Core Samples
Sample Types
The following table provides guidelines for typical sample volumes taken from ODP/IODP cores.
Download Sample Types table in PDF format.
| Sample | Typical volume | Type | Tool | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thin-section billets | 10 cm3 up to 50 cm3 for large-grained plutonic rocks | TSB | SAW_ROCK | Billet cut with rock saw |
| Alkenone (Uk37) | 5 cm3 | WDGE | SPATULA | Taken with metal tools |
| X-ray diffraction | 5 cm3 | WDGE or CYL | SCOOP_S or TUBE_S or SAW_ROCK | Small tube (CYL) or scoop (WDGE) in sediment, cut with rock saw in hard rock |
| X-ray fluorescence | 20 cm3 (sediments), 20–50 cm3 (igneous/sulfides—varies depending on grain size and homogeneity of rock) | WDGE OR CYL | SCOOP_L or TUBE_L or SAW_ROCK | Large tube (CYL) or scoop (WGDE) in sediment, cut with rock saw in hard rock |
| Carbonate | 2 cm3 | OTHR or CYL | SPATULA or TUBE_S | Small scoop of sediment |
| Paleomagnetism: Cube | 7-cm3 cubes | CUBE | CUBE_L or SAW_PARLEL | Plastic cube 2 × 2 × 2 cm in sediment, cut with parallel saw in hard rock |
| Paleomagnetism: Cylinder | 12 cm3 minicores | CYL | CORER_MINI | Cylinder taken with mini-corer |
| Paleomagnetism: U-channel | 100–600 cm3 U-channels | UCHN | WIRE | U-channel taken for paleomagnetic studies (on at the repository shore only) |
| Moisture and density | 10–20 cm3 | CYL or CUBE | SYRINGE or SAW_PARLEL | Cylinder taken with syringe in sediments, cut with saw in hard rock |
| Grain size | 10–20 cm3, depending upon coarseness | WDGE | SCOOP_L | One or two 10cc scoops depending on volume |
| Planktonic foraminifers | 10 cm3 | WDGE or CYL | SCOOP_L or TUBE_L | One 10cc scoop or tube |
| Benthic foraminifers | 10–20 cm3 | WDGE or CYL | SCOOP_L or TUBE_L | One or two 10cc scoops depending on volume |
| Nannofossils | 2 cm3 | OTHR or CYL | SPATULA or TUBE_S | Small scoop of sediment |
| Diatoms | 5–10 cm3 | WDGE or CYL | SCOOP_L or TUBE_L | Small or large scoop or tube depending on volume |
| Radiolarians | 10 cm3 | WDGE or CYL | SCOOP_L or TUBE_L | One 10cc scoop or tube |
| Palynology | 10–15 cm3 | WDGE or CYL | SCOOP_L or TUBE_L | Small or large scoop or tube depending on volume |
| Organic samples | 5–20 cm3 | WDGE | SPATULA | Taken with metal tools, usually wrapped in foil |
| Interstitial porewaters | whole rounds 5–20 cm long, based on water content | WRND | SPATULA | Taken on the catwalk |
| Personal whole rounds | whole rounds 5–20 cm long | WRND | SPATULA | Taken on the catwalk or after whole-round scanning |
| Microbiology whole rounds | whole rounds 5–20 cm long | WRND | SPATULA | Taken on the catwalk |
| Inorganic geochemistry | 10 cm3 | WDGE or CYL | SCOOP_L or TUBE_L | One 10cc scoop or tube |
| Organic geochemistry | 10 cm3 | WDGE or CYL | SCOOP_L or TUBE_L | One 10cc scoop or tube |
| Quarter rounds (for sedimentology studies) | volume depends on length | QRND | SPATULA | Specialty samples taken for various studies |
| Sedimentology | 10–20 cm3 | WDGE or CYL | SCOOP_L or TUBE_L | One or two 10cc scoops depending on volume. |
| Slabs (for sedimentology studies) | 25–50 cm3, depending on slab length | SLAB | OTHR | Specialty samples taken for various studies |
| Slabs (igneous rocks) | 50–100 cm3, often shared by scientists for multiple analyses | SLAB | SAW_ROCK | |
| Stable isotopes (C, O) | 10–20 cm3 | WDGE or CYL | SCOOP_L or TUBE_L | Small or large scoop or tube depending on volume |
| Microbiology samples | 5–50 cm3 | OTHR | SPATULA | Taken with sterile sampling tools |