Draft, April 2022 (Peter Blum)

1. About Correlator 4

The Correlator application facilitates stratigraphic correlation of cores from multiple holes at a drill site. Its features support

• depth shifting of cores based on high-resolution core logging data, including images, to construct a core composite depth below sea floor (CCSF) depth scale; and
• splicing of selected core intervals to construct the most complete stratigraphic representation possible at a site. 

On the JOIDES Resolution (JR), the Correlator 4 application documented here is used in conjunction with other applications within the stratigraphic correlation support (SCORS) ecosystem (Fig. 1-1), which are covered in a separate user guides (Table 1-1). 

Figure 1-1. Stratigraphic correlation support (SCORS) applications. See Table 1-1 for brief descriptions.

Table 1-1. Stratigraphic correlation support (SCORS) application documentation

Version 4.0 was released on 1 April 2022. It can be downloaded at

https://github.com/corewall/correlator/releases/tag/4.0_r1

Miscellaneous notes:

• MacOS users need admin rights to be able to install the app.
  • On the JR you don't need to download or install the application - ask JRSO personnel if the application
• As of April 2022, the application was running slow on the JR stratigraphic correlator machine.
  • That computer is scheduled to be replace in August 2022.
  • To improve performance a bit, click the Low resolution check box in the Get info window of the Correlator application before starting the program.
• Correlator installs a directory for its internal database at a default location that looks something like this:
  • Documents [or other system folder] > Correlator > 4.0 > db | default.cfg | log | temp
  • When you import correlation data from a directory of choice, Correlator indexes the data and places them in this directory for internal use.
  • You don’t have to be aware of this directory but can change the path if needed (Fig. 1-2).

• Affine tables created in Correlator versions 3 and 4 differ from those in version 2: they include additional information (last three columns, see Appendix 2) that allow Correlator to reconstruct the relationship between cores.

  • Affine tables created in the production version, 2.1_rc2 can still be imported in 4.0 by right-clicking "Saved Tables" in the Data Manager (available once data are loaded) and choosing Import legacy affine table.

  • However, because legacy affine tables have no record of the reference core used to create a TIE, all cores shifted by a TIE will be converted to status REL on import into 4.0. This has no effect on their cumulative offsets, which will be preserved, but users will have to rebuild the TIEs manually (as was the case in version 2). 

Figure 1-2. Correlator File menu.

2. Correlator basic functions overview

2.1. Data Manager view

Correlator operates within a single window that can be expanded as much as available monitor space permits. When launching Correlator, you land on the Data Manager view (Fig. 2.1-1). You can toggle to the Display view by using the Go to Display button in the lower left corner of the window.

Figure 2.1-1. Data Manager view. Note the button in the lower left corner used to switch to the Display view.

 
The Data Manager view has two functional tabs across the top:

• The Data Manager tab (Fig. 2.2-1) lists the files imported into Correlator and provides the functions for adding and managing the data in Correlator.
• The Generic Data tab displays data from files being imported when such an import is triggered in the Data Manager tab (otherwise it’s an empty grid). 

The function in the Data Manager view are described in the Manage data in Correlator section.

2.2. Display view

The second and main view in Correlator is the Display view (Fig 2.2-1). You can toggle back to the Data Manager view by using the Go to Data Manager button in the lower left corner of the window.

Figure 2.2-1. Display view, with the Display Preferences tab open on the right. Note the button in the lower left corner used to switch to the Data Manager view.

 
The Display view has three areas:

• Left plot area for depth shifting
• Right plot area for splicing (can be toggled off in the Display Preferences tab if more display space is preferred for depth shifting, see below)
• Control function area on the far right.

The control area has four tabs:

• Close: This tab acts like a button and closes the control panel. The control panel can be opened again by clicking any of the other four tabs.
• Shift Cores: This tab has controls for depth shifting, which are described in the Depth shift cores section.
• Splice Cores: This tab has controls for splicing, which are described in the Construct the splice section.
• Display Preferences: This tab has general data display controls (Fig. 2.2-2)
• Data Filters: This tab offers data filtering options, including decimate, smooth and cull (Fig. 2.2-3).

Data Filters tab

Correlator offers three fundamental options to filter the data for the purpose of displaying them (Fig. 2.2-2a). The original data are still kept in memory and can be displayed again by deleting the filters.

To filter the data:

• Select the data type you want to filter (Fig. 2.2-2b).
• To decimate the selected data type, click the Edit button in the Decimate area (Fig. 2.2-2c).
  • Enter a number in the Show every <N> points to limit the display to every Nth data point.
  • Click the Apply button.
• To smooth the selected data type, click the Edit button in the Gaussian Smoothing area (Fig. 2.2-2d).
  • Select the type of rolling window: Points or Depth (cm).
    • Enter the Width in points or cm.
  • Select the Display option: Smoothed only or Original & Smoothed
    • Note: you can change the color of the smoothed trace in the Display Preferences > Set Colors
  • Click the Apply button
• To cull the selected data type, click the Edit button in the Cull area (Fig. 2.2-2e). You have to cull type options:
  • The first type of cull is to Cull data from sample edges.
    • Enter the interval in cm in Cull <x> cm from core tops.
  • The second type is to Cull outliers.
    • Enter a value for Cull data values > x
    • Enter a value for Cull data values < x
  • Click the Apply button.

Figure 2.2-2. Three data filtering options on the Data Filter tab: Decimate, Gaussian Smoothing, and Cull. Shown is a 9-point Gaussian filter applied to the magnetic susceptibility data whereby both original and smoothed (white trace overlay) are plotted. The filters can be edited or deleted.

a   bc   d   e

Note: 

• Data filters are applied to the data from all cores for a specified data type. For a more specific filtering of known intervals with severe core disturbance, etc., you have the option to apply a file with those intervals specified in the Correlator Downloader application, at the time of data download from the LIMS database.
• At this time, data culling can only be specified for top of cores (to remove data from “exotic” material washed down from higher up in the hole). A future version may include culling from core bottoms (“exotic” material “sucked in” when the piston core was removed) and culling from section ends (“edge effect”).
• Some odd behavior has been observed when deleting a cull filter under certain circumstances, and this has not yet been repaired. An easy workaround is to re-load the data.

Display Preferences tab

This tab offers numerous display options that apply to core shifting and splicing functions (Fig. 2.2-3a). Two new features include the ability to change the display order of the data types, including not showing them (Fig. 2.2-3b) and the ability not to display the data for selected holes (Fig. 2.2-3c). Data ranges can be set numerically for each data type (Fig. 2.2-3d) and visually be adjusting track widths. The color panel is updated so you can adjust the scheme to your liking. Additional check boxes were added to toggle on or off the display of lines, arrows and labels. These options should all be self-explanatory. Load some data, shift some cores, make some splices, and then simply explore the options be clicking around - your selections will not affect the data.

