Woods Hole Science Center
Sediment Lab | X-ray Lab | Sediment Geochemistry
Sediment Lab:This lab is equipped to determine the basic attributes of marine sediments. Grain size analysis equipment includes a rapid sediment analyzer (Fig. 1), sieves, and sieve shakers to determine distributions within the coarse fraction, and a Coulter Counter (Fig. 2), a constant temperature bath, and settling tubes to determine distributions within the fine fraction. Available computer software allows users to acquire, process, display, and archive the textural data. Camera-ready petrographic and binocular microscopes are available to facilitate compositional analysis. Grain-size analysis procedures-A fully illustrated primer/tutorial on the methods used at the Woods Hole Field Center. Sediment Grain-Size Data:
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![]() Figure 1. Click on figure for larger image. A rapid sediment analyzer that uses a pressure transducer to monitor the settling of sediment with time. |
Figure 2. Click on figure for larger image. A
Coulter Counter Multisizer IIe multi-channel
particle-size analyzer and its associated computer hardware.
X-ray Diffraction Lab:Although optical microscopy can be used to readily identify sand and course silt-sized crystalline material, X-ray powder diffraction is the most common technique used to study the characteristics of crystalline structure and to determine the mineralogy of finer grained sediments, especially clays (Fig. 3). As a method, X-ray diffractometry is attractive because of its speed and ease of performance, and because it requires only small amounts of material, is nondestructive, and can be used to perform semi-quantitative analyses of poly-mineralic mixtures. X-ray Powder Diffraction Procedures-A compilation of the methods used to analyze and identify clay minerals at the Woods Hole Field Center. |
![]() Figure 3. Click on figure for larger image. An X-ray diffractometer and its associated computer hardware. |
Sediment Geochemistry Lab:The sediment geochemistry laboratory is a research support service of the Woods Hole Field Center. This laboratory is equipped to analyze carbon, count gamma emissions, process sediment cores, and digest biogenic silica in marine sediments. Sediment Geochemistry Procedures - A compilation of the various methods used to analyze the sediments in this laboratory. |
Figure 4. Click on figure for larger image. Coulometer with Acidification Unit |