v.378P
Stratigraphic correlation support (SCORS) User Guide
Peter Blum, 8 October 2016
Introduction
Stratigraphic correlation in the context of JOIDES Resolution shipboard operations refers to the construction of a core composite depth below sea floor (CCSF) depth scale for multiple adjacent holes, and a sampling splice composed of core intervals from multiple holes at a site. The CCSF depth scale overcomes many of the inadequacies of the original core depth below sea floor, method A (CSF-A) depth scale. The CSF-A scale is unique to each hole and derives from the length that the drill string advanced. In perfect layer cake stratigraphy, a stratigraphic feature has different CSF-A depths in each hole by up to a few meters because of ship heave (not compensated for in APC coring), tidal variations in sea level, and other sources of error. Furthermore, soft sediment cores regularly show core expansion due to stretching during coring, and elastic rebound and gas expansion upon recovery, resulting in "stratigraphic overlap", or >100% recovery. This means the bottom of an expanded core extends beyond the top of the next core at the CSF-A depth scale. In addition, we know from many multi-hole sites that in fact recovery gaps exist between cores as a result of the coring process, typically ranging from 0.5-2 m. To make things worse, the top of most cores is contaminated with material that fell from the borehole walls into the bottom of the hole and is stratigraphically useless (typically 10-40 cm). It is therefore impossible to recover a complete stratigraphy in a single hole and the most effective approach to achieve a continuous section is to develop a CCSF scale from multiple holes.
Shipboard stratigraphic correlation can be broken down into four (optionally, five) processes, each supported with specific software applications (Figure 1).
1: Download correlation data from the expedition (LIMS) database using the SCORS Downloader.
2: Correlate the downloaded data to create affine table and splice interval table (SIT) files. The affine table file results from depth-shifting cores relative to the CSF-A scale and is used to define a CCSF scale in LIMS. Because of core expansion, the CCSF depths are typically 10%–15% deeper than their CSF-A depths. The SIT results from defining core intervals that best represent the stratigraphy of a site when spliced together. This task is accomplished using the Correlator application or any other program of choice as long as the affine and SIT files are produced to LIMS specifications.
3: Upload affine table (and SIT) to the expedition (LIMS) database. LIMS internal computations store the cumulative offset of each core in the relevant database table and create a CCSF depth scale that can be applied to any data in LIMS.
4: (Optional) (A) Take the user-defined SIT file and use the top and bottom depth (CCSF) of each splice interval to compute core, section, offset, and CSF-A for a "corrected" SIT file (.CORR). Also create a difference report (.DIFF) if any of the aforementioned information is inconsistent between input and output files. This task is accomplished with the SpliceFileFixer program developed to correct and diagnose errors that originated in an earlier version of Correlator. This step is optional now that this aspect of Correlator has been fixed. (B) Upload the (corrected) SIT to the expedition (LIMS) database. LIMS internal computations store identities of the splice interval boundaries in the relevant tables so data can be retrieved by splice.
5:Use LIMS Reports to retrieve uploaded files and LIMS-computed data sets: (A) Lists of existing affine tables and splice interval tables, with links to uploaded user files, as well as the detailed, LIMS-computed affine and splice interval tables; (B) CCSF (alternate) depths for any data set; (C) data sets by selected splice.
Figure 1: Overview of SCORS tools and data flow, and the processes they are associated with. Blue shapes are JRSO supported user applications extracting and/or loading data from/to the LIMS database. Yellow shapes are data files. The green shape is the actual wiggle correlation tool, which may be a generic tool such as Excel, a custom tool such as Correlator, or any application users choose, and which interacts with the LIMS via files that must meet content and format specifications.
Scientists preparing before the cruise on shore can:
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Users cannot upload affine and splice tables to the LIMS on shore because implementing the required "sandbox" is currently too costly. However, if the SFF yields no (significant) differences, the upload is guaranteed not to be a problem.
1. Download correlation data (SCORS Downloader)
Features of the SCORS Downloader application
With the SCORS Downloader, you can:
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A Java Runtime application is provided with a user interface that allows the user to set all filter parameters, specify an external interval cull file, save everything to a control file, and download the files. The control file is JASON text file. If users decide that they prefer to edit that file directly and bypass some of the interface provided, IODP will not support any troubleshooting.
Software installation and setup
- Download the Correlation Downloader application from JR-SO web site.
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Figure 1-1. SCORS Downloader user interface.
Using the SCORS Downloader interface (Fig. 1-1):
- You can optionally Load a data control file if the SCORS Downloader generated the file in an earlier session. It contains all settings last saved by the user/owner of the file. Note: The file is not managed in LIMS; it is up to the user to keep it on a local drive.