Figure 2.2-3. Display preferences.

a   b   c   d   e

2.3. Application menus

The application menus are typically not needed. Here we present only the View menu as it has a few low-level display options not available in the Display Preferences tab of the Display view (Fig. 2.3-1.) 

Figure 2.3-1. View menu.

3. Manage data in Correlator

3.1. Prepare correlation data

Data directories

Correlator is relatively flexible in terms of data file content and formats. Its import functions allow you to specify the only columns it really requires: depth and data. However, having the data files in a consistent format makes the process simpler and reliable. The following are the recommendations should be considered to be best practices on the JR.

• Use the Correlator Downloader application to download data from the LIMS database. Refer to the separate user guide for that application.
• Create a folder for each site (example in Fig. 3.1-1).
• Download one file for each data type and hole into the site folder. Append data for each new core measured using the Append core feature in Correlator Downloader.
• Create an images folder in each site folder where you place all reduced section images for the hole.
  • Batch-download the cropped section half images for a hole into a separate folder.
  • Use the R script provided to crop and reduce the images, then move the reduced images to the images folder in the correlation data site folder.
  • A separate user guide describes how to use the R script.
• If you have existing affine and splice tables for the site, place them in the site folder as well.

Figure 3.1-1. Example of a site folder with correlation data.

Special case: multiple files for the same data type

One of the primary objectives of stratigraphic correlation is to correlate section data from a new hole rapidly to the data from one or more previous holes to check if coring gaps in previous holes are recovered in the current hole. If coring gaps are not covered adequately due to the change in water depth (mostly due to tides, but also other environmental and operations factors), you want to provide relative coring offset (drill down interval) instructions to the drillers in near-real time.

In order to achieve this objective, we implemented a special task multisensor logger (STMSL), also referred to as ‘fast track’, with the same type of magnetic susceptibility (MS) instrument as the one mounted on the primary whole-round multisensor logger (WRMSL). The two instruments are the same for all practical purposes, however, users have found that slight differences in the data may exist (normally negligible compared to the overall analytical error). In any case, the ultimate goal is to measure all sections on the WRMSL in the sequence they are recovered to provide a consistent final MS data set. The STMSL is only and specifically used to measure selected sections from a new hole as needed, thus out of sequence, to provide rapid assessments and instructions to the driller.

Here comes the trick: In order to be able to correlate data from the STMSL with data from the WRMS in Correlator, the two data sets must be imported as two different data types, MSTL and STMSL, even though they are in fact both MS.
The Correlator Downloader application assists you with that: make sure you check the Split by instrument check box when downloading MS data, which results in two separate data files. When importing to Correlator, you assign the explicit custom names WRMSL STMSL for the two data files and you'll be able to correlate them.

3.2. Summary of Data Manager functions

When launching Correlator, you land on the Data Manager page. If you arrive there for the first time, you have only one function available:

• Root: right-click to add data

As soon as the first data file is imported, Correlator creates a data directory for the site, using the site name from the data file, and the following data group folders:

• One folder for each imported data type. Within each data type, the imported data are represented by a line item for each hole.
• The Section Summaries folder described above, which needs one file and list item per hole.
• The Saved Tables folder where Correlator saves affine and splice tables for the site.

Here, the functions available at each directory level are summarized for general reference (Table 3.2-1).

Table 3.2-1. Summary of data management functions.

3.3. Add new data

Basic correlation data

To import data files:

• Right-click on the top item in the Data Manager window and select Add new data. 
  • A browser window opens that allows you to browse to the data files in your directory of choice (the path will stick for future imports and updates).
• Select a single file, or multiple files of the same type (and format). In the example in Fig. 3.2-1, magnetic susceptibility was selected for holes 361-U1476A and 361-U1476B.
  • The first 30 rows of data for each hole are displayed in the Generic Data tab (Fig. 3.2-1).
  • For commonly used data types, all column headers and column data should be automatically and correctly populated.
  • If that is not the case, you get a warning and must specify at least the Depth and the Data columns.
• Click the Import button at the bottom right and the focus returns to the Data Manager tab where a data summary line is added (Fig. 3.2-2).

Figure 3.2-1. The Import button opens in Generic Data window, where user may have to fill in the Data Type column by clicking on the header “Data Type” and selecting the appropriate item (in this case, Natural Gamma).

Figure 3.2-2. Upon importing data, line items for each data type and each hole are added in the Data Manager tab . Note the Saved Tables folder created for affine and splice tables later created. Also note the Section Summaries folder automatically created and populated with the section summaries from the LIMS registry (more on that below).

Correlator is trying to help you with file naming upon import. However, sometimes you may need to help Correlator learn the import data file, such as when you use correlation data from sources other than the JRSO Downloader app.

One JR workflow, however, requires you to help a little even when using the Correlation Downloader. As described in section 3.1, you may have split the MS data into two files based on which core logger they were obtained from. What happens upon import depends to some degree on the file naming:

• If the files have 'susceptibility' in the file name, Correlator auto-selects the Data Type column in the Generic Data tab empty with Susceptibility.
• If both files have 'susceptibility' in the file name, Correlator with automatically use 'Susceptibility' as the data type for the first file, but it will not import the the second one because it already has a 'Susceptibility' file (Fig. 3.2-3).

Figure 3.2-3. Correlator does not allow import of multiple files it thinks are the same data type.

To give unique data type names to your two MS files:

• Click on the Data Type column header.
• Use the Custom data type item from the choice list (Fig. 3.2-4).
  • For example, label the two susceptibility data types 'MS WRMSL' and 'MS STMSL', respectively (Fig. 3.2-4). 
  • If you click the check box Add Data Type to List, the new data type labels will stick in the data type list for future use in your session.
• Proceed to selecting the appropriate items from the column menus for at least the following parameters, if they are not already auto-selected:
  • Section
  • TopOffset
  • BottomOffset
  • Depth
  • Data

Figure 3.2-4. Registering a data type not available in the Correlator choice list.

Now you can correlate the STMSL data rapidly acquired on critical sections from a new hole to the WRMSL data from previous holes. Note, however, that because Correlator was not designed to correlate different data types (usually makes no sense) the affine table currently only keeps track of the SHIFT core (could be from either data file), with the assumption that the REF core tie point is from the same data type as the SHIFT tie point. In Display view, instead of an arrow from REF to SHIFT core, Correlator draws a line across the entire screen.

Adding more data

If you are correlating cores in real time, you will frequently add new data. 

To add more data:

• Go to the Data Manager window.
• If you  are returning from the Display window, you will get a message alerting you that the Display window will be cleared (Fig. 3.2-5).
• After you have imported the new data, you need to Load the data again anyway to get a current display. 

Figure 3.2-5. When a user adds new data to an existing, plotted data set, a warning is displayed to make the user ware that the display will be cleared with this action.

Note: if you want to update the existing data, e.g., because you added another core to the hole file, use Update from the context menu.

