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Again, please note that it will be necessary to cover the core surface with Ultralene® film and GLAD® Plastic Wrap in order to protect the nose of the instrument and the underside of the shield from contamination. See Preparing Section Halves, below.
Important! Do not measure the core section half without covering it with film! INFORMATION TO UPDATE: Note for tech: section half: sediment vs. hard rock it seems that the section half prep described above is for sediment. Double-check. write a paragraph for hard rock prep. In College Station: film not used for hard rock sections (core surface is cleaned before measurement)Exception might be hard rock core section.
Sample Preparation
Sample preparation is split into two main categories: discrete samples and section halves.
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7. Put a sample label onto the cup. Remove excess Ultralene® to help the label stick. The discrete sample is now ready for analysis.
Figure 16: Sample preparation steps for discrete XRF sample. Note the slight bulge of the sample when correctly filled.
Preparing Section Halves
Sediment and hard rock section halves have different preparation. Please make sure to read below carefully and check with the EPM and X-ray technician for the best procedure. See the website of the XRF laboratory at IODP - Gulf Coast Repository for detailed information regarding section halves preparation.
Sediment section halves
Note: Ultralene® film is quite expensive (about $1 US/meter) and it is not practical to cover the entire length of each core section.
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Important! Even a small amount of sediment on top of the thin film will be transferred to the pXRF, and will affect the measurement of the next core section half.
Hard rock section halves
Following the procedure at the onshore XRF laboratory in College Station (Texas), no film is put on hard rock sections. The surface is cleaned with DI and kimwipe. When dried, the core surface is brushed to remove any remaining dust/contaminating particles.
Starting the Software
Note: Independent of sample type (discrete or section half) all samples follow the same procedures for taking and storing XRF data.
The computer interface and the pXRF interface are different. Follow the appropriate instructions.
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Warning! NEVER activate the X-ray source when the Flex Stand door is open! The Sample Chamber door does not have a safety trigger and the pXRF will continue to emit X-Rays if door is open.
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