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- A directory browser window will open where you can set the location for the file to be stored.
- The download files are in CSV format.
2. Create affine table and splice interval table files
Process overview
Creating affine table and splice interval table files (the correlation files in short) is the essence of the affine-based stratigraphic correlation process, and the primary task of the stratigraphic correlation specialist (SCS) aboard the JR. Two sub-tasks must be completed in sequence:
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Construction of the composite depth scale and the selection of splice intervals have a significantly subjective aspect. Scientific parties usually place a large degree of confidence into the shipboard SCS to accomplish these tasks to the satisfaction of the scientists, who use the splice for integrated subsampling and postcruise analysis of the cores. The basic rules, terminology and specifications provided here aim at providing a robust depth scale and splice support structure while at the same time strengthening correlation specialists' confidence in serving the science party and the science parties' confidence in the methods and the reliability of the results.
The affine-based correlation and splicing process by definition creates a stratigraphic section from a selection of core intervals and therefore leaves non-splice intervals in most cores from the holes participating in the CCSF depth scale. Stratigraphic features in the non-splice intervals of adjacent holes do not have the exact same depth than corresponding features in the splice at a cm-dm scale, even though they are at the same CCSF scale, because cores are stretched and squeezed during recovery, or because the stratigraphic architecture is not a perfect layer cake. Non-splice intervals can be mapped separately to the splice using a general depth mapping process. This process is currently being examined and defined to determine if IODP should implement SCORS infrastructure in the future to support it.
Depth shifting of cores and the affine table
Stratigraphic correlation specialists define a core composite depth below seafloor (CCSF) depth scale in the form of an affine table (example in Table 2-1; specifications in Appendix 1). Using different types of high-resolution data sets obtained from the cores recovered in multiple adjacent holes, each core is shifted to optimize alignment of stratigraphic features across the holes, assuming that the stratigraphy is a perfect "layer cake" across the holes. Even in cases where that assumption is true, in general not all stratigraphic features in two cores can be perfectly aligned because the cores are stretched and squeezed during the coring process. The SCS has to decide in which part of the core to establish the best alignment of features. As a rule of thumb, the alignment of features should be best where the SCS plans to establish a splice tie point, i.e., in the upper and lower parts of core intervals that will be used in the splice.
The affine table resulting from the shifting process is a list of all cores from the participating holes, each with a cumulative offset (m) relative to the default core depth below seafloor (CSF-A) depth scale, whereby:
CCSF_depth = CSF-A_depth + cumulative_offset
The cumulative offsets are usually positive (downhole direction), range from centimeters to tens of meters, and generally increase with depth.
Table 2-1. Affine table example, shown in spreadsheet view to facilitate view of content. The file must be in CSV text format for upload to the LIMS. Specifications for each column are given in Appendix 1.
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In addition to the shift type, users can optionally indicate the data types used and the general quality of the depth shift for each core in the last two comment columns of the affine table (Table 2-1). Note that comments cannot contain commas because of the use of the CSV format, where commas are column delimiters. The SCORS Uploader will check and reject a correlation file if more commas exist than expected.
Short cores may not have had correlation data acquired, and data from cores disturbed or damaged by the drilling process may have been filtered during download with the SCORS Downloader. Those cores will not "appear" in the correlation data set and therefore not be used in the depth shifting process. Depending on the correlation tool used, they may not be present in the affine table unless manually added before uploading to the LIMS using the SCORS Uploader (see below). Correlation specialists need to be aware that if cores are not present in the affine upload file, they will not be included in the CCSF depth scale and therefore be missing in data reports. The uploader will check for the presence of all cores, and if one or more are missing, will prompt the user to add them to the affine table, or ignore them and be responsible for the consequences.
Core shifting and the affine table should be complete before splicing begins. If cumulative offsets of cores are adjusted after splice intervals for those cores have been defined, the splice intervals need to be revisited to ensure that no unintended gaps or overlaps persist in the splice.
Splicing
After the cores of adjacent holes have been shifted into a CCSF depth scale, the SCS define intervals in the depth shifted cores that will constitute the splice for a site, representing the most continuous section and most complete stratigraphic representation possible with the recovered cores.