3.3. Import section summary files

What is the section summary for?

Correlator needs top and bottom depths of sections to compute splice intervals correctly. The application maintains an internal table for that purpose. Three options exist due to the evolution of the program and its use in different environments.

Method 1 (not recommended on the JR)

In Correlator version 1, the tops and bottoms of sections were computed by Correlator based on the imported data, which often resulted in small and sometimes larger errors in splice tables. This functionality still exists in version 4 for backward compatibility, however, it is disabled by default in the Correlator > Preferences menu (Fig. 3.3-1). In situations where users do not have a section summary file for upload, they can enable the Infer Section Summary if none is provided feature and for each data file loaded (those with "Enable" on in the Data List), Correlator gathers the minimum and maximum depths of data points for each section. If multiple data types are loaded for a hole, all data types are considered and the minimum of minima offsets is used as the top of section and the maximum of maxima offsets is used for the bottom of section.

Figure 3.3-1. The Preferences menu.
          

If this method is enabled, Correlator will give a message at the time of data import that the section summary was inferred from the data (Fig. 3.3-2).

Figure 3.3-2. Message if Correlator infers section boundaries from the data.

Method 2 (standard method on the JR)

Starting with Correlator version 2, a section summary file is uploaded automatically when the user imports data to Correlator, if that section file exists in the same directory as the data file(s). This is the standard process on the JR because the Correlation Downloader application automatically downloads a section summary file from LIMS along with the data files, and also updates the section file along with the data file when a new core is appended in the real-time correlation workflow. The user will see the section summary file in the data folder but must not upload it separately (Correlator would try to load it like a regular data file). If the section summary does not exist or cannot be uploaded because of an incompatible format, an error dialog appears.

Method 3 (not needed on the JR)

Alternatively, section summary files can also be imported “manually” by right-clicking on the Section Summaries item in the Correlator Data Manager and selecting the Import Section Summary Files(s) option. Once the user browses to the appropriate file and selects it, an import dialog window opens showing (part of) the file content (Fig. 3.3-3). You can Import or Cancel.

Fig. 3.3-3. Manual section summary import.

Note: the section summary can also be uploaded the same way as any data file, but that is usually meaningless because we don’t need to plot the sections that way. If you need to upload section summaries manually, make sure you do so from the Section Summaries item so Correlator uses them as intended.

3.4. Import core section images

Starting with Correlator version 4.0, you can use images for correlation. You need to prepare the images as described in section 3.1.

Important:

• You must first import some primary correlation data (and the associated section summary data) before you can import images.
  • If you don't, you get a warning (Fig. 3.4-1)
• The images must be JPEG format.
• The images should be ~230 pixels across since that is the maximum Correlator will display. That corresponds to maximum image sizes of ~200 kb.
  • If you try to import images >1 Mb you get a warning (Fig. 3.4-2).

To import images:

• Right-click on Images in the Data Manager window.
• Navigate to your local data directory
• Select the folder containing the JPEG images you want to import and click import.

3.4. Load

Once correlation data have been imported to Correlator and are listed in the hierarchy of the Data Manager window, they reside in Correlator’s own local database. You still need to load the data for display and correlation.

To load data:

• Select, then right-click on a line item in the Data Manager window
  • You can load an individual file, a set of files for a data type, or all files for a site.
  • Typically, you just load the entire site because it is lightning fast.
  • Make sure that the files you want to load are enabled. If saved, affine and splice tables are enabled and will be applied to the loaded data. 
• Select Load.
  • The Data Manager view turns into the Display view, where the data is plotted and correlation and splicing functions are available.
• If you import data and switch to the Display view without loading, a message will appear in the plot window reminding you that you need to load the data for them to be plotted (Fig. 3.4-1).

Figure 3.4-1. Message when switching to the Display window after a data import without using the Load function.

3.5. Update Correlator data

During the typical JR workflow, you will download the correlation data from LIMS each time the data from a new core are available. This iterative process is facilitated in at least two ways:

1. The Correlation Downloader application has features that allow the download to be executed efficiently with pre-configured parameters and, most importantly, by appending core data sets to the hole data file so the entire data sets do not need to be downloaded each time (see SCORS Downloader user guide).
2. The Correlator application remembers the source directory for each data file name so it can update its internal database efficiently.

To update the Correlator internal database with updated files:

• Select the highest practical item in the Data Manager, right-click and select Update.
  • If an update took place, you should get a confirmation (Fig. 3.5-1).
  • If you don’t get a confirmation, the data in Correlator were presumably up to date already.
• Select the top directory item and select Load to display the updated data in the Display window.
  • If you simply switch to the Display window without loading the data, you will get a message reminding you (Fig. 3.5-2).
  • Make sure you also load the affine and splice tables again, if applicable.

Figure 3.5-1. Data update context menu and confirmation dialog.

Figure 3.5-2. Reminder that you need to load the data after an update.

3.6. Export data

Export affine and splice tables

When working with the LIMS database, users on the JR will typically only be exporting affine tables and splice interval tables. Users will subsequently upload these two tables to the LIMS database for each correlated site, using the SCORS Uploader and Manager application, so all necessary data reports can be computed in, and reported from LIMS via the LORE reporting interface. This has the advantage that any LORE user can download any LIMS data type with the CCSF depth scale, or by splice, including data not used in the correlation process. 
To export an affine or splice table, right-click on the item and select Export from the context menu. Browse to your data folder for the site (if necessary) and save.
When you export affine and splice tables, you give them a name, and Correlator adds extensions *. affine.csv and *.sit.csv, respectively. It is advisable that you assign names to these files that make sense as the files will ultimately be uploaded to, and available from the LIMS database. In particular, use a naming scheme that helps you and others recognize associated affine and splice tables. 
Should you import an affine or splice table that you exported in an earlier session, be aware that Correlator will rename the files according to its internal rules.
•    It will ignore your name.
•    It will use the expedition, site and hole number information according to the data in your folder.
•    It will add the extension *.#.affine.table and *.#.sit.table, respectively, where # is an incremental number relative to the existing tables in the Data Manager. 

Export correlation data

The correlation data imported to, and managed in Correlator can also be exported using the context menu in the Data Manager window. The Export item is available for data types (all holes) or each hole separately. Such exports may be needed if users work outside of the LIMS ecosystem, such as users working with IODP data on shore or with non-IODP data. Even if generally working with LIMS on the JR, some users prefer to export directly from Correlator to make preliminary or even final plots. In such cases, users are reminded that they still need to upload the affine and splice tables to LIMS, as described in the previous section.

