Challenger ocean bottom deposits and residues
Seabed samples collected during the four year voyage of HMS Challenger (1872-1876).
General information about the ocean bottom deposit (OBD) and residue collections at the Natural History Museum can be found on the specific collection pages. The below information relates specifically to Challenger samples present in those collections.
The majority of the OBD samples and residues are currently dry, but the precise history of preservation cannot be ascertained.
Read a full report on the deep-sea deposits on www.19thcenturyscience.orgOBD samples database information:
The database of Challenger OBD samples consists of 596 accessions - nearly all of the ocean bottom samples obtained at each observation station.
Information includes:
- accession number
- station number
- depth (in fathoms)
- quantity of material (tubes, jars, bottles, boxes, slides)
- latitude and longitude
- collection date
- notes
- associated references
Challenger ocean bottom deposit samples database Excel (269.0 KB)
OBD residues database information:
The Challenger residues represent 185 stations. A complete catalogue of the collection includes:
- quantity of material (tubes, jars, bottles, boxes, slides)
- latitude
- longitude
- depth for each station
Challenger residues database Excel (54.0 KB)
Contact information
Ocean bottom deposits
David Smith
Mineralogy Curator
Natural History Museum, London
Email
Ocean bottom residues
Clive Jones
Palaeotology Curator
Natural History Museum, London
Email
Zoology specimens
Related databases
- Challenger ocean bottom deposit samples database Excel (269.0 KB)
- Challenger residues database Excel (54.0 KB)
Excel files
If you are unable to open any Excel file on this page, please email the project coordinator Jeremy Young to request the document in another format.