The splice tie-point concept (deprecated)
The traditional process of defining the splice consists of using splice tie points, essentially tie lines that splice the bottoms of upper intervals with the tops of lower intervals at exactly the same CCSF depth. That process results in a splice tie point table (STPT) (Table 2-3), as published in many ODP and IODP Proceedings volumes. Although the STPT used to be the standard expression of a splice, it turned out to be inadequate when splices were discontinuous, i.e., all intervals could not be tied to one another because of coring gaps, drilling disturbance or inadequate data records. When scientists attempted to integrate the segments of a discontinuous splice (often referred to as "floating splices") to create a "complete but discontinuous splice" as the overall most useful stratigraphic framework for a site, they had to "fake" interval boundaries as ties in the STPT. Even in a continuous splice, the first and last interval could not be adequately defined in the STPT. This led to the computational routines in the IODP database to return unexpected and unpredictable results. Therefore, in the current implementation of SCORS, users can optionally upload their STPT files, but they are not used by the database internal computations.
Table 2-3. Example format of a splice tie-point table.
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Site | Hole | Core No | Section Type | Section No | Offset | CSF-A | CCSF | TIE/APPEND | Site | Hole | Core No | Section Type | Section No | Offset | CSF-A | CCSF |
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U1446 | C | 1 | H | 6 | 49 | 7.5 | 7.5 | TIE | U1446 | A | 2 | H | 3 | 55.5 | 7.855 | 7.5 |
U1446 | A | 2 | H | 7 | 19.8 | 13.298 | 12.944 | TIE | U1446 | C | 2 | H | 4 | 21.4 | 12.444 | 12.944 |
U1446 | C | 2 | H | 7 | 35.9 | 16.919 | 17.419 | TIE | U1446 | A | 3 | H | 2 | 136.1 | 16.661 | 17.419 |
U1446 | A | 3 | H | 6 | 111.9 | 22.419 | 23.177 | TIE | U1446 | C | 3 | H | 4 | 54.5 | 22.385 | 23.177 |
U1446 | C | 3 | H | 6 | 84.4 | 25.594 | 26.387 | TIE | U1446 | A | 4 | H | 2 | 66.5 | 25.465 | 26.387 |
U1446 | A | 4 | H | 6 | 9.3 | 30.893 | 31.815 | TIE | U1446 | C | 4 | H | 3 | 25.8 | 30.118 | 31.815 |
U1446 | C | 4 | H | 7 | 44.8 | 36.158 | 37.855 | TIE | U1446 | A | 5 | H | 3 | 68.6 | 36.416 | 37.855 |
U1446 | A | 5 | H | 7 | 21.7 | 41.787 | 43.226 | TIE | U1446 | C | 5 | H | 4 | 28 | 41.15 | 43.226 |
U1446 | C | 5 | H | 7 | 14.5 | 45.545 | 47.621 | TIE | U1446 | A | 6 | H | 2 | 93.2 | 44.682 | 47.621 |
U1446 | A | 6 | H | 5 | 33.3 | 47.513 | 50.452 | TIE | U1446 | C | 6 | H | 1 | 141.3 | 47.313 | 50.452 |
The splice interval concept
A more generic definition of a splice as a collection of splice intervals rather than tie points eliminates the restrictions of a STPT. Splice intervals are defined by the core (from a site and hole) that contains the interval, and the CCSF depths of the top and bottom boundary. This process results in the splice interval table (SIT) (example in Table 2-4; specifications in Appendix 2). Each splice interval is from one core only, however, more than one splice interval can theoretically be defined from the same core. The SIT has replaced the STPT as the correlation specialist's main deliverable, along with the affine table.
The SIT format also includes the section and offset for top and bottom boundaries, because those ultimately matter when investigators take sub-samples from the cores along the splice. We learned the hard way that a third application may not always compute section and offset correctly and therefore created the SCORS-QA applications to rectify that potential problem (see section 4).
Table 2-4. Splice interval table file example, given in spreadsheet view to facilitate view of content. The file must be in CSV format for upload to LIMS. Specifications for each column are given in Appendix 3.
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Splice interval type | Top | Bottom | Comment | Likely core shift type* |
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TIE-TIE | Correlative tie | Correlative tie | Most common case | TIE |
TIE-CORE | Correlative tie | Core bottom | Typical last interval |
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TIE-TRUNC | Correlative tie | Truncation | Rare |
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CORE-TIE | Core top | Correlative tie | Typical floating interval | ANCHOR, APPEND, SET |
CORE-CORE | Core top | Core bottom | Less typical floating int. |
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CORE-TRUNC | Core top | Truncation | Rare |
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TRUNC-TIE | Truncation | Correlative tie | Rare | SET, APPEND, ANCHOR |
TRUNC-CORE | Truncation | Core bottom | Rare |
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TRUNC-TRUNC | Truncation | Truncation | Rare |
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Using the Correlator application
Basic functions of Correlator
Correlator operates within a single window that can be toggled between the Data Manager view and the Display view (Fig. 2-1). To navigate between these views, use the top button on the floating toolbar, or use the View menu. The tool bar is always available unless turned off in the Preferences tab to the right of the window. The entire application window can be expanded as much as available monitor space permits.
