Piston Core

Coring DeviceSample DiameterMax Length*Approximate Coring Device Weight
MARSSAM Jumbo Piston Core10.16 cm30 m3500 – 6000 lbs
*Recovery is widely variable depending on sediment type, overboarding equipment limitations and ocean/weather conditions

Piston cores recover the longest soft sediment cores of any of the equipment MARSSAM provides. The piston core drops at a free fall around a stationary piston that reduces internal friction allowing for longer cores. Jumbo piston cores recover samples of 10.16 cm diameter and up to 30m in length in ideal conditions. The free-fall is triggered by a ~3 m gravity core (“trigger core”) which also provides a 10.16 cm diameter sample of the upper sediment layers.

Marssam also has a smaller piston corer that provides 6.35 cm diameter samples up to 25 m long.

Piston core rigged on the R/V Oceanus
Coring techs rig jumbo piston core and trigger core on R/V Thompson. C. Fanshier 2019

Print Friendly, PDF & Email