Physical Properties Lab Technician SOP

Standard Operating Procedure – Physical Properties Lab

The Physical Properties technician is a Marine Technician who has been assigned to work in the physical properties lab. The Physical Properties technician shares their duties between the Core Lab and the Physical Properties Lab. For details on the Core Lab duties, refer to the Core Lab SOP.

I. PRE EXPEDITION

• See General JRSO Technician SOP

• Pre-weigh sample vials for MAD samples (shore based techs only). Find out and estimated quantity is needed for the up coming expedition, and ensure sufficient quantity of pre-weighed vials are available onboard.

II. PORT CALL - Start of an Expedition

• Make sure supplies are adequate and equipment and instruments are operational and notify Lab Officer of any problems.

• Calibrate Pycnometer and all tracks.

• Calibrate Mettler Toledo balances: Balance calibration should be carried out while the ship is in port and is as stable as possible.

• Report to LO/ALO for other port call duties.

• Provide training to all Physical Property scientists on instrument operation (WRMSL, STMSL, SHMSL, ThermCon, Gantry, MAD, NGR, XMSL, XSCAN), sample preparations, and data upload/download procedures.

• Provide safety tour to all scientists working in the Physical Property area. Ensure scientists understand all safety concern and sign document required.

Site Preparation

• Place log sheets and instrument's Quick Users Guide at each station.

• Reset all run numbers prior to calibrations; this is not necessary, but it is a good idea to make new instrument software log files and rename the old ones w/ the prior Expedition's number in the name.

• Make sure that the motion control systems have found home and the position of the laser for all instruments using M-Drive.

• Perform calibrations for all tracks prior to first core on deck at each Site.

Thermal Conductivity: For more detail consult the TK04 Thermal Conductivity Meter User Manual and the Teka Thermal Conductivity Measuring Quick Guide.

• Set up appropriate Expedition directory.

• No calibrations are necessary for the TK04 device, but check the system by measuring on the macor standards.

Velocity & Strength Gantry (Working Half Only): For more detail consult the P-Wave Analysis and AVS User Guides.

1. Calibrations:

• P-Wave Y & Z spears: using the water boat.

• P-Wave X axis calipers: using acrylic standards.

XSCAN: For more detail, consult the XSCAN Image Logger User Guide

• Perform tube seasoning of the source in use and the spare source.

MAD station: For more detail consult the Moisture and Density User & Quick Guides.

1. Calibrations:

• Balance: Carried out while in port with the reference mass standards.

• Pycnometer: Calibrate using the MAD program with the reference sphere standards. A good reference for re-calibration is when the calibration verification drifts by about > +/- 1.5% of the actual value.

• Instruct Scientists on Lab Procedures. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE before expedition starts – from sampling to MAD to Vp (discrete and continuous) measurements, and everything else.

IV. DURING CORING OPERATIONS AND CORE PROCESSING

• Assist in core processing according to the Core Lab SOP. This is a primary function of any marine technician (with few exceptions like chemistry technicians, who have a different role) and should be your highest priority.

• If there are physical properties lab-related tasks that need to be performed then coordinate that work vs. the core processing with the ALO on duty.

• Ensure that data is being correctly uploaded to the LIMS.

• Check QAQC of all instruments and calibrate as needed.

• Dry out/replace silica desiccant (MAD station) as needed.

• Perform tube seasoning of the source in use and spare source for the XSCAN every week (for instance, on Safety Sunday).

V. DURING EXPEDITION

• Keep Lab Clean and Orderly

• Continue processing cores through the lab as described above

• Receive core and assist as needed in the core lab (i.e. splitting, restocking, boxing core, disposing of trash, and general cleaning and maintenance of core lab). Remember, the core lab is your primary duty and other tasks must come secondary to that unless arrangements are made with the Lab Officer to meet special objectives. For details on Core lab responsibilities refer to the Core lab SOP.

VI. END OF EXPEDITION ACTIVITIES

• Write the end-of-Expedition lab report, give a copy to the Lab Officer.

• Make sure all data are sent to LIMS before the MCSs cut off database access. All non-essential data should be erased from the hard disks of all the computers.

• All Expedition data needs to be placed on data1 and removed from instrument host prior to handing the lab over to the oncoming technician.  This includes all files in DATA, AUX_DATA, ARCHIVE, and ERROR folders.  

• Scan all log sheets and placed a copy in the appropriate measurement folder in DATA1. If the log sheet is not associated to a current folder, place them in the subfolder "1.9. Laboratory Log Sheets". They could be organized by site or one file for the whole expedition. They should be saved in .pdf format, by log sheet type and named following the convention "logsheets_[analysis]_[exp and/or site].pdf" (e.g., logsheets_TCON_398-U1590.pdf). Log sheets can be requested by a sailing scientist, if not, they should be discarded at the end of the expedition.

• Pack up equipment being returned for repairs and give the Assistant Lab Officer the following information: IODP inventory number, value, weight, serial number, model number, vendor's name and country of manufacture.

• Give the Lab Officer a list for port purchases if any.

• Clean the lab and assigned area following the cleaning instruction listed in the Core Lab Handbook. Bring all the trash to the incinerator. Glass and sharps get disposed of in port call.

• Perform the end of Expedition maintenance as listed in the individual instrument use guide.

VIII. PORT CALL – Off Going

• See General JRSO Technician SOP