Piston corers are generally used in areas with soft sediment, such as clay.
The Jumbo Piston Corer (JPC) is a coring system that combines a dynamically falling heavy gravity corer with an interior piston that works to expel water and draw sediment into the corer. It is launched using a rail system, and can be configured in lengths from 10’ to 40’ (3m to 12m). Piston corers, like gravity corers, are generally used in areas with soft sediment, such as clay. The addition of the internal piston allows the soft sediment to be captured without significant compression or disturbance.
Specifications
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Manufacturer – Navy Engineering Lab (NEL) from WHOI design
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Head Weight – 2,600 lbs (1,180 kgs)
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Total System Weight (Including track system) - ~25,000 lbs.
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Dimensions - Assembled: 50’ x 8’ x 6’, Shipped: 1500 ft3
Upgraded and Improved
Deep water camera and light installed in the head weight of the upgraded USGS jumbo piston corer
Operational Characteristics
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Min Operational Depth - 50m
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Max Operational Depth – limited only by amount of wire on ship
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Sediment Type - Soft sediment, such as clay.
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Limitations - Sand, rock, shell matrices.
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Ship’s Requirements:
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All overboarding gear rated to a SWL of 12 tons.
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A-frame with minimum height of 15’ and at least two attachments for hanging blocks approximately 4’ apart.
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45’ of clear deck space forward from transom
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Deck winch with line pull of at least 2,000 lbs for operating rail system
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Deck winch with line pull of at least 1,000 lbs and drum capacity of at least 30m
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Ability to hold station for duration of operation in variety of sea states.
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Additional Equipment Required
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Polybuterate liner, 3.43” ID liner
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Refrigerated core storage, if needed
Complementary Systems
A box corer or gravity corer is often used prior to the JPC in sites of uncertain composition, to determine suitability for piston coring. They may also be used in conjunction with the JPC to return an undisturbed sample, as the JPC tends to blow out the softer sediments at the surface by the force of the impact and the bow wake of the cutter nose. The trigger core may sometimes return an undisturbed sample of the surface that can be correlated with the main corer to obtain a complete record.
Learn more about MarFac and the equipment and vessels we use in the field. Also, learn more about the projects that use the piston corer to collect samples.
PCMSC Marine Facility (MarFac)
Cascadia Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards
PCMSC MarFac Field Equipment and Capabilities
Marine Geomorphology, Evolution, and Habitats
U.S. West Coast and Alaska Marine Geohazards
Tsunami Hazards, Modeling, and the Sedimentary Record
Earthquake Hazards in Southeastern Alaska
PCMSC MarFac Vessels
- Overview
Piston corers are generally used in areas with soft sediment, such as clay.
Engineering Technician Jenny McKee prepares the JPC for launching off research vessel R/V Bold Horizon off the coast of California and Oregon. The Jumbo Piston Corer (JPC) is a coring system that combines a dynamically falling heavy gravity corer with an interior piston that works to expel water and draw sediment into the corer. It is launched using a rail system, and can be configured in lengths from 10’ to 40’ (3m to 12m). Piston corers, like gravity corers, are generally used in areas with soft sediment, such as clay. The addition of the internal piston allows the soft sediment to be captured without significant compression or disturbance.
Specifications
-
Manufacturer – Navy Engineering Lab (NEL) from WHOI design
-
Head Weight – 2,600 lbs (1,180 kgs)
-
Total System Weight (Including track system) - ~25,000 lbs.
-
Dimensions - Assembled: 50’ x 8’ x 6’, Shipped: 1500 ft3
Upgraded JPC being readied for deployment off R/V Hugh R. Sharp in April 2022. Upgraded and Improved
Deep water camera and light installed in the head weight of the upgraded USGS jumbo piston corer
Deep water camera and light installed in the head weight of the upgraded JPC. In the background, USGS Marine Engineering Technician Daniel Powers is preparing core liner for sediment collection. Operational Characteristics
-
Min Operational Depth - 50m
-
Max Operational Depth – limited only by amount of wire on ship
-
Sediment Type - Soft sediment, such as clay.
