Appendix F: Typical Sample Volumes44

The following volumes are guidelines, not limits.

Thin-section billets 10 cm3 up to 50 cm3 for large-grained plutonic rocks
Alkenone (Uk37) 5 cm3
X-ray diffraction 5 cm3
X-ray fluorescence 20 cm3 (sediments), 20-50 cm3 (igneous/sulfides—varies depending on grain size and homogeneity of rock)
Carbonate 2 cm3
Paleomagnetism 7-cm3 cubes, 12-cm3 minicores, 600-cm3 U-channels
Moisture and density 10-20 cm3
Grain size 10-20 cm3, depending upon coarseness
Planktonic foraminifers 10 cm3
Benthic foraminifers 10-20 cm3
Nannofossils 2 cm3
Diatoms 5-10 cm3
Radiolarians 10 cm3
Palynology 10-15 cm3
Organic samples 20 cm3
Interstitial porewaters whole rounds 5-20 cm long, based on water content
Inorganic geochemistry 10 cm3
Organic geochemistry 10 cm3
Sedimentology 10-20 cm3
Slabs (for laminae studies) 25-50 cm3, depending on slab length
Slabs (large-grained plutonic rocks) 50-100 cm3, often shared by scientists for multiple analyses
Stable isotopes (C, O) 10-20 cm3



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44Policy revision made June 2001. See Appendix H.1.a. for details.

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