To export data from Correlator:

• Right-click on a data type folder in the Data Manager window
• Select Export from the context menu (Fig. 3.6-1).
  • The dialog in Fig. 3.6-2 appears.
• Optionally enter a prefix and/or suffix to be appended to the default file name created by Correlator.
• If you select neither Apply Affine nor Apply Splice:
  • the same raw data will be exported that were imported to Correlator.
  • A default file name will be created following the pattern Exp-Site-Hole_<data_type>_RAW
• If you select Apply Affine:
  • All the raw data for the specified holes, with the CCSF depth and the cumulative offset columns added, will be exported.
  • A default file name will be created following the pattern Exp-Site-Hole_<data_type>_SHIFTED
• If you select Apply Splice (which also selects the associated Affine):
  • The data belonging to the splice will be exported.
  • If the data type folder with all hole data was selected for the export (typical case), the splice intervals from all holes are combined into the proper splice.
  • A default file name will be created following the pattern:  <data_type>_SPLICED
• Click the Export menu item.
  • A browser window opens.
• Browse to your data folder of choice and click OK.

Figure 3.6-1. Data export context menu.

Figure 3.6-2. Export options. A. Export all raw data for this data type. B. Export all data with CCSF depth column added for this data type. C. Export the splice for this data type.

4. Depth shift cores

4.1. Depth shift concepts, rules and strategies

Affine constraint

Cores retrieved from a single hole do not provide a contiguous representation of the stratigraphy due to technical, operational and environmental reasons. During the late Deep Sea Drilling (DSDP) and early Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) phases of scientific ocean drilling, scientists came to accept that multiple holes needed to be drilled at the same site to achieve complete coverage. With each hole having its own core depth below seafloor (method A) (CSF-A) depth scale to which its cores are tied, the cores form multiple holes need to be shifted such that stratigraphic features in high-resolution core logging data are aligned. All cores from all participating holes can then be tied to a common composite depth below seafloor (CCSF) depth scale. As will be described in the next section, a splice can ultimately be constructed using the most suitable core intervals from the participating holes at the CCSF depth scale.

The specific objective of this first-order hole-to-hole correlation, and the subsequent procedure of creating a sampling splice, is subject to the affine constraint: the cores can only be shifted (translated up or down the CCSF scale) in their entirety.

• It is well known that each core is to some degree differentially stretched and squeezed as a results of the coring process and subsequent expansion. The affine constraint stipulates that no virtual stretching or squeezing is allowed within a core in an attempt at correct for this artificial distortion.
• The main reason is that sampling of the physical cores would become prohibitively complicated if the reference data were to be distorted.  
• The affine method is a practical and effective approach as it creates a “~95%” solution quickly and effectively, whereas resolving the remaining “~5%” of the correlation involves a lot more work and subjectivity and the result is far more difficult to apply.
• The composite depth scale is therefore defined in an affine table where each core has a cumulative offset, the difference between its CCSF and CSF-A depths.
• Following the affine constraint, only one stratigraphic feature can be exactly correlated between two cores and assigned the same composite depth. Other correlative features will have somewhat different composite depths.

Shifting methods

Depth shifts can be defined by one of two methods: by creating a tie between two cores (TIE method) or by shifting a fixed amount or percentage of depth (SET method). A core shifted with the SET method can later be shifted by the TIE method, however, cores that are tied (part of a chain) cannot be shifted by the SET method. Cores have a type designation based on the (last) shift method applied: REL, TIE, or SET. These designations are used programmatically to implement the above rules and to control the color of the core data trace.

• At the beginning, all cores are of type REL (relative positions to each other based on the original CSF-A depth) and the core traces are yellow.
• When cores are tied to another core based on correlation features, their status changes to TIE and their traces are green.
• When cores in a single hole are shifted by a fixed offset or by a percentage of their CSF-A depth, the status of cores shifted in this manner changes to SET and trace turns orange.
  • However, when an entire chain of tied cores, including cores from multiple holes, are shifted by a fixed amount, the cores’ status does not change, they are still TIE.
• If a core of status SET is tied, its status changes to TIE and the trace color turns green.

Correlator keeps track of the cumulative offset of each core resulting from all shifts applied, the method used for the latest shift, and in the case of TIE relationships, the core to which a given core was tied. The specification for the affine table was expanded with Correlator version 3 for the purpose of recording the latest shift method and the tie relationships (see Appendix 2 for the affine table specification).
Chaining cores

Coring in one hole can never recover a complete stratigraphic sequence. Ideally, two holes can achieve that if the cores in the second hole are offset sufficiently to cover the coring gaps in the first hole. A CCSF scale is then defined by tying cores from the top (as close to seafloor as possible) to the bottom (as deep as correlations are possible), establishing ties from reference (REF) cores to shifting (SHIFT) cores, thus creating a simple chain of cores.

In many if not most cases, cores from two holes cannot achieve complete stratigraphic coverage due to a number of factors and cores from a third or even fourth hole are needed. Since the goal is (should be) to tie all cores from all holes into the CCSF framework, the cores will not form a simple chain anymore, but include multiple chain branches. A new chain branch is created when a core serves as a REF core for two or more SHIFT cores. Under no circumstance can a core be a SHIFT core to more than one REF core due to the affine constraint.

Because the CCSF scale construction proceeds from top to bottom, “upstream” tie changes, i.e., changing the tie from a SHIFT core to its REF core, are simply forbidden. Upstream tie changes would have undesirable and unintended effects. In such cases, the user needs to decide where to implement the tie change further upstream so the tie break effect is directed downstream. Downstream directed tie changes preserve the ties unless a chain branch must be broken off, which the program can identify and the user can be prompted to accept the consequence or cancel the action. An example will be given below.

Summary of shift rules

• Cores can be shifted by the TIE method or the SET method.
• Two cores can be related with only one tie due to core distortion, stratigraphic variations from one hole to the other, and the affine constraint.
• A core can be REF core to multiple SHIFT cores, however, a SHIFT core can only be shifted by one REF core.
• Cores related with TIEs form a chain. If a core is the REF core for more than one SHIFT core, chain branches are formed.
• Upstream tie changes are not allowed. Downstream tie changes are allowed and users will be prompted to accept resulting tie breaks or cancel the action.