Figure 2-1. The two main views in the Correlator main window.
A. Data Manager
B. Display
The Data Manager view has three functional tabs across the top:
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Note that the selection of a particular tab does not constrain the actions user can take in the graphics part of the window. This means that user may have the splice tab selected but be depth shifting using the context menu.
Good or bad? For now just an observation.
Initial configurations
Set the path to your local data repository, the place where you download data from LIMS, so Correlator can update its data when new core data is appended. This directory indexes all files imported or created by Correlator. Go to:
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- File>Data Repository Path
Import data that were downloaded from LIMS
- In the Data Manager view, click the Data List tab. The list is empty when you start out except for the Root item.
- You have to import each file separately for them to show up in the Data List.
- Right-click on the word Root on the top line item and select Add new data (the only option except deleting Root).
- A browser window opens that allows you to choose the data file for a given hole and data type.
- Data opens in Generic Data tab (Fig. 2-2)
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Menu item | Function | Root level | Site level | Data group items | Hole-data items |
Add new data | Import data from directory | YES | YES | YES |
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Load | Load data for plotting in Display view. |
| YES | YES | YES |
View |
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| YES |
Edit | ? |
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| YES | YES |
Discrete | ? |
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| YES |
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Enable | Enable "Load", i.e., enable plotting in Display view. |
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| YES |
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Disable | Disable "Load", i.e., disable plotting in Display view. |
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| YES | YES |
Delete | Remove from Correlator. | YES | YES | YES | YES |
Import cull table |
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| YES |
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Update | The specified file is re-imported and the information in Correlator is updated. |
| YES | YES | YES |
Export | Mainly used to generate affine and splice tables a CSV files that can be uploaded to LIMS. |
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| YES | YES |
Load data for correlation
Whenever you have sufficient data imported and available in the Data List to start correlation, you need to load them for display and correlation.
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- In the Data List, select, then right-click on a line item and select Load.
- You can load an individual file, a set of files for a data type, or all files for a site.
- Make sure that the files you want to load are enabled. When saved, affine and splice tables are enabled and will be applied to the loaded data.
- After loading the data, the Data Manager view turns into the Display view where the data is plotted and correlation and splicing functions are available.
Update Correlator data with added data from LIMS
During the typical JR work flow, correlators download the correlation data each time the data from a new core are available. The Correlation Downloader has features that all the download to be executed efficiently with pre-configured parameters and by appending core data to the hole data file (see chapter 1).
To update the Correlator internal database with these files:
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- Select the highest practical item in the Data List, right click and select Update.
- No, you don't have to delete the data and re-import!
- Select the item again and select Upload.
- Yes, you do need to load them again.
- Make sure you also load the affine and splice tables again, if applicable.
Preferences
Before starting to work in the Display view it is worthwhile looking at the options in the Preferences tab (equivalent to using Go to Display Prefs button; Fig. 2-5). The options are largely self-explanatory and not described further at this time.
Figure 2-5. Display preference options.
Filter data
If you haven't filtered the data a the time of download, or you would like to apply more filtering (masking) now to facilitate correlation:
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Figure 2-6. Filter options.
Shift Cores
To shift cores, you may want to select the Composite tab of the Display view to see the parameter sub-window. You can also get there using the Go to Composite button on the floating menu. If no data are displayed, switch to the Data Manager view and load a data type (see earlier section).
Note that you can shift cores even if you have not selected the Composite tab.
Several shift parameters are given in the parameter panel to the right (Fig. 2-7).
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- Shift-left-click a characteristic reference point, creating a red dot (reference point). This core will not shift.
- Shift-left-click a matching point on the data from a different hole, creating a green dot. This core will shift. A copy of the data trace from the core with the green dot is overlain on the plot with the red dot.
- To move the floating trace over the reference trace for optimum correlation, drag the green line/dot up or down; alternatively toggle the line with the arrow keys.
- Click the Apply shift button.
- The core that had the green dot is moved relative to the red point (anchor) and changed to green (CCSF) to indicate the data has been depth adjusted. (Color cues for tracking depth scale changes can be changed in Preferences.)
- The amount of shift (m) is shown on the plot.
- To delete the last tie before it is applied, click the Clear Tie button.
- To delete all ties and start over:
- Select Clear all ties from the File menu; or
- Go to Data Manager, open the Saved Tables tree, and delete the affine and splice tables using right-click context menu.
- NOTE: Deleting the affine table will also remove your loaded data (rather than just undo the shifts) and you will have to load them again. After re-loading, you need to reset the Cull filters (the Smooth filter sticks).
