Computed tomographic image animation of a coral core

In 2019, the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California acquired of a state-of-the-art Geotek core-imaging system that has the capability to use computed tomography (CT) to produce high-resolution, three-dimensional reconstructions of density patterns in cores. A CT scan of a coral core, like the one shown here, helps researchers analyze coral colony growth, bioerosion, porosity, and surface area. The measurements can be used to reconstruct past climate variability and identify periods of thermal or aqueous stress, and to determine how environmental change influences long-term rates of coral growth and erosion.