A few hours ago we finished logging the first batch of core down to 1011 meters below sea floor. We have been logging for 5 weeks now, 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, so that is why we look so tired. The photo was taking soon after we finished logging and Chris is holding the last core section. The picture was taken by a radio journalist, who joined us this night. The core of last night was magnificent! The last part of it consisted of ripple-laminated sandstones. The ripples are made by currents and the dark mud layers between the ripples indicate that currents were periodically going faster and slower. This is very typical of a tidal environment. You can also see a bit of pyrite ("fools gold") at 85 cm and 93 cm, that formed as crystals in the sand after it was deposited. The minute we finished logging the message came in from the drill site that drilling had started again and that core had come up. We are going to have a one day break now, however, because we are transitioning to day shift.
1 comment:
Wow! Look at those beautiful steepening upward sets in the lower half of the core! With mud grading down and sand grading up. A complete neap tide / spring tide interval. Count them: there are about 14 cosets! I say. This is sedimentology at its best.
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