Abstract
We present a series of soft sediment geological phantoms constructed to simulate volcanic ash deposits preserved within sediment cores. This study aimed to systematically discern which sediment components are most effectively detected and therefore characterised by X-ray microCT (μCT). Samples with low or overlapping attenuation contrast but distinct morphologies such as coarse grained (>125 μm) ash within fine mud (<4 μm) can be manually separated using analysis software, while samples with high attenuation contrast display distinct horizons that are easily segmented using attenuation thresholds. We anticipate that this work will have broader applications within Earth Science to optimise the exploration of sediment with μCT analysis.
Highlights
Volcanic ash deposits, which are widely used as age-markers in soft sediment records, are prone to post-depositional displacement within sedimentary environments
This study aims to systematically discern which combinations of volcanic ash and sediment best respond to X-ray μCT analysis
The results of this study points to the necessity of pre-scanning knowledge of volcanic ash and sediment density/effective atomic number to determine the potential gains from μCT analysis of a sample
Summary
Volcanic ash deposits, which are widely used as age-markers in soft sediment records, are prone to post-depositional displacement within sedimentary environments. These sediment cores are routinely investigated by linear and surface analyses, which only provide one and two dimensional data, respectively. With X-ray μCT a much needed third dimension is revealed to aid the detection of microstructures that may be linked to post-depositional processes. Geological samples, mainly consist of attenuating silicates which makes analysis using X-ray μCT challenging. Ongoing work aims to characterise and quantify the threedimensional structures of volcanic ash found in core samples of sedimentary sequences. The detection and discernment of the presence of volcanic ash in a sample remains a particular problem
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
