Coastal Services Center

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Mapping Techniques: Sediment Sampling

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Summary Grab Sampling

Sediment Corers

Summary

Physical samples of sediments can provide detailed descriptions of sediment quality and life within the seafloor. The biological community can be determined along with a variety of sediment characteristics including concentration of pollutants, sediment texture, and organic content. Since marine organisms are adapted to live in particular habitats, knowledge of these sediment characteristics can provide insight into the physiology and ecology of the organisms sampled.

Shipek grab. Courtesy: NOAA Coastal Services Center

Grab sampling is a common technique used to examine the surface sediment (from about 10-15 cm deep). Different grab samplers are used depending upon the type of substrate being sampled (soft or hard) and the size of the sample required.

Shallow-water vibra-coring operations. Courtesy : Science Applications International Corporation

Sediment corers are another method for obtaining sediment samples. Cores provide a vertical cross-section of the sediment column. There are several different techniques for sediment coring including piston corers, hand corers, gravity corers, vibracorers, and freeze corers. Depending on the coring technique that is used, cores can vary in length from 10 cm - 6 m. The type of corer used depends on substrate material, interval of interest, and volume of material required.

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