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IODP at MARUM - Partner to the ECORD Science Operator - Offshore core curation and measurements
- Core curation

Core curation
The ESO Curation Container provides the offshore facility for core curation
procedures. All ESO personnel (or scientists) assigned to the Core Curation Container
share the responsibility of processing core and maintaining the lab according to IODP
standards.

IODP core naming

Core recovery
Core handling
Core catcher imaging
Storing cores and samples

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Alex Wlbers, curatorial offshore representative during Exp. 302 (ACEX) in the Core Curation container,
which for this expedition was additionally equipped with a chemistry bench (right).

IODP core naming

IODP has a specific naming convention for identifying cores, data and samples. All
are named with the expedition number, site number, hole letter, core number,
core type, section number, which half (working or archive). Samples and data
will also include the sample interval. Here is an example for a sample:

Core Types
The following is a list of all the valid core types and their associated code with the
most commonly used in bold:
A RAB-C
B Bit Sample
C Center Bit Recovery
D Positive Displacement Coring Motor (PDCM)
G Ghost cores, re-drilled intervals
H Advanced Piston Core (APC)
I In-Situ Water Sample
M Miscellaneous
P Pressure Core Barrel (PCB)
R Rotary Core Barrel (RCB)
S Side Wall Sample
W Wash Core Sample
X Extended Core Barrel (XCB)
Z Diamond Coring System (DCS) also ADBC

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Half Types
W Work
A Archive
WR Whole Round
Inside the ESO Curation Container, the curator on duty engraves the working
(double line) and archive (single line) side of the liners with the standard IODP
identifier:
"EXPEDITION-SITE-HOLE-CORE-CORETYPE-SECTION" (e.g. 310-M0005A-1H-1, W)
along with an 'up' arrow. This ensures that each section is permanently and uniquely
distinguished. The engraving should be as clear as possible.
The blue end caps (top) of each section should be marked with the core, coretype
and section number like this:

The Curator enters the pertinent data into the offshore " Drilling Information
system" (DIS). ExpeditionDIS generates the bar coded labels for each section.
Print four hardcopy print-outs of the Core Tracking Report.
One copy of the report is left in the curators box next to the (left ) offshore DIS
entry station computer. Other copies of the Core Tracking Report, a useful reference
while sampling and boxing cores, are brought to the database officer. Three sets of
labels (archive and working) are printed, one for the core liner, one for the d-tube
and one for d-tube cap.

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Core recovery
Hard rocks
After the liner is removed from the core barrel, it is placed on the core holders
(working side up), where it is temporarily capped at either end to keep sediment
from falling out during the initial handling stages. Full core barrels are usually about
3.0 meters long, and they yield two 150 cm sections, maybe a shorter second
section, and a core catcher. Recovery of material in length to the cored interval is
considered full, or 100% recovery. However, the length of the recovered material
may differ from the length of the cored interval. Recovery less than the cored
interval may occur for a variety of reasons. Apparent recovery greater than the cored
interval may also occur, typically a result of gaseous expansion of the sediment, but
will be not very probable during this expedition if recovered material consists of
massive corals or limestones.
Cores taken from a hole are numbered serially from the top of the hole
downward. When full recovery is obtained, the core sections are numbered 1
through 3, the last section might be shorter than 1.5 meters. For sediments, the core
catcher sample is extruded into a short piece of plastic liner and is treated as a
separate section below the last core section. For hard rock, material recovered in the
core catcher is included at the bottom of the last section.
When sediment recovery is less than 100%, whether or not the recovered
material is continuous, the recovered sediment is placed at the top of the cored
interval and then 1.5 meter sections are numbered serially, starting with section 1 at
the top. Sections are cut starting at the top of the recovered sediment and the last
section may be shorter than the normal 1.5 meter length. The definition of section
breaks and therefore cutting the core into different core section will be in
agreement with the Co-chief scientists in order to avoid splitting at critical
horizons. Core catcher samples will be collected, split and labelled, photographed,
and the working half handed over for sedimentolgocial and description. If no corecatcher is collected, a sample from the lower end of the section might be taken for
offshore sedimentological and geochemical analysis. The detailed core-flow onboard
the drillship is shown below.
-------------For expeditions with special lithologies: it has been noted that it is important to store
corals in dry conditions to avoid that fungi and bacteria may develop in coral
skeletons, with the strong possibility of alteration of the initial geochemical signals.

