The SACLANTCEN sphincter corer assembly = Carottier a sphincter du SACLANTCEN: part 1: a wide-diameter corer with waterproof core-catcher: part 2: an electrical engineering system

Abstract

A long, wide-diameter corer with a waterproof core-catcher is described in Part I. Its design is closer to theoretically ideal proportions than most oceanographic corers, and the cores it provides appear to be unmodified samples of the sediments. A sphincter-type, nylon-sleeve core-catcher seals the cores within a waterproof container during retrieval. An electrical triggering system for this and other heavy cores is described in Part II. The use of a mercury switch instead of counterweights prevents accidental triggering by sudden shocks, thereby making it much safer than other systems when working in heavy seas.