- To save the depth shifts, do one of the following, which will save the affine and splice tables internally to Correlator:
- Click the Save Affine Table button on the Composite tab
- Click Save on the Tool Bar
- Switch to the Data Manager, which prompts you to save.
Construct the splice
For users of older versions of Correlator, note that the entire splicing functionality has been redone in 2015-2016 to (1) comply with the splice interval (as opposed to splice tie) concept, and (2) to use detailed section information imported along with the data types so top and bottom of splice intervals can be properly calculated. Splicing is now easier and more accurate and precise.
To create a splice:
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- Select Alternate Splice button opens a dialog where user can select one of multiple splices if multiple splices were previously created:
- CAUTION: "alternate" splice does not mean that this is a "secondary splice" that only uses intervals NOT used in the "primary" splice! It's just another splice.
- Data Type: User can select the data type for which to display the splice.
- Splice: user can select one among multiple splices.
- Save Splice… button brings up a dialog with the following options:
- Create New If you do this, you will see in the Data Manager window that the previous splice is automatically disabled.
- Update Existing is the typical choice.
- Cancel
Changing the affine during the splicing process
While on the Splice Interval tab, the depth shift display area on the left is still active and lets user define a shift using.
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- Go to the Data Manager
- Right-click on the line item
- Select Delete.
- After user acknowledges the warning, the splice is deleted and all loaded data are cleared from the Display view. User has to re-load the data.
Export Data
When ready to upload the affine and splice tables to the LIMS for general consumption by the science party, export data from the Data List window in the Data Manager.
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Correlator 2.1_rc2SiteLIMS
Site Site
Hole Hole
Core Core
Core TypeCore type
Top SectionTop section
Top Offset Top offset (cm)
Top Depth CSF-A Top depth CSF-A (m)
Top Depth CCSF-A Top depth CCSF (m)
Bottom SectionBottom section
Bottom Offset Bottom offset (cm)
Bottom Depth CSF-A Bottom depth CSF-A (m)
Bottom Depth CCSF-A Bottom depth CCSF (m)
Splice TypeSplice type
Data UsedData used
CommentQuality comment
3. Upload affine table
Getting ready
Before attempting upload of an affine file, ensure that it complies with the specified format (see previous section or examples from the LIMS database). The file must be CSV format and have the prescribed number and types of columns. The uploader will perform a limited number of tests and will reject non-compliant files.
To upload an affine file, or to manage already uploaded files and associated database entries (if authorized):
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- Load affine (will create a new CCSF depth scale)
- Load splice (requires associated affine to be loaded already)
- Manage (e.g., remove redundant affine/depth scales and splices)
Load affine
To load an affine table (Fig. 3-1):
Figure 3-1. SCORS Uploader user interface, Load affine tab.
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To confirm successful upload, go to the LIMS reports described below.
Delete affine table and CCSF scale
The Manager tab allows authorized users to delete redundant affine (and associated depth scales) and splices from the database. Unauthorized users cannot use this tab.
If user cancels an affine table by accident, user cannot re-instate them through the tools provided. However, a developer or database administrator can still recover the original upload files if needed (for a period of at least one year after).
To cancel an affine (and splice) (Fig. 3-2):
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Figure 3-2. SCORS Uploader user interface, Manager tab.
LIMS internal computations
The uploaded affine files are stored and accessible in exactly the way they were uploaded. In addition, the affine tables are converted into Oracle database tables such that the cumulative offsets can be used to compute the alternate CCSF depths for samples and results. For any report available within the LIMS Reports framework, users can select the appropriate CCSF scale from the alternate depth choice list. At that point, the CCSF depths are reported for each observation or sample in the report, provided the associated core was included in the affine table to begin with.
4. Optional: Checking/fixing the splice interval file
Purpose and logic
The splice interval table (SIT) files generated by the Stratigraphic Correlation Specialist (SCS) using third party correlation applications of their choice (see section 2) may contain information that is inconsistent with the sample registry data in LIMS. Uploading inconsistent information to the LIMS would create unexpected results further downstream, particularly when LIMS retrieves data by splice, or when investigators use the splice table to sample cores. For example, we learned on Expedition 353, through the use of the new set of SCORS tools, that the Correlator application (http://www.corewall.org/downloads.html), under certain yet to be determined circumstances, returns CSF-A depths and/or section-offsets for the splice intervals that are not compatible with the CCSF depths picked by the user, according to the LIMS registry. Since the JR-SO cannot control what application the SCS use, and how those applications compute depths and section-offset identities, we created the SpliceFileFixer, which creates splice intervals that are consistent in terms of depth calculations and section-offsets.
