CORTEX, a shipboard XRF-scanner for element analyses in split sediment cores

The CORTEX (Corescanner Texel) is a non-destructive XRF system for the logging of split sediment cores. It is a seaworthy instrument that remains active during heavy weather conditions. The scanner produces reliable counts for K to Sr, highly correlated with concentrations measured with atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The option to scan Al, Si, and elements heavier than Sr is in preparation. A core section of 1 mm can be scanned at 2-cm intervals within an hour. A maximum resolution of 1 mm can be achieved. At: present, each region and sedimentary environment requires separate calibration. In the nearby future the generator settings will be standardized, which may result in the development of a standard calibration procedure. Because of the high resolution of its semi-quantitative records, the CORTEX is a useful tool for detailed time-series analysis, inter-core correlation, and shipboard analysis. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.