METHOD OF TAKING CONCRETION SAMPLES FROM SEA SHELF AND DEVICE TO THIS END Russian patent published in 2009 - IPC G01N1/20 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a method of taking concretion samples from a sea shelf and a device for realising the method. The method involves sinking a vessel to the bottom of a water body from a waterborne vehicle, taking a sample from the bottom of the water body and raising the vessel to the waterborne vehicle. Samples are taken at the same time using vessels, equally spaced out in a horizontal plane and joined into a single unit. After raising the vessels, the samples are put into containers which are marked with relative position of the vessels, and the contents are analysed on quality, quantity and concretion distribution on the bottom surface of the water body, determined by the number vessels in the unit. The device has a vessel with intake and locking apparatus. The device is fitted with several vessels, equally spaced out in a horizontal plane, in form of vertical pipe sections mounted on a rigid rectangular frame. Triangular flap doors which be swung up are hinged to the bottom inner surface of the pipes, adjacent to each other, and can be held in the horizontal position while covering the cross sectional area of the pipes and can swing down. Top openings of the pipes are covered by airtight covers with connecting pipes, joined by flexible tubes with a controlled shut-off valve. The cross section of each pipe is such that, at least two concretion samples of maximum size can be accommodated. A vibrator is mounted at the centre of the frame.

EFFECT: possibility of quantitative evaluation of output of a concretion deposit per unit area of the bottom surface and evaluation of distribution of particle composition of concretion on that area.

4 cl, 5 dwg