Initially, cores were used to study the bottom of the ocean. However, their value soon became apparent not only for oceanic, but also for other geological history. To date, hundreds of thousands of samples have been collected from the bottom of all the oceans of the planet and on a vast land area. What is a core and what is its use?
Information value
The significance of core for science is difficult to imagine. These samples are the best direct source of underground geology data. Since they are the largest underground samples (usually 10 cm in diameter and often hundreds of meters in depth), they show the structures and types of rocks. When sampling, they provide data on rock composition, porosity, permeability, and resource quality. No other type of geological sample provides so much data, covering a wide range of social needs and scientific problems.
New analytical methods are being developed, the capabilities of computer modeling have improved, allowing geologists to better understand the dynamics of the subsoil and develop scientific concepts. Although we cannot know how and when to use core data, it should be stored. They are necessary for economic development, environmental protection, land use planning and ensuring the quality of life of our citizens today and tomorrow.
Core mining
The core sample is a cylindrical section of a substance found in nature. Most are obtained by drilling using special drills in a substance, such as sludge or rock, using a hollow steel pipe called a core drill. A hole made for a core sample is called a core receiver. There are many samplers for various environments under different conditions. During drilling, the sample is more or less pressed into the pipe. Extracted in the laboratory, it is checked and analyzed by various methods and equipment, depending on the type of data required.
Samples can be taken to test the properties of artificial materials such as concrete, ceramics, some metals and alloys, especially softer ones. Also, there are cores of living things, including humans. In medicine, for example, samples of human bones are taken for microscopic examination. It is likely that such a core contains something that will help diagnose the disease.
Geological collections
There are many core samples. Some are publicly displayed, others are in special core repositories. One of the largest is considered a geological collection at the Institute of Oceanography. Scripps. It is a physical library of priceless samples obtained from the seabed and the oceans. About 7,500 deep oceanic cores, more than 3,500 marine and about 40,000 slides of marine micro-minerals, as well as about 10,000 rock samples and fossils in the training collection are stored here.
The geological collections at the institute are one of the oldest and largest in the USA, they are constantly updated. Samples are available to oceanographers around the world who study various fields, including geology, geochemistry, geobiology, paleo-oceanography, geophysics and much more, making collections an integral part of many interdisciplinary projects.