We essentially assume that users trust their selection of core identity and CCSF depths for the splice intervals, but may not be certain about the computations of corresponding CSF-A depths and section-offsets. We can help with those.
Here is what the SCORS-QA application does:
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- Create a corrected SIT file that has the same name as the input file plus the extension *.CORR. For each INPUT line, an OUTPUT line with corrected section-offset and CSF-A depths is computed and printed to the output CSV file. This output splice file will be suitable for upload to the LIMS. The following is the approximate sequence of tests and computations performed.
Wiki Markup |
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Create a copy of the input file where floating point values for offset and depth values are rounded to 1 mm precision fixed values. This should avoid issues with very small floating-point number differences in depth comparison tests. \[ONLY IF TRULY NEEDED\].
For each splice interval (INPUT line) in the input file:
Get all the sections for the given core. Each section record in LIMS has a stored CSF-A as well as CCSF depth (based on loaded affine table) for both top and bottom of section and the array of these four values per section will be used here.
Proceed with the following steps separately for top and bottom of the splice interval, respectively.
Find the section that contains the given CCSF depth.
If the CCSF for the given core is smaller than the smallest section top depth, return message "ABOVECORE" in the output file. This will fail splice file upload and user needs to address the issue somehow.
If the CCSF for the given core is greater than the largest section bottom depth, return message "BELOWCORE" in the output file. This will fail splice file upload and user needs to address the issue somehow.
If two section IDs are returned because the CCSF corresponds exactly to the bottom of a section and the top of the subsequent section, select the section with the smaller section number.
For the section determined to be the correct one, compute
offset = CCSF(given) - CCSF(section_top).
Then compute CSF-A = CSF-A(section_top) + offset
Print the half-line to the output file. Repeat with the bottom of interval if this was the top.
Proceed with the next splice interval.
End. |
- Create a difference report file that has the same name as the input SIT file plus the extension *.DIFF. This will allow the user to review potential issues quickly and take action if needed. A corresponding screen view is also created.
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Read the discrepancy threshold value provided by the user (default: 1 cm; Fig. 4-1).
IF discrepancies in section-offset and CSF-A depths are larger than the threshold value they will be considered significant and will prompt a difference report, consisting of the OUTPUT line printed below the INPUT line.
If differences in section-offset and CSF-A depths are equal to or smaller than the threshold value they will be considered insignificant and are not reported.
Print the output file *.DIFF.
Print the DIFF report on the screen, in the application user interface, as well.
Getting ready
- Before running the SpliceFileFixer, make sure the affine table was loaded to the LIMS (section 3) because the CCSF scale must have been created in the LIMS before a splice can be tested and corrected.
- Ensure that the SIT complies with the specified format (see section 2). The file must be CSV format and have the prescribed number and types of columns.
- Download and install the SCORS-QA (AKA SpliceFileFixer) JAVA application:
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- Ship: http://ship.iodp.tamu.edu/tasapps/splicefilefixer/jnlp/splicefilefixer.jnlp
- Shore test: http://rtwebdv.iodp.tamu.edu/tasapps/splicefilefixer/jnlp/splicefilefixer.jnlp
- Shore production: http://web.iodp.tamu.edu/tasapps/splicefilefixer/jnlp/splicefilefixer.jnlp
Run SpliceFileFixer (Fig. 4-1)
Figure 4-1. SCORS-QA (SpliceFileFixer) user interface.
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- You will see a log of processing steps, with the final reading:
- "The splice interval table processing has ended or has completed."
5. Upload splice tables
Getting ready
- Before attempting upload of a splice interval table file, ensure that it complies with the specified format (see section 2). The file must be CSV format and have the prescribed number and types of columns. The uploader will perform a limited number of tests and will reject non-compliant files.
- The application is the same as the one used to upload the affine table file (see section 3).
- Select the Load splice tab from the three tabs at your disposal (Fig. 3-1):
Load splice
To load a splice interval table (Figure 5-1):
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Figure 5-1. SCORS Uploader user interface, Load splice tab.
Delete existing affine and CCSF scales in LIMS
The Manager tab allows authorized users to delete redundant affine (and associated depth scales) and splices from the database.
If user cancels an affine or splice interval table by accident, user cannot re-instate them through the tools provided. However, a developer or database administrator can still recover the original upload files if needed (for a period of at least one year after).
To cancel a splice (Fig. 5-2):
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Figure 5-2. SCORS Uploader user interface, Manager tab.
LIMS internal computations
The uploaded splice files are stored and accessible in exactly the way they were uploaded. In addition, the splice interval tables are converted into Oracle database tables such that can be used to provide data by splice.
A splice was associated with an affine table at the time of upload and the corresponding CCSF scale is automatically set when user selects a splice from a choice list in the LIMS Report interface.
