Development of New Type Compact Mud Sampler and Evaluation for Usefulness instead of Conventional Grab Type Mud Sampler

Abstract

Recentry, various types of mud samplers have been used for collecting bottom sediment. Usually, Smith-Mclntyre sampler or Ekman grab sampler are used for take sediment sample. However, these conventional mud samplers are very heavy, and sometimes become danger operation in rough sea condition. The other hand, only about same volume as one spoon as, is need for analysis sediment component. Therefore, we tried to develop a new compact mud sampler which can be operated by a rod and an electric reel, and evaluated its usefulness compared with conventional grab type mud sampler. As the result, we can make one prototype compact mud sampler, which size has 1.6 kg weight in the air, L=5 cm, B=4 cm, D=7 cm and sampling volume is 140 cm³. And, we carried out actual sea experiment (Sea depth was ranged 3 m to 76 m). From this experiment, we can say that new type compact mud sampler is usefulness in many cases. However, sometimes different sample was obtained, in case actual sedimentation particle size is more than 150 µm, but nothing to do with the sea depth.