Shift types

4.2. Shift cores with the TIE method

Depth shift controls and feedback

The user can shift cores by establishing tie points for two cores on the basis of correlative features in the data or by opting for a statistical correlation. 
•    Note: these ties are only for the purpose of shifting cores. They are not “splice ties”. However, in anticipation of splicing, the best correlation between two cores may be chosen where a splice interval boundary is likely to be established because alignment of stratigraphic features in other parts of the cores is not guaranteed.
To shift cores, select the Shift Cores tab of the Display view to see the control pane (Fig. 3-21), which provides both the controls for shifting cores and the feedback on the progress of shifting.
•    Note: you can shift cores without selecting the Shift Cores tab, operating strictly with the context menu. However, you won’t have all controls or the graphic feedback.
At the top of the Shift Cores control pane three plots are available to choose from:
•    Evaluation: This is a correlation coefficient plot that can provide a statistical assessment of how well two cores correlate (Fig. 3-21A). 
•    Growth Rate: This is a plot of the composite depth (CCSF) vs. the original depth (CSF-A) for each core top. The slope of the core segments is the “growth rate” (Fig. 3-21B). For APC-XCB coring, the rate is typically between ~1.2 to 1.0, gradually decreasing downhole as the formation gets firmer and elastic and gas expansion upon recovery diminish. If the curve exhibits erratic changes in growth rate for a hole or a core, and unless an unusual stratigraphic phenomenon exists, something may be wrong with the correlation.
•    Shifts: This is a convenience display of part of the new affine table, listing all cores in play (Fig. 3-21C).
¿    Core column: identity of hole and core.
¿    Shift column: current offsets applied in Correlator
¿    Type column: relationship a core has to other cores: TIE, REL and SET, as described above.
Beneath the graphic are the controls for depth shifting. The most important tie shift controls are also available as context menus.
Figure 3-21. (A) Shift Cores tab with Evaluation plot, (B) Growth Rate plot and (C) Shifts plot.
 

Basic procedure

Core traces are colored based on the depth scale and shift status of the cores. At the beginning, all core traces are yellow, indicating that they were not shifted and are still at the original CSF-A depth scale (Fig. 3-22). They have the status REL, meaning their positions are relative to the previous core as defined by the CSF-A scale. The fact that yellow traces and status REL go together is trivial at this stage but not later on.
Figure 3-22. Before any shifts are made, all core traces are yellow, all cores are of type REL, and all offsets are zero.
 
To prepare the first tie, we select the core with the shallowest data as the “anchor” or “root” core as the reference (REF) core. In the case of our example (Fig. 3-23), this is core B1:
•    Shift-click the trace of REF core B1. A red dot and horizontal line will appear.
•    Shift-click the trace of SHIFT core A1. A green square and horizontal line will appear.
•    Furthermore, a white and red copy of the data trace from the SHIFT core is overlain on the trace of the REF core to visualize the correlation.
•    Select the Evaluation graph on the control pane to show the best statistical correlation for the proposed shift.
•    Make adjustment to the shift to achieve the desired correlation in one of two ways:
¿    Select “To best correlation” from the control pane (Fig. 3-24). This option does not have a context menu equivalent. The alternative is to shift “To tie”, the more common option. Note that using the statistical “To best correlation” option blindly may result in unexpected shifts!
¿    Arrow the green dot up or down to achieve the visually most appealing correlation on either the Evaluation graph or the trace overlay. This is perhaps the more common practice. 
Figure 3-23. Preparing the first tie by shift-clicking the reference (REF) core B1 (red dot and horizontal line) and the SHIFT core A1 (green square and horizontal line).
 
Figure 3-24. Tie control options “To tie” and “To best correlation”.
 

•    Next you can pick one of two shift scope options by either right-clicking the green dot or by using the widget on the control pane (Fig. 3-25): 
¿    “This core and all related cores below” is the more commonly used option because it prevents shifted cores from “running over” un-shifted cores as you proceed deeper in the hole.
¿    “This core only”. 
•    Committing to or cancelling the shift works differently in the context menu and the control pane:
¿    In the context menu, selecting one of the two scopes in Fig. 3-25A executes the shift, and the “Clear tie point(s)” option cancels it.
¿    On the control pane, two buttons are available to Apply Shift or Clear Tie (Fig. 3-24).

Figure 3-25. The user can pick one of two scope options: “This core and all related cores below” or “This core only”. Shown are (A) the options on the context menu and (B) the options on the control pane.
A.                        B.
      
•    Once you commit to the shift, the following happens (Fig. 3-26):
¿    A white arrow is drawn from the REF tie point to the SHIFT tie point, one arrow for each data type.
¿    The SHIFT core’s trace turns green and its type changes to TIE
¿    If “all related cores below” was selected, all core traces below the SHIFT core turn orange and their type changes to REL because they are still in the original relative position to each other. 
¿    The shift table shows the offset amount of the SHIFT core (and all cores below, if that was the selection), and indicates the REF core used for the shift (B1 in Fig. 3-26 example).
¿    The growth rate plot is updated (plot examples are shown in Figs. 3-21 and 3-27).

Figure 3-26. First tie is completed.
 
The remaining controls on the Shift Cores tab (SET, Undo and Save) are described in subsequent sections.

Changing ties

What happens when you change your mind about a tie between two cores and want to redo it? Or what if you created a chain using cores from the first two holes, and now core data arrive from the third hole and it makes sense to “weave them in”? The latter scenario is exemplified by Fig. 3-26 where it is obvious that the first core gaps in the first two holes align exactly, meaning that correlation of the first two cores to subsequent cores is not possible using only Holes A and B. We are therefore introducing additional data from a third Hole D.

Ties can be revised anywhere in an existing chain as long as the change is made downstream, i.e., in the direction of the existing tie, or if a new core (e.g., from Hole D) is added as a SHIFT core anywhere in the chain. All ties from related cores below the SHIFT core remain intact if the user selects to shift “all related cores below”.

Two exceptions exist.

•    If you are trying to reverse the shift direction of a tie, Correlator will throw the error in Fig 3-27 if you try. The reason is that reversing a shift would lead to a SHIFT core having two REF cores, which is not possible. Thus, one would create a chain reaction of tie breaks. If you really want to reverse that tie, first break the offending tie (see below) and then repair your chain as needed.
•    If multiple chain branches exist, a common occurrence when cores from more than two holes are tied into a chain, tie change may cause a conflict. Correlator will warn the user of the ties to be broken while preserving unaffected ties. You can decide whether to proceed and then fix the damage to the chain, or cancel the tie change (Fig. 3-28).
Figure 3-27. Reversing a tie direction to a SHIFT core is forbidden. In this case, a tie revision is attempted from B2>D2 (red and green dots). However, the existing tie B2>D2 tie does not allow that. The user would have to break that tie first.
 

Figure 3-28. A typical situation where applying a tie change creates a conflict. The  user decided to correlate D2>A2 (see red and green dots). This is a “downstream” change and thus allowed. However, because D2>B2 and B2>A2 ties already placed D2 and A2 in a fixed relationship, the B2>A2 tie has to be broken if D2>A2 is to be tied.
 

Breaking individual ties

It may happen that you want to (or have to) break out a core from the chain because you found better chaining options. The easiest thing may be to delete a tie or two and correlate them again using suitable correlative features. This is now easy:
•    Right click on a tie and selecting Break tie.
Alternatively, you can break a tie via the control pane:
•    Go to the Shift table in the Shift Cores tab.
•    Select the SHIFT core (at the receiving end of the white arrow) of the ties to be removed.
•    Click the Break TIE button underneath the Shift table. 
It is then your task to fix whatever consequences your action has. Correlator assists you by coloring the broken-out cores orange, representative of the status type REL.

