Continuous, intact vibracores, in 1-m or 5-m sections, collected between 1984-1997, on the Maryland continental shelf by MGS or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) for the purpose of assessing sediment suitable for beach nourishment. Half of each core, longitudinally, is archived. Since collection, all samples have been stored indoors, but at ambient outdoor temperature and humidity.
Bottom Sediment Cores, Maryland Continental Shelf
Core repository started out as a good project when funded, but, as funding became scarcer, upkeep of the respository suffered. MGS has already invested $30-40,000 in this collection and has added to it. It would be a shame to allow the collection to deteriorate to the point that cores would be useless for future analysis, etc. Ideally, the collection should be housed in a facility that is secure and has climate control. If the collection continues to grow, MGS will eventually need more space than is available at Matapeake.