6. Reports
6.1. Access to reports
To get to all of the reports associated with stratigraphic correlation, go to URL:
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- Get correlation (affine, splice) tables: usually only the stratigraphic correlation specialists have a need for these reports (section 6.2).
- Get data with CCSF depths: For sites where a CCSF depth scale was developed, most investigators usually want to use that scale for their stratigraphic work (section 6.3).
- Get data by splice: Users who want to work with data for the splice only, this type of report is the most useful (section 6.4).
6.2. Correlation (affine and splice) table reports
Stratigraphic correlation data is reported in four types of reports (Fig. 6-1, lower left):
...
Figure 6-1. Screen capture of correlation reports options within the LIMS Reports framework.
List of affine tables report
This report lists the CCSF alternate depth scales available in LIMS, and the original affine table files that the scales are derived from, one per row (Fig. 6-2). Metadata for each scale are provided as well (see Table 6 for column descriptions). The list can be filtered by entering an expedition number.
To get a list of affine tables report (Fig. 6-2):
...
Column name | Description |
---|---|
Alternate depth scale (CCSF) name | This formal name is auto-generated at the time of upload, based on the contents of the affine table file uploaded by the user and an optional, up to 10 character long extension at the end (after the date) directly entered by the user. |
Uploaded affine table file name and link | The file name is exactly the same as that of the original, unaltered user file, which can be downloaded via the link. |
Date and time of upload | Date and time based on database server settings. |
User comment | User who uploaded the affine table file may have entered an optional comment at the time of file upload, to communicate pertinent process or file information to future users of the data. |
Name of account used to upload | Name of the LIMS user account that was used to upload the affine table file. |
Affine tables report
This report provides the full affine table information, one core per row (Fig. 6-3; see Table 6-2 for descriptions of columns). Sample identity information (i.e., hole and core) and the cumulative offset for each core resulting from depth shifting, are derived directly from user-uploaded files. However, the CSF-A and CCSF depths as well as differential offset and growth rate are computed in LIMS, based on latest sample registry data for hole and core. The original, unaltered affine table user file can also be downloaded.
To get an affine table report (Fig. 6-3):
...
Column name | Description |
---|---|
Site, Hole, Core, Type | Sample identity of the core. |
Depth CSF-A (m) | Top of core depth from the LIMS sample registry at the original CSF-A depth scale. |
Depth CCSF (m) | Top of core depth at the CCSF alternate depth scale. |
Cumulative offset (m) | Distance a core was shifted along the depth axis relative to the original CSF-A depth. |
Differential offset (m) | Distance a core was shifted along the depth axis relative to its depth after the next shallower core was shifted. This value, when viewed in context, is useful to detect unusual shifts that may indicate a correlation error or stratigraphic irregularity. |
Growth rate | Growth rate = Depth CCSF (m) / Depth CSF-A (m); a measure of the degree of expansion in the recovered sediment section relative to the in-situ section. |
Shift type (optional comment) | Recommended terms are: anchor, tie, set, and append. See section 2 of this user guide for explanation. |
Data type used (optional comment) | Recommended terms are analysis names or acronyms, such as NGR, MSL, RGB, etc. |
Quality comment (optional comment) | Recommended comments are those pointing to problematic shifts based on less than ideal signal. |
List of splice interval tables report
This report lists the splice interval tables available in LIMS, one per row, including metadata and links generated by the LIMS or added by the user at the time of file upload (Fig. 6-4; see Table 6-3 for description of columns). The list can be filtered by entering an expedition number.
To get a list of splice interval tables report (Fig. 6-4):
...
Column name | Description |
---|---|
Splice name | This formal name is auto-generated at the time of upload, based on the contents of the splice interval table file uploaded by the user and an optional, up to 10 character long extension at the end (after the date) directly entered by the user. |
Associated CCSF scale (affine table) | CCSF alternate depth scale (based on affine table), selected by the user who uploaded the splice interval table. |
Uploaded splice interval table file name and link | The file name is exactly the same as that of the original, unaltered user file, which can be downloaded via the link. |
Uploaded splice tie point table file name and link | Upload of this type of file is optional. File name, if present, is exactly what users named it; link downloads the unaltered file. |
Date and time of upload | Data and time based on database server settings. |
User comment | User who uploaded the splice interval table file may have entered an optional comment at the time of file upload, to communicate pertinent process or file information to future users of the data. |
Name of account used to upload | Name of the LIMS user account that was used to upload the affine table file. |
Splice interval tables report
This report provides the full splice interval table information, one interval per row (Fig. 6-5; see Table 6-4 for descriptions of columns). Sample identity information (i.e., hole, core, section, offset) is derived directly from user-uploaded files. However, the CSF-A and CCSF depths are computed in LIMS, based on latest sample registry data for hole and core. The original, unaltered splice interval table user file can also be downloaded.
