Chikyu cruise, day 9

Today the first core was made, not my little sediment push cores of a few centimetres, this time they are making a “real” one, going down 100 m or more into the rock. People were quite excited.

However, the area is very restricted for security reasons.

 

 

The first person to go near the core needs to wear full oxygen mask to check the level of toxic gases (radioactivity was measured directly at the bottom before coring, because hydrothermal vents have often quite some natural radioactivity). Then when he gives the ok sign, then other people can approach and start processing the core.

This is the part that actually cores into the rock. 

It is not very sharp but it is very efficient.

Then the core is cut into smaller section, more easy to process.

After this step the core will be cut into two parts, one part will be untouched and kept a reference, and the scientists will work on the other half. Tomorrow I will try to sneak into the lab and take a few pictures of the core processing. But only if I am not too seasick as the swell of the typhoon number 10 is slowly reaching us, and the captain plans that tomorrow afternoon will be some serious shaking... 

 

In the meantime, I think I should get some food into my belly to keep it stable in the rough sea...