peat corer - for short cores[written Tuesday]
Today was definitely a day of much progress. We took seven short cores from our second site as well as 30 surface samples and plant samples from a few sites. The surface samples were quite fun to take, because the sampling method consisted of me sitting and digging in the dirt and mud with my hands and a butter knife to put squares of peat into bags. It definitely brought out the kid in me... although I think I enjoy getting messy and digging in dirt even more now than I did as a kid. And now I get paid for it!
Today was definitely a day of much progress. We took seven short cores from our second site as well as 30 surface samples and plant samples from a few sites. The surface samples were quite fun to take, because the sampling method consisted of me sitting and digging in the dirt and mud with my hands and a butter knife to put squares of peat into bags. It definitely brought out the kid in me... although I think I enjoy getting messy and digging in dirt even more now than I did as a kid. And now I get paid for it!
Anyway, the surface samples are going to be used to create a transfer function for our testate amoebae analysis. Testate amoebae live in the top 5 centimeters or so of peat. So, when we collect a 'surface sample' we cut out a 5+ square cm cube of peat, as well as measure the pH and the distance from the peat surface to the water table (where the water fills up to after we cut the sample). Later in the lab, we can note what kinds of amoebae are living in a section of peat - which then correlates to particular water tables depths and pH levels. Then we know that the dead/fossilized amoebae further down in the sample also correlate to that same water table depth and pH. Then, when we date the fossilized samples and compare to this data we will know something about the environment at that particular time. That is a transfer function.
The most important progress of the day (in my opinion) occurred after lunch when I was playing with the dead GPR, and received an email from the GPR rental company with troubleshooting instructions. I opened up the computer entirely and reseated the computer cards, and then it worked! I guess that something about being an engineers daughter makes me very excited about taking things apart and fixing them. Either way, I jumped for joy because we now have a working GPR unit.
The day became even more successful when the new augerhead arrived for our peat corer! This means that we can now take long cores in the field!
Now, to figure out how to use that GPR...
The most important progress of the day (in my opinion) occurred after lunch when I was playing with the dead GPR, and received an email from the GPR rental company with troubleshooting instructions. I opened up the computer entirely and reseated the computer cards, and then it worked! I guess that something about being an engineers daughter makes me very excited about taking things apart and fixing them. Either way, I jumped for joy because we now have a working GPR unit.
The day became even more successful when the new augerhead arrived for our peat corer! This means that we can now take long cores in the field!
Now, to figure out how to use that GPR...
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