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IMPORTANT No acetone handling & use at all, before the pore water (IW)
sample has been taken!!!
The Curator measures and marks the ends of each section, labeling each with core,
core type and section number and an arrow pointing 'up'. At the section breaks, he
cuts the liner with a circular cutting tool and parts the contained sediment with a
spatula. If the material is well lithified a hacksaw or hammer and chisel is used to
section the core. The core sections will be capped now. Blue end caps are placed
at the top of each section, clear end caps at the bottom. Caps can be fixed
temporarily with black tape if acetone cannot be used. Once labelled, sectioned and
capped, the core is ready to be brought into the ESO Petrophysics Container for
core logging.
Whole round samples will be taken (IF approved) after core logging, provided that
the logging can be completed in about 20 to 40 minutes. Whole-round samples will
be taken on a selected basis (by microbiologist or geochemist) at an interval of
approximately one every 2nd core (in maximum!) depending on core recovery.

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Yellow end caps are placed at the end of any section from which a whole round
sample was taken.

New core on deck during Exp. 310 (Tahiti).

Curation of new core sections during Exp. 313.

Core handling

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Hard rocks
The liner is placed on the core holders. If hard rock pieces are scattered along the
length of the liner, the upper end is raised slightly to shunt the pieces to the lower
end to provide a more accurate recovery measurement. The sections are then
measured starting at the bottom of the recovered material and working backwards
(i.e. toward the top of the core). Be sure to label the sections in the correct order.
Measure until you get to the last section (i.e. Section 1). You may find when you get
to Section 1, that it will be full of rock or it may only contain small amount of rock.
Now it is time to estimate if you will need additional empty liners to give you extra
space to curate the core. To curate a hard rock core is to add dividers between
non-contiguous rock pieces. This almost always expands the core. Once all the
sections are numbered, measure the recovered rock inside the liner to get your total
recovery.
Unlike soft sediment cores, hard rock cores do not always break at 1.5 meters (might
also be valid for massive corals or limestones!). They are sectioned at fractures or
other natural breaks as close to 1.5 m intervals as possible. Sometimes pieces longer
than 1.5 meters are recovered; then it is necessary to break the core at some
appropriate point with a hammer and chisel.
Hard rock sections are carried into the core entry area where the recovery (recovery
= liner length in offshore DIS) is recorded on paper forms. The recovery is then
entered into offshore DIS and the record saved. The true curated length will not be
correct until the core is fully spaced-out (i.e. curated). Label and engrave an extra
liner or two in case you need to transfer some of the curated core. Note: when
working with hard rock, it is always helpful to have a full supply of pre-cleaned and
pre-split core liners on hand. Carry the core to the splitting room. The Curator or
senior tech will split the first uncurated section of core on the core splitter with the
wire removed. Starting from the top of the section, mark the bottom with a red wax
china marker of every piece which is long enough not to have rolled in the liner.

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Core interval from Exp. 310 (Tahiti).

Core catcher imaging

Setup
Assemble the stage on the base plate using the 4 screws and the grommet
(underneath the base plate). Tighten the screws in a crossing way. The scale of
the stage should show to the front.
Assemble the camera support on the left hand side of the stage and tighten with
the screw. In front of the camera support fix the camera with the screw so that
the objective shows to the middle of the object on the base plate. You can move
the camera support horizontally forward or backward through untightening the
screw on the left hand side. Pay attention to the position of the camera/objective
(must be parallel to the object as much as possible).
Turning the crank you can adjust the height of the camera. With the screws in
the back you can fix the wanted position. For the core catchers it is
recommended to have a position where the red roller remains at 55 cm to 65 cm
depending on the length of the core catcher.
Fix the lighting, one on each side of the base plate and put the lamps (Osram, 11
Watt) in. (There are 2 Osram 11 Watt reserve lamps)
Illumination / Flash
To test for the right illumination start with the following propositions: gray scale and
color scale should be parallel to the core catcher and on the same level.
In the stage box you can find 2 pieces of polystyrene (styrofoam) marked with a
black cross. They have approximately the same height as IODP core catchers. If the
size should be different, please improvise taking something else (another piece of
polystyrene, a book with the same height,).
The lighting on each side should be parallel the object as you can see in the photo. If
the core catcher is at right angle to the lamps a bright red spot light on the gray
scale may occur in the photo when using the flash. Angle 1 is ~ 80 and angle 2 ~

