The PI's propose to develop a new type of sediment coring system with two important improvements: 1) it will allow researchers to obtain real-time video of the bottom in order to precisely position a gravity corer, and 2) it will leave a core barrel in place at the site of the core that subsequently could be instrumented for longer term monitoring efforts.
The video system will be used to ensure proper emplacement of the corer, particularly if the target area is "less than a meter in width". The PI's hope to use this system in areas that have been extensively mapped prior to deployment of the coring system. The corer would then be able to obtain sediment from pre-selected sites of interest to the scientists and/or where long-term in-situ observations are important. The new system, called a "break-away corer", will be constructed so that the outer metal core barrel will break away from the weight stand. The empty core barrel will be left behind in the sediment when the weight stand and core liner with core samples is retrieved. With the empty core barrel effectively casing the core hole, scientists could subsequently use a submersible or an ROV to instrument and seal the core hole, creating an in-situ observatory similar to the CORK systems used in ODP holes.
