Someone shouts loudly, ”core on deck!” Upon hearing this, a very professional team of technicians jump into action. The core is transported from below the ocean to the drill floor and then it is processed on the catwalk. The technical team works quickly and efficiently, like a well-oiled machine. Everyone knows their role and performs it to perfection. The whole process has to be fast and efficient. As true professionals, they have a job to do and it has to be done quickly!
The curator, Chad, is responsible for the sampling and measurements of the core. He checks out the state of the core and has to make a quick decision to ensure the core is safely contained, samples are taken, entered into the database and labeled. It has just been brought up from depths of hundreds of meters below the ocean floor. The crew brings the core on board, exposing it to daylight, the regular atmospheric pressure on the earth's surface and the daytime temperatures of the Tasman Sea. The team needs to process the core quickly and give it time to stabilize and adjust to these new conditions. The team works a 12-hour shift, handing over with clockwork precision to the team that starts at midnight and works through till midday.
The sedimentology, paleontology and geophysics teams also work a 12-hour shift.
