Sediment sampling

Marine sediments can be retrieved from the deep seafloor using coring device from aboard a research vessel. The choice of the coring device depends on the research aim. For pristine surface sediments multicorer or boxcorer are usually used, whereas piston and gravity corer are typically used to retrieve longer sediment cores that span further back in time. Sediment cores are further sub-sampled either on board or on shore after the research cruise has ended.