Overview

One of the primary roles for a shipboard paleontologist is to provide age control for the recovered material. Paleontologists are responsible for collecting one ~5 cm whole round sample from the core catcher at the base of the core for micropaleontology. This sample will be subsampled for each microfossil group; any remaining material is bagged and available to request for personal sampling. Additional samples are sometimes taken from split cores to refine the biostratigraphy. Toothpick samples to make smear slides may be taken from the archive or working half, whereas larger samples for foraminifer, radiolarian, and palynological processing must be included in the shipboard sampling plan and are taken from the working halves. Paleontologists typically document biostratigraphically useful taxa, preservation, and additional assemblage information (typically for paleoenvironmental interpretation) as time permits. Data are entered into our data capture system (DESClogik – see below).

Paleontology Preparation Lab

DESClogik

• DESClogik Paleo Quick Start Guide
• Other DESKlogic resources

Primary Equipment

• Sinks
• Oven
• Sieves
• Fume and canopy hoods (one for HF acid)
• Two Eppendorf 5804/5810 Multipurpose Centrifuges

Chemicals

• See all chemicals used in shipboard labs.
• Guidelines for use of Hydrofluoric (HF) on the JOIDES Resolution

Microscopy

• See the Microscopy Lab for details, including
  • Sample Preparation
  • Sample Imaging
  • Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)