-
Limitations - Sand, rock, shell matrices.
-
Ship’s Requirements:
-
All overboarding gear rated to a SWL of 12 tons.
-
A-frame with minimum height of 15’ and at least two attachments for hanging blocks approximately 4’ apart.
-
45’ of clear deck space forward from transom
-
Deck winch with line pull of at least 2,000 lbs for operating rail system
-
Deck winch with line pull of at least 1,000 lbs and drum capacity of at least 30m
-
Ability to hold station for duration of operation in variety of sea states.
-
Additional Equipment Required
-
Polybuterate liner, 3.43” ID liner
-
Refrigerated core storage, if needed
Complementary Systems
A box corer or gravity corer is often used prior to the JPC in sites of uncertain composition, to determine suitability for piston coring. They may also be used in conjunction with the JPC to return an undisturbed sample, as the JPC tends to blow out the softer sediments at the surface by the force of the impact and the bow wake of the cutter nose. The trigger core may sometimes return an undisturbed sample of the surface that can be correlated with the main corer to obtain a complete record.
After recovery, the JPC sits on the deck of research vessel Bold Horizon in its launch and recovery system. This muddy collar is removed to reveal the removable length of the core, which sits within a stiff plastic tube inside the metal tube. -
- Science
Learn more about MarFac and the equipment and vessels we use in the field. Also, learn more about the projects that use the piston corer to collect samples.
PCMSC Marine Facility (MarFac)
Learn about the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility, or MarFacCascadia Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards
Societal Issue: Uncertainty related to rupture extent, slip distribution, and recurrence of past subduction megathrust earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest (northern CA, OR, WA, and southern BC) leads to ambiguity in earthquake and tsunami hazard assessments and hinders our ability to prepare for future events.ByNatural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, 3-D CT Core Imaging Laboratory, Core Preparation and Analysis Laboratory and Sample Repositories, Multi-Sensor Core Logger Laboratory, Deep Sea Exploration, Mapping and Characterization, Subduction Zone SciencePCMSC MarFac Field Equipment and Capabilities
Learn about the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility’s vast array of field equipment, sampling devices, and mapping systems, and our capabilities. Our engineers, designers, mechanics, and technicians have also designed and developed some of the specialized field equipment we use in field operations in the nearshore, in the deep sea, and on land.Marine Geomorphology, Evolution, and Habitats
Seafloor resource managers and modelers need seafloor maps that can be combined in GIS, modeling, and statistical analysis environments and related successfully to biologic and oceanographic data. The Marine Geomorphology, Evolution, and Habitats Project encompasses mapping activities and the development of new mapping systems and methodologies. The emphasis is on the role of geologic processes in...U.S. West Coast and Alaska Marine Geohazards
Marine geohazards are sudden and extreme events beneath the ocean that threaten coastal populations. Such underwater hazards include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and tsunamis.ByNatural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, 3-D CT Core Imaging Laboratory, Core Preparation and Analysis Laboratory and Sample Repositories, Big Sur Landslides, Deep Sea Exploration, Mapping and Characterization, Subduction Zone ScienceTsunami Hazards, Modeling, and the Sedimentary Record
Basic research to develop the geologic record of paleotsunamis and improve the ability to interpret that record is needed to mitigate tsunami risk in the U.S.ByNatural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, 3-D CT Core Imaging Laboratory, Core Preparation and Analysis Laboratory and Sample Repositories, Multi-Sensor Core Logger Laboratory, Sediment Lab Suite and Carbon Analysis Laboratory, Subduction Zone ScienceEarthquake Hazards in Southeastern Alaska
Over the last 100 years, the Queen Charlotte-Fairweather fault system has produced large-magnitude earthquakes affecting both Canada and the U.S. To fill in missing details about its offshore location and structure, USGS uses sophisticated techniques to truly understand the fault’s hazard potential.PCMSC MarFac Vessels
The USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center uses a wide variety of vessels, from kayaks to open-ocean ships, to conduct fieldwork. Most vessels are managed by our Marine Facility, or MarFac. - News