4.3. Shift cores with the SET method

Rationale for using SET

Sometimes you may want to shift one or more cores by a certain distance or a certain percentage, rather than by tying them. Example use cases are:
•    Seed core offsets: You know what the approximate growth rate will be (typically 1.05 to 1.1, or ~5 to 10% in APC cores) and you like to “seed” corresponding offsets for all cores so they are spaced out near their CCSF depth positions and are easier to tie together. This is particularly useful when you get data for a third or fourth hole after you have constructed a preliminary CCSF scale with the previous two or three holes, respectively. 
•    Adjust for an odd stratigraphic feature or coring artifact: A stratigraphic feature such as bedform or mass wasting may be inferred in a hole based on apparent increase or decrease in strata thickness. In some rare cases, an interval may have been cored twice (or been missed) by accident due to human or mechanical error. These situations can be mitigated by shifting cores by a fixed amount. On the SET dialog in Fig. 3-31, use the appropriate selections and apply.
•    Extend the CCSF construct when ties are not possible: At some point, tying cores by correlating stratigraphic features in the data is not possible because of insufficient signal in the data or insufficient core coverage. This can be an intermittent interval where ties are possible above and below, or it occurs typically at greater depth. It is often possible to “stretch” the extent of the CCSF construct by applying a well-informed growth rate as a SET Percentage for one or more cores.
•    You may have constructed a chain of tied cores and then decide that the seafloor reference (of the anchor core), or the position of a second chain at depth, should be changed by a small amount. Rather than having to start over building the entire chain, you can shift an entire chain of tied cores by a fixed distance.

SET options

To set one or more cores:
•    Click the SET... button on the Shift Cores tab (Fig. 3-31). 
•    Select the Hole and a Core from the dropdown lists.
•    Select one of three options for the scope of the shift (Fig. 3-31):
¿    Selected core and all untied cores below in this hole
¿    Selected core only
¿    Entire TIE chain starting from core… (select from available root cores)
•    Opt whether to shift by:
¿    Percentage, a percentage of the original CSF-A depth, or 
¿    Fixed distance (m), the absolute distance from the original depth CSF-A depth
•    Add a comment for future users or yourself (optional)
•    Click Cancel or Apply.
The following happens when you apply a shift with the SET method:
•    The core trace is changed to blue to indicate the data has been depth adjusted by SET (Fig. 3-32).
•    The type (SET) and amount of shift (m) is shown on the plot.
•    The Shifts table is updated with the Type of one or more shifted cores changed to SET.
•    The Growth Rate plot is updated.
Note: With the first two of the three SET scope options, cores that are in a TIE relationship cannot be SET. They first need to be un-tied (Fig. 3-33).
Note: The percentage or absolute shifts are always relative to the original CSF-A depth, not relative to the depth cores may already have been shifted!  For example, a core may already have a cumulative offset of 5 m and if an absolute shift of 1 m is applied the core actually shifts 4 m upward, not 1 m downward.
Figure 3-31. Seeding core positions near their future CCSF depth. This needs to be done for each hole separately. Shown here is the SET dialog and the Shifts table, where all offsets are zero (and core traces are accordingly yellow).
 
Figure 3-32. All cores in Hole A are shifted by 5% of their CSF-A depth and are spaced out suitably for creating ties. The color of the core traces turned blue. The SET operation in this case would be repeated for holes B and D.
 

Figure 3-33. The attempt to SET cores that are part of a chain failed.
 

4.4. Undo shifts

You can undo shifts in two principal ways: one shift at a time, or all shifts in one swoop.
To undo shifts one at the time:
•    Use the Undo Previous Shift button on the Shift Cores tab. 
¿    Shifts that were achieved with the TIE and/or the SET methods are undone in the reverse order they were made.
¿    Undo also works for shifts that were saved to the affine table. Save/Update of the affine will account for any undo actions. (See below for more information on Save.)
Undo all shifts in one action by disabling the affine table:
•    Go to the Data Manager (and save the affine table when prompted).
•    Open the Saved Tables tree.
•    Disable the affine (and splice, if applicable) table using the right-click context menu.
•    If you try to switch directly back to display, you get the prompt in Fig. 3-41).
¿    Say No and you will not proceed to the Display, allowing you to Load the changes you made in the Data Manager, which will get you back to the Display with all shifts and ties gone.
¿    If you say Yes you will find the Display NOT representing the disable/enable action you just took.
•    Disabling affine tables allows you to start over with all cores at the original CSF-A depths, while keeping the disabled affine table just in case you want to apply it again later.
Figure 3-41. Prompt when user tries to switch to Display without first re-loading the data.
 

Undo shifts in one action by deleting the affine table:
•    Go to the Data Manager (and save the affine table when prompted)
•    Open the Saved Tables tree.
•    Delete an affine (and splice, if applicable) table using right-click context menu.
•    You will get the warning in Fig. 3-42.
¿    Say OK and the table is gone, as intended. All you need to do now is select Load from the site folder and you are back to the Display, with all shifts undone.
¿    Say Cancel and nothing happens. 
Figure 3-42. Deleting a table will clear the data from the Display. You need to Load the data again to ensure the Display reflects changes made in the Data manager.
 

4.5. Manage affine tables

Save affine table
Depth shifts are saved in an affine table within the Correlator application. Users can save as many affine tables as they like. Users have three ways to trigger a save of recent shift changes to the affine table, each:
•    Click Go to Data Manager on the Tool Bar.
¿    The prompt in Fig. 3-51 appears. 
¿    If you click Yes, the Save dialog in Fig. 3-52 comes up.
•    Click Save on the Tool Bar, which brings up the Save dialog in Fig. 3-52.
•    Click the Save Affine Table button on the Shift Cores tab, which also brings up the Save dialog in Fig. 3-52.
Figure 3-51. Save confirmation prompt.
 
Figure 3-52. Affine Save dialogue if the Save Affine Table button is used.

If no enabled affine table exists, the current shifts will be saved in a new, enabled affine table without any prompt or confirmation. The file name generated by Correlator will include a number that is incremented by 1 from the highest numbered affine in Correlator, including disabled affines.
If an enabled affine table exists, you have the option of updating an affine rather than creating a new one.
Upon saving, you will receive a confirmation (Fig. 3-53).
Figure 3-53. Confirmation message of successful affine table saving.
 
Enable and load affine table
If you want to use an affine table that already exist in Correlator but is disabled:
•    Click Go to Data Manager on the Tool Bar and open the saved tables tree (Fig. 3-54). 
•    Enable the one you want to load – this will automatically disable the previously enabled one.
•    Right-click on the saved tables item and choose Load from the context menu.
Figure 3-54. Saved affine tables are listed in the Data Manager. Only one can be enabled at any one time. Enabling a disabled one will disable the enabled one.
 

