Short-lived radioisotope, sediment core photographs, sediment texture and composition data collected aboard R/V Weatherbird II and R/V Pelican cruises in the Gulf of Mexico from 2012-04-09 to 2012-10-18 (NCEI Accession 0231450)

This dataset contains short-lived radioisotope (SLRad), sediment core photographs, and sediment texture and composition data collected aboard R/V Weatherbird II cruises WB-0812 and WB-1012, and R/V Pelican cruise PE12-22 in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2012-04-09 to 2012-10-18. Both SLRad data and sediment texture and composition data were generated for selected core sub-samples at 2mm sampling intervals for “surficial unit” and 5mm sampling resolution intervals to the base of cores. Sediment texture values were expressed as percent gravel, sand, silt, and clay. Percent of mud can be calculated by combining percent silt and clay. Sediment composition was expressed as percent total organic matter (TOM) measured by loss on ignition (LOI), percent carbonate content measured by acid leaching, and the percent insoluble residue (IR), which was likely dominated by terrigenous clastic (land-derived) sediment sources. For sediment-core photograph data, sediment cores were longitudinally split and photographed with a Nikon D5100 digital camera with a scale in metric units (cm and mm) for a visual representation of sediment stratigraphy, color, and visual properties.