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25 .
It is recommended to use the flash because the light of the to lamps may result as
two cones of light on the left and on the right hand side in the photo while in the
middle is not enough light. You have to figure out the right angle of the lamps
depending on the surface of the object (reflecting) and on other illumination sources
(window with daylight or artificial or no light). Use the sandwich paper to avoid cones
of light. The sandwich paper makes the light diffuse.
Depending on the surrounding, try to use the flash not showing directly to the
object but for example to a white wall. This could avoid too strong light of the
flash in the middle of the photo.
When you press the release button of the camera by hand the camera might
slightly move. It is only fixed by the screw. Try to fix the camera additionally
with for example hook and loop fastener (using double sided adhesive) at the
camera support of the stage.
Camera
Using the camera insert the rechargeable battery (black) after loading or use the
mains-operated adapter (this would avoid changing the batteries once in a
while). Put the compact card into the camera. Fix the flash at the camera.
Camera, flash and compact card you can find in a box inside the curation van.
There as well you can find the grey and colour scales. The flash as well needs
batteries. There is a recharger with rechargeable batteries for the flash. Turn the
camera on. All test photos were made using the programme P. Aperture and
exposure time are then completed automatically by the camera. The exposure
time was always lower then 1/50 (this time is recommended by the fabric of the
lighting to avoid black stripes in the photo). Having exposure times like 1/100
or 1/160 no black stripes appeared. Please check this. If black stripes should
appear use the programme where you choose the exposure time (see the
manual, should be M).
Turn the flash on (power). With the programme Tll Auto the flash
automatically adapts to the camera. There is a little disk at the flash which you
can use (pull it and put in front of the flash) because it is diffusing the light.
Most test photos were taken with the zoom of 25 mm, but depending on the size
of the core catcher use 18 mm or 34 mm.
Press the release button half way. A sound occurs. This means that the camera
focussed automatically and found the right exposure time as well as the
aperture. Then press the release button completely.
While taking a picture you cannot see anything on the screen. Afterwards press
the green arrow and you can see the photo. With the four black arrow buttons
you can move forward and backward to see all pictures you have taken.
The camera is set to make a raw and a jpg format which allows you
afterwards to adjust for example the colour temperature or the white balance
with the programme Olympus Viewer (CD inside the Olympus camera box)
using the raw format. Only jpg format the compact disk has got space for about
800 photos. Using raw and jpg format it only has got space for 85 pictures.
Turn off
When the camera is not in use, please take the batteries out off the camera and
out off the flash.

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Please never leave the grey and colour scales in the daylight and please return
with the digital camera.
Photo archive
Please save the photos taken of the core catchers as follows on your laptop:

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The core catcher lying in a right angle to the lamps and using the flash, the gray scale shows a bright red
spot in the middle as visible in the next picture. Try to avoid this.

Storing cores and samples

All the full core sections, the shrink-wrapped core catcher samples, the waxed
wholeround samples for physical properties, and some porewater aliquots will be
stored in the temperature-controlled container onboard the platform/drillship.
Pore water subsamples that need to be kept frozen with -20C will be stored in
the freezer until shipping to Bremen for the Onshore Science Party.

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Microbiology samples will be further treated, subsampled and stored with

different temperatures (-20C, -80C) according to the plan provided by the
microbiologist.

Imprint | MARUM | This page was last modified by: Ursula Rhl.
Date: 11-07-2013, 12:01