CT scanning, X-ray fluorescence: Non-destructive techniques for the identification of sedimentary facies and structures

Abstract

Introduction of new, more specialized, non-destructive techniques into palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic research, has proven to be of a great asset, over the last decades. Geoarchives like sediment cores can thus be studied with much higher resolution, faster and with less effort, providing significantly more information about sediment composition, grain size and structure. In this study, we applied X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and computed tomography (CT) analysis on two different sediment cores, retrieved from a typical lagoonal environment and a marsh field in western Peloponnese, Greece. XRF scanning was used with a step of 0.5 cm in order to obtain a detailed elemental profile of the core, whereas CT scan was performed with a resolution of 0.3 mm. Concerning elemental compound and X-ray absorption, distinct correlation between HU and terrigenous elements was observed. Furthermore, through 3D reconstruction of the cores sections, we explored possible methods for fauna/sediment ratio, as well as microstructural characteristics. The combined appliance of those two techniques on the two sediment cores that were studied seems to provide robust results concerning sedimentological facies, biofacies and sediment structure.