Laboratory Details

Geological Marine Reference Collections (GMRC)

Research activity The Geological Marine Reference Collections (GMRC) the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM) is one of the most important collections in the CSIC. It also represents a rich scientific heritage in Spain in marine geosciences, that is key to know the past and present of oceans and seas and to unlock new findings in future. GMRC contains samples, records and related data acquired from seas and oceans around the globe, in the frame of scientific projects, from 80’s to present. GMRC is rich in: 1) Sediment samples: A set of > 1800 sediment cores, ~13.000 surficial sediment samples, documenting the (sub)bottom geology. They are presented together with photographs, radiographs, sub-samples, SEM and loupe images, textural logs, etc; and 2) Geophysics data: A set of >250.000 km of seismic, gravimetry, magnetometry, data, in both analogical and digital formats. Their metadata are partially public accessible in web: http://gma.icm.csic.es/en/data. GMRC also includes laboratories for processing geophysical/sediment data and the services of non-destructive analysis, geotechnical testing and software. Laboratories are certified with the ISO-9001 as part of the ICM technical and scientific services. The GMRC main goal is to offer to several actors (sciences, industry, government) working on ocean challenges a consistent dataset to be used in facing fundamental questions in climatic change, geohazards, pollution, habitat mapping, resource exploration, marine policy, marine technological advance, etc. Laboratory equipment • 1 saw allowing the opening of different sediment cores (i.e. box core, gravity core, etc.). Mainly used for cores of muddy material. • 1 saw allowing the opening of different sediment cores (i.e. box core, gravity core, etc). Mainly used for cores that are frozen or may contain corals. • 1 cold room in which all sediment cores from all marine campaigns are stored and preserved. • 1 scanner to transform seismic profiles from analogue to digital format.