This project has been started with 4 important motivations:

1. To ensure that the complexities of contourites are addressed through multidisciplinary studies and to foster better dialogue between disparate disciplines (e.g. sedimentology, stratigraphy, biogeochemistry, physical oceanography, paleoceanography and paleoclimatology).
2. To promote cooperation, discussion and exchange between the many diverse efforts that are ongoing in different institutes, and to facilitate the ease of that exchange process. Not all research groups are yet aware of the efforts, findings and directions of others in the field, yet this too is essential if we are to make substantive advances and to develop the new methodologies necessary for progress.
3. To engage a broader community of scientists in contourite and related studies, including those from developing countries and young scientists from across the world. We already have agreed involvement from some developing nation scientists and are in preliminary contact with others. We also have plans for a postgraduate student chapter within this IGCP.
4. To advocate the significance and societal relevance of bottom currents, water masses and contourite deposits along continental margins, in particular with respect to natural geohazards, natural resources, paleoceanography and paleoclimate, and deepwater ecosystems. This will necessarily involve promotion of greater geoscience visibility through public engagement and through direct dialogue with global geoscience education efforts.

Specific Objectives

In order to meet these motivations, 7 cross-cutting specific objectives have been identified. Each of these objectives will be championed by one or more of the project co-proponents.