Instrument: Sediment Corer

A generic term for a coring device that allows for relatively undisturbed penetration of the sediment. Generally, core samplers consist of a core barrel (a hollow pipe or box) and a core cutter (or cutting head), located at the advancing end of the core barrel to facilitate the sampler's advancement into the sediment. Core catchers are commonly inserted into the cutting head to prevent sample loss during retrieval.