Export and Import affine table
To export your final affine table (i.e., to load it into the LIMS database), use the Export option on the context menu (Fig. 3-54).
In some cases, you may want to import an affine table that you exported in a previous session. To do so, right-click on the Saved Tables item in the Data Manager and select Import affine table. (Fig. 3-55).
Note the option to Import legacy affine table, which allows the import of affine tables created prior to Correlator v. 3.0.
Figure 3-55. Import an affine table function.
 

5. Construct the splice

5.1. Splice concepts

A splice is constructed by selecting cores from multiple holes that were stratigraphically aligned relative to a common core composite depth below seafloor (CCSF). The specification of the splice interval boundaries, where a core interval from one hole is spliced to a core interval from another hole, is a subjective matter. Ideally the splice interval boundaries are at positions where high-resolution stratigraphic features are at the same CCSF depth. This is the reason why the choice of splice interval boundaries should be on the correlation specialist’s mind when selecting TIE points in the depth shifting process.
Basic rules: 
•    A splice interval can only consist of one interval from one core.
•    A splice is always based on one specific affine table (and the CCSF depth scale derived from that affine). Correlator fully protect you from associating a splice table with an incompatible affine table. However, if you are loading an incompatible affine table with a splice table, Correlator will through an error, as shown later.

5.2. Create a basic splice

Before starting to splice, go to the Preferences control panel and make sure that
•    the Show Splice window partition check box is checked so plot area for the splice is enabled. 
•    The Independent Splice scroll bar check box is un-checked (unless you really fancy looking at different depth intervals in the two plot partitions).
Then switch to the Splice Interval tab to show the control panel for splicing on the right side of the plot window (Fig. 4-21).
Next, repeat the following for each core you want to include in the splice:
•    Drag core data traces from the depth shift window partition on the left to the splice window partition on the right side of the divider.
¿    The part of the trace covering a depth interval not yet covered by a previous core is added to the splice, in blue, resulting in a default splice where each interval extends to the bottom of the core.
•    To highlight the splice interval that was added, click on the splice trace (Fig. 4-21)
¿    The highlighted interval turns green.
¿    The trace of the entire core is added to the right in red for reference.
¿    The top and bottom boundaries of the splice interval appear with handle dots.
Figure 4-21. Core traces dragged into the splice partition turn blue. To highlight one, select it and the lower part that was spliced to the previous core turns green. At the same time, the entire core trace appears in red for reference.
 
•    The default splice boundaries are usually not the desired ones as they are exactly at the bottom of cores. 
¿    Try to drag any of the lower interval boundary dots down. It will turn red and say “Bottom of Core X”
•    To move the splice interval boundaries to the desired depth, drag or arrow the boundary button up (Fig. 4-22). 
¿    The resulting splice interval table in the control panel to the right shows the exact depth.
¿    Note how the labels on the plotted splice interval boundaries change to indicate the top and bottom of a core if you drag them far enough.
¿    This is where the user may want to align splice interval boundaries with the appropriate white TIE arrows in the depth shift window.
Figure 4-22. Drag the upper interval boundary up to desired splice depth. Compare with previous figure.
 
•    For each addition of a core to the splice, a record will be added to the Splice Intervals table on the control panel, which is a short form of the formal splice interval table that will ultimately be saved. The table has the following three columns (Fig. 4-22):
¿    Core: a combination of hole ID and core number.
¿    Top (m): splice interval top CCSF depth of the interval based on current affine.
¿    Bot (m): splice interval bottom CCSF depth of the interval based on current affine.
•    The interval selected in the display is selected in the table and vice versa.
•    Interval Comments: A text box where users can add a comment about the selected interval. The comment will be exported with the splice interval table.
•    Delete Interval <X> button: removes the selected splice interval.
NOTE: Correlator doesn’t care from which data type you drag a trace, it simply uses whatever trace you drag over. It normally makes sense to drag traces from only the same data type. In the end, any data type can be retrieved by splice.

5.3. Insert a core into an existing splice

You may have created a tentative splice using cores from holes A and B, and now that depth-shifted cores are available from hole C you would like to splice some of them in, or you simple decided on better interval from another core. If you try to drag a core over an existing  splice, Correlator simply won’t add it because no more than two overlapping core intervals can be in any one splice depth interval. You first need to create a gap, which requires you to split the splice.

To create a gap and insert a new core interval:

• Select a splice interval that overlaps in depth with the core you want to insert.
• Note the labels at the top and bottom splice interval boundaries, respectively, on the splice plot (Fig. 4-22):
• Tie D6 & A6
• Tie A6 & B6
• Also note the corresponding buttons in the control panel, which offer the user the option of splitting the splice either at the top or the bottom of the splice interval:
• Top: Split D6 & A6
• Bottom: Split A6 & B6
• Say you decide to Split D6 & A6, the following happens:
• the label in the plot changes to A6 bottom.
• the button changes to Bottom: Tie A6 & B6, which would allow you to revert the split.
• Now you can simply drag the new core D7 into the splice area, select the splice intervals, and adjust top and bottom boundaries. Alternatively, you can first move the A6 bottom up to create a visible gap and then drag the trace of core D7 into the splice area.

Figure 4-31. Create a gap to insert an interval from Core A3 into the splice.

Figure 4-32. Insert Core A3 into the gap.

5.4. Shifting cores that are already part of a splice

Concept and rules

Ideally, depth shifting should be concluded before a splice is assembled. However, life is not ideal and you may want to shift a core after you have constructed a splice. Because splice intervals are defined by their CCSF depths, shifting their cores invalidates the splice interval boundaries. A core shift results in a gap, an overlap, or both in the splice, depending whether a chain of tied cores or a single core are shifted, and whether the core(s) are shifted up or down. Correlator will deal with each situation in a clearly defined manner and provide you with relevant information.

Splice intervals boundaries are specified relative to the CCSF depth scale defined by the core sifts. The reason we select a certain core interval as being a splice interval is based on our interpretation of core quality based on the proxy data used to correlate the cores. The interval is therefore intrinsically defined by the the core-section-offset-in-section identity. When we shift cores we want to preserve that intrinsic splice interval. Therefore:

• Rule 1: Splice intervals are shifted with the cores they are associated with.
  • This inevitably creates at least one gap or one overlap in splice intervals.
• Rule 2: Overlaps in splice intervals are automatically resolved by 'clipping' the redundant part of the interval that is shifting.
  • We can do that because both overlapping intervals were approved as suitable for the splice and which one to use is typically a toss-up. You can always move the spice interval boundary very easily if that is not your desired solution.
  • The core-section-offset identity of the clipped splice interval boundary is reverse-computed from the CCSF depth to the CSF-A depth, from where the offset (cm) from top of section is obtained.
• Rule 3: Gaps created by the shifting of splice intervals are left open and you need to go and close them.
  • We prefer not to do that automatically because the interval needed to close the gap has not explicitly been assigned to the splice.

Example

Here is an example of your options and the program's responses when you shift cores that are part of a splice.

