Instrument: Ocean Instruments MC-800 Multi corer

A multi-corer with a series of cores attached to one deployment frame. This model carries eight sample tubes. This is the largest corer in the MC series and is used primarily at deep ocean depths. It is designed to recover undisturbed surface sediments and are therefore well-suited to study benthic processes. This device can be used to study local fauna variations, geochemistry, and is ideal for sediment/water interface studies. The multi-corer is disposed on a research vessel and is lowered into the water body by a cable. When the multi-corer touches the sediment the units ballast weight pushes the assembled cores into the substrate. Each of the tubes contains a unique sediment core. The multi-corer uses a unique hydrostatic damping system that slows the penetration rate down to approximately 1 cm/s. It has a specially designed flow-through sample tube to reduce corer 'bow wake' effect, a double door sealing feature, double guide slides, special slow-down cylinder for smooth corer penetration, adjustable penetration limit stops, and pre-trip safety pin. The overall sample tube length is 70 cm, with an effective penetration of greater than 45 cm. The tube diameter is 10 cm.