To get an affine table report (Fig. 6-5):
...
Column name | Description |
---|---|
Interval | Sequential numbering of splices intervals added by LIMS. |
Site, Hole, Core, Type | Sample identity of the core. |
Top section | Section number of top and bottom of splice interval, respectively. |
Top offset (cm) | Offset of top of splice interval. |
Top depth CSF-A (m) | CSF-A depth of top of splice interval. |
Top depth CCSF (m) | CCSF depth of top of splice interval. |
Bottom section | Section number of bottom of splice interval. |
Bottom offset (cm) | Offset of bottom of splice interval. |
Bottom depth CSF-A (m) | CSF-A depth of bottom of splice interval. |
Bottom depth CCSF (m) | CCSF depth of bottom of splice interval. |
Splice type (optional comment) | Recommended terms are given in Table 4 (Section 2). |
Data type used (optional comment) | Recommended terms are analysis names or acronyms, such as NGR, MSL, RGB, etc. |
Quality comment (optional comment) | Recommended comments are those pointing to problematic intervals based on less than ideal signal. |
6.3. Alternate depths
This report feature provides CCSF alternate depth for any sample and data point in any data report that uses depth (CSF-A) as the primary independent variable. User must select the appropriate alternate scale for a report.
To retrieve CCSF depths with data (Fig. 6-6):
...
Figure 6-6. Data report example with alternate depths shown in column #10.
6.3. Data by splice
One of the major goals of stratigraphic correlation is to generate "spliced data", or to retrieve "data by splice". To get data by splice (Fig. 6-7):
...
Figure 6-7. Data set extracted for user-selected splice.
Appendix 1: Specifications for affine tables
Column header | Upload file requirements | LIMS report sourcing | Format | Examples | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Site | required | from upload file | text up to 5 chars | 69, 987, 1103, U1423 |
|
Hole | required | from upload file | single letter | A, B, C, ..... |
|
Core | required | from upload file | integer, 1-3 digits | 3, 45, 138 |
|
Core type | optional | from LIMS | single letter | H, X, R, .... |
|
Core top depth CSF-A (m) | optional | from LIMS | number | 2.3, 124.175, 1504.4 |
|
Core top depth CCSF (m) | optional | from LIMS | number | 2.3, 124.175, 1504.4 |
|
Cumulative offset (m) | required | from upload file | number | -0.56, 48.392 |
|
Differential offset (m) | optional | computed in LIMS | number | 0.012, 4.562 |
|
Growth rate | optional | computed in LIMS | number | 0.91, 1.05, 1.21 |
|
Shift type | optional information | from upload file | text up to 50 chars | TIE, truncated | Commas not allowed |
Data used | optional information | from upload file | text up to 50 chars | magnetic susc. | Commas not allowed |
Quality comment | optional information | from upload file | text up to 50 chars | Tentative | Commas not allowed |
Appendix 2: Specifications for splice interval tables
Column header | Upload file requirements | LIMS report sourcing | Format | Examples | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Site | required | from upload file | text up to 5 chars | 69, 987, 1103, U1423 |
|
Hole | required | from upload file | single letter | A, B, C, ..... |
|
Core | required | from upload file | integer, 1-3 digits | 3, 45, 138 |
|
Core type | required | from upload file | single letter | H, X, R, .... |
|
Top section | required | from upload file | integer 1-2 digits, or "CC" | 1, 12, CC |
|
Top offset (cm) | required | from upload file | number | 1.2, 45, 151.7 |
|
Top depth CSF-A (m) | required | computed in LIMS | number | 2.3, 124.175, 1504.4 |
|
Top depth CCSF (m) | required | computed in LIMS | number | 2.3, 124.175, 1504.4 |
|
Bottom section | required | from upload file | integer 1-2 digits, or "CC" | 1, 12, CC |
|
Bottom offset (cm) | required | from upload file | number | 1.2, 45, 151.7 |
|
Bottom depth CSF-A (m) | required | computed in LIMS | number | 2.3, 124.175, 1504.4 |
|
Bottom depth CCSF (m) | required | computed in LIMS | number | 2.3, 124.175, 1504.4 |
|
Splice type | optional information | from upload file | text up to 50 chars | TIE, truncated | Commas not allowed |
Data used | optional information | from upload file | text up to 50 chars | magnetic susc. | Commas not allowed |
Quality comment | optional information | from upload file | text up to 50 chars | Tentative | Commas not allowed |
...