flank hydrothermal fluid-rock exchange;
2. Investigate sediment- and basement-hosted microbial community variation with substrate composition and age; and
3. Investigate the responses of Atlantic Ocean circulation patterns and the Earth’s climate system to climate change, including elevated atmospheric CO2 during the Cenozoic.

These objectives appear in the expedition patches displayed on the right side of the quilt. The left side of the quilt is JOIDES Resolution pictured in Cape Town, South Africa, right before departure for Expedition 390 in April 2022. The four objects in the corner of the quilt represent the drill cones found on the drill bit used for coring deep-sea material.

The two image panels were printed by Spoonflower.com. The majority of the fabric for this quilt was purchased in Cape Town, South Africa, at Mnandi Textiles (green/yellow 3 Cats Shweshwe fabric, a Da Gama Textile manufactured in South Africa, ) and an additional fabric store down the street (blue border and “drill cones”). The long-arm quilting was completed by Old Country Store Fabrics (Intercourse, PA). Quilt measures 29 inches tall by 48 inches wide and was completed on June 29, 2023.