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BOSCORF News..
Itrax workshop in Lipari, Italy 2010
Itrax 2010 Applications, innovations and future developments
Hotel Aktea Resort, Via Falcone E Borsellino, 98055 Lipari Italy
This ITRAX-focused meeting will consider a broad range of scientific applications and scientific outputs as well as considering future potential for the instrument. Other related technological developments, particularly data optimisation, presentation and manipulation will also be discussed. Please contact Dr. Guy Rothwell at NOC for more information. The conference abstracts can be downloaded as a PDF file here.
New book on 'New Techniques in Sediment Core Analysis' published
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The Geological Society of London has just published New Techniques in Sediment Core Analysis, edited by the BOSCORF Curator, as a Special Publication. This volume presents authoritative papers on state-of-the-art and emerging technologies for imaging and investigating cored sediments, our primary raw data resource for information on depositional history and environmental change. Many of the techniques discussed are now becoming increasingly available to the scientific community. |
BOSCORF acquires first XYZ multi-sensor core logger in Europe
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BOSCORF has now acquired Europe's first Geotek XYZ Multi-sensor Core Logger (MSCL-XYZ) available as a community facility. This instrument is a recent innovation in core logging systems and allows several split-core sections (typically eight or nine dependant on core size) to be laid out in trays on a stationary frame and magnetic susceptibility, using a Bartington point sensor, and spectrophotometer spectral measurements made incrementally and automatically over successive core sections. The XYZ MSCL system can be set up and left to run overnight enabling greater core throughput and data collection with time. In this way, magnetic susceptibility and spectrophotometric data can be routinely collected. Natural gamma measurements can also be made, but this requires long count times and a more complex set-up. Raw or processed data can be saved in formats suitable for exporting to other software packages for data manipulation or presentation. |
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The BOSCORF MSCL-XYZ is the fifth instrument of its kind in the world and only the second instrument to be in use in a core repository. It will be an important productivity tool for BOSCORF allowing time-efficient collection of data important for the detection and quantification of small-scale variability in sediments, which is essential for palaeoclimatic and process studies and stratigraphic correlation. |
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Left: Close-up of the measurement head of the XYZ Multi-Sensor Core Logger, showing the Bartington point sensor for measurement of magnetic susceptibility and the Minolta spectrophotometer. Magnetic susceptibility and spectrophometric measurements (colour and grey reflectance data) can be collected at a resolution as fine as 0.5 cm if required. |
BOSCORF sets up 'www.corelogging.org' - a new online bulletin board and discussion group for sediment core research
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BOSCORF has set up and now moderates www.corelogging.org - a bulletin board and discussion group for sediment core research. Membership is open to all interested in sediment cores and core logging techniques but registration is required to be able to post messages. Here members can post questions, discuss data and techniques, and alert the community on a wide range of issues relating to core logging instruments, analysis of the data obtained, as well as curatorial issues, core databases and data presentation, job and Ph.D. opportunities, new instrumentation and software and opportunities for collaboration etc. Individual forums have been set up covering all the main core logging techniques (e.g. ITRAX and Avvatech XRF corescanners, GEOTEK multi-sensor core loggers). |
www.corelogging.org allows subscribers to post and receive email notifications on a wide range of core logging and curatorial issues. There are discussion forums covering all the main core logging instruments. This website is offered as a whole-community resource and new forum topics and other contributions are always welcome.
BOSCORF hosts international conference and workshop on new methods of non-destructive core analysis
On 4-5 September 2003, BOSCORF hosted an international conference and workshop on "New Ways of Looking at Sediment Cores and Core Data", attended by over 80 academic and government researchers and industry technologists from ten countries. A total of 23 talks and 8 posters were presented covering the latest developments and applications of a wide range of new and emerging technologies for core analysis, including geophysical logging, XRF scanning, colour analysis and electrical imaging and resistivity measurement. A special feature of the workshop was an industry exhibition in which companies currently marketing and developing coring and core logging equipment demonstrated their wares and services. The CORTEX (built and marketed by AVAATECH Analytical X-ray Technology, Den Burg, The Netherlands) and ITRAX (built and marketed by Cox Analytical Systems, Gothenberg, Sweden) XRF core-scanners, and the new GEOTEK XYZ Multi-Sensor Core Logging System were on display. In addition, an Open Forum meeting was held in conjunction with the Conference allowing scientists and technologists to discuss future requirements and developments.
This conference, organised by BOSCORF, forms part of an ongoing international effort to develop improved capabilities to rapidly perform ultra-high resolution studies of sedimentary sequences in order to understand sediment character and past environmental changes at greater time resolution. It builds on previous international efforts, such as those of the New Technologies for Sediment Imaging Standing Committee of the IMAGES programme and the CORSAIRES Core Logging Workshop held in Plouzané, France in July 1997.
It is hoped to publish proceedings of the meeting as a thematic volume.
BOSCORF is very grateful to the following sponsors whose generous support contributed to the success of the meeting.
Photo gallery...
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The AVAATECH CORTEX XRF Corescanner is demonstrated to participants |
Participants view and discuss the capabilities of COX Analytical Systems XRF Corescanner with x-radiography |
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Associated receptions at the Conference provide ample opportunity to discuss current and future developments in core logging. |
BOSCORF's analytical facility being viewed by participants |
New publication: Marine Sample Collections: their value, use and future
Edited: R.G. Rothwell
IACMST Information Document No. 8, 56 pp.
As part of its commitment to consult on, and promote marine science and technology, the UK Inter Agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology (IACMST) publishes a series of Information Documents which review topical issues. Oceanographic physcial object collections (biological specimens, rock and sediment samples, photographs etc.) are important raw data resources of long-standing value to the scientific community. In April 2000, the IACMST sponsored a meeting of the oceanographic community to review modern and potential usage of biological and geological marine collections, and discuss common problems relating to provision of wider access and adequate funding of these important data resources.
This meeting, held at the Natural History Museum, London, as part of its Millennium Science Festival, attracted marine scientists and collection management specialists from all over the United Kingdom and also from Europe. Marine Sample Collections - their value, use and future presents articles derived from talks given at the meeting and the conclusions and recommendations of the workshop. The articles cover overviews of important marine sample collections within the United Kingdom and presentation of modern, often cutting-edge, research that has relied extensively on pre-existing marine sample collections.
See our Publications page for more details.