Case 1: Shift chain down

'This core and all related cores below' down

• You define a new tie from REF core A3 to SHIFT core B3 where the tie point in SHIFT core B3 is dz m shallower than the REF tie point in A3. This means the SHIFT core will shift down (Fig. X).
• You select “This core and all related cores below”
• The program asks for confirmation of the action (Fig. X), and assuming you OK it:
  • Replaces the previous tie with the new tie and shifts core B3 with all related cores from all holes that are deeper than REF core A3 downwards by dz m, maintaining all ties below the new one.
  • Shifts all splice intervals from from the shifting cores downwards by dz.
  • Creates a gap of length dz between splice intervals A3 and B3 and extends the CCSF scale by dz m.
• You cover the splice gap with a segment from either core A3 or B3, or partially with segments from both cores - it is up to you to decide.

Fig. X. Dialog for repairing a splice gap 

Figure X. Dialog for non-existent core interval. 

• • This solution is not valid, interval boundary falls outside the core.
  • Click the OK button and you return to the four options.

• The third option on the menu allows users to cover the gap with a combination of extensions from both splice intervals using the normal interactive splicing interface.
• The final option cancels the shift and nothing happens to cores or splice intervals.

Case 2: Shift chain up

'This core and all related cores below' up

• Define a new tie from REF core A3 to SHIFT core B3 where the tie point in SHIFT core B3 is dz m deeper than the REF tie point in A3. This means the SHIFT core will shift up (Fig. X).
• Select “This core and all related cores below” and click OK.
  • Results are analogous to those described in previous case.
• Because this action has shortened the CCSF scale, an overlap is created at the top of the splice interval representing the shifted cores. The overlap can be removed completely with a segment from either core A3 or B3, or partially with segments from both cores - it is up to you to decide. Correlator offers you the options in a pop-up window (Fig. X).

Figure X. Dialog for repairing a splice overlap. 

• • "This shift creates an overlap in the splice. How do you want to proceed?’
    • Clip the splice interval from core A3
    • Clip the splice interval from core B3
    • Leave the overlap and let me fix the splice manually
    • Cancel shift

• The first two options apply an “auto-fix”.  The calculated sample identity is validated and if the section-offset doesn’t actually exist in the same core, an error dialog is presented (Fig. X).

Figure X. Dialog for non-existent core interval.

• • This solution is not valid, interval boundary falls outside the core.
  • Click the OK button and you return to the four options.

• The third option on the menu allows users to remove the overlap with a combination of clipping parts from both splice intervals using the normal interactive splicing interface.
• The final option cancels the shift and nothing happens to cores or splice intervals.

Case 3: Shift single core down

'This core only' up

• Define a new tie from REF core A3 to SHIFT core B3 where the tie point in SHIFT core B3 is dz m shallower than the REF tie point in A3. This means the SHIFT core will shift down (Fig. X).
• Select “This core only” and click OK:
  • Replaces the previous tie with the new tie and shifts core B3 downwards by dz m.
• Because this action has not changed the total length of the CCSF scale, a gap is created at the top of the core and an overlap is created at the bottom of the core. The gap and overlap can each be repaired in two ways (see the first two cases) and Correlator therefore simply reminds you to do so yourself using the normal splice interface, or cancel the shift (Fig. X):

Fig. X. Dialog for repairing a single core splice gap and overlap.

• • "This shift creates a gap and an overlap in the splice. The splice interval associated with this core is therefore deleted and you need to splice it in again".
  • Cancel shift

Case 4: Shift single core up

'This core only' up

• Define a new tie from REF core A3 to SHIFT core B3 where the tie point in SHIFT core B3 is dz m deeper than the REF tie point in A3. This means the SHIFT core will shift up (Fig. X).
• Select “This core only” and click OK:
  • Replaces the previous tie with the new tie and shifts core B3 upwards by dz m.
• Because this action has not changed the total length of the CCSF scale, an overlap is created at the top of the core and a gap is created at the bottom of the core. The gap and overlap can each be repaired in two ways (see the first two cases) and Correlator therefore simply reminds you to do so yourself using the normal splice interface, or cancel the shift (Fig. X):

Fig. X. Dialog for repairing a single core splice gap and overlap.

• • "This shift creates a gap and an overlap in the splice. The splice interval associated with this core is therefore deleted and you need to splice it in again".
  • Cancel shift

5.5. Manage splice tables

Loading splice tables
The basic functions and dialogs to save, enable and disable, load, export and import, or delete splice tables works in principal the same way as for affine tables, described in the section Manage affine tables.
Two important exceptions exist for loading splices:
•    Splice tables remember the data type used for each splice interval when the splice is created and saved. If all data types used in a splice are not enabled in the Data Manager, loading that splice will fail with the message in Fig. 4-51.
•    Splices remember the core offsets at the time the splice is created and saved. This means a splice has always one compatible affine table and if you are trying to load an incompatible affine or splice you will get the warning in Fig. 4-52. Unfortunately, spices and affines are not  associated in Correlator and it is up to the user to keep track of who matches who. 
¿    However, Correlator does help you keep a quasi-association by using the same number in the file names of the affine and splice tables if you choose to Create New on the save dialog.
Figure 4-51. Message displayed when you are trying to load a splice and a data type used to make the splice is not enabled.
 

Figure 4-52. User is trying to load a splice that was saved/exported with a different offset for core B2 than the offset of core B2 in the currently enabled affine table.
 

Exporting and importing splice tables
If you export affine and splice tables, you give them a name, and Correlator adds extensions *. affine.csv and *.sit.csv, respectively. It is advisable that you assign names to these files that make sense as the files will ultimately be uploaded to, and available from the LIMS database. In particular, use a naming scheme that helps you and others recognize associated affine and splice tables. 
When you import an affine or splice table, be aware that Correlator will rename the files according to its internal rules.
•    It will ignore your name.
•    It will use the expedition, site and hole number information according to the data in your folder.
•    It will add the extension *.#.affine.table and *.#.sit.table, respectively, where # is an incremental number relative to the existing tables in the Data Manager. This is the way Correlator keeps track of things.
Select alternate splice feature
On the Splice Cores tab, you’ll find a button Select Alternate Splice. This feature allows you to view another, existing splice in the third (right-most) splice plotting track. You will probably have to expand your splice window width to see that column.
When you click the button, you get the dialog in Fig. 4-53. You can specify a data type and a splice.
•    Data Type: you can select any data type currently loaded and plotted in the Display. 
•    Splice: you can select one of splices listed in the Data Manager.
¿    CAVEAT: If you select a splice that is not compatible with you currently enabled affine table, you will get the Message in Fig. 4-52. This means this feature is mainly useful to display the current splice with a different data type than the one used to create the splice in the leftmost splice track.
Figure 4-52. Loading a different existing splice.
 

Alternatively, you can Go to Data Manager, open the Saved Tables tree, enable another splice and its associated affine table, and reload the tables.