Large, abundant plagioclase crystals dominate samples from Hector and Omura Guyots. Shown here is sample D38-01, as a whole rock on the left, as a thin section slab in the center and in plane- and cross-polarized light on the right (Scale: standard thin section size of 27 x 46 mm). Read more about the Walvis Ridge Project.
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A large iron dredge bucket is used to scrape rocks from the flanks of seamounts. Shown here are sediments and manganese crusts falling from the bucket as it is emptied on the deck after a dredge. Read more about the Walvis Ridge Project.
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A map showing available ages for the young and old portions of the Walvis Ridge as well as the Etendeka flood basalt province, which is thought to signal the start of plume volcanism for the Walvis Ridge. Read more about the Walvis Ridge Project.
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Typical resulting loaded sample tray after analyses and incremental heating of the samples until total fusion, which melts the geological materials and minerals into small glass beads.
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Typical sample tray before analyses using a CO2 laser. Three wells are filled with biotite mineral separates (blackish materials in the upper two wells and the bottom-right well), with plagioclase feldspar mineral separates (three wells in the lower left corner filled with whitish materials) and with basalt groundmass samples (four large wells and one small well).
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