X-ray studies at Berkeley Lab provide evidence for source of exotic assortment of melt debris
Mario Wannier, a career geologist with expertise in studying tiny marine life, was methodically sorting through particles in samples of beach sand from Japan’s Motoujina Peninsula when he spotted something unexpected: a number of tiny, glassy spheres and other unusual objects.
Wannier, who is now retired, had been comparing biological debris in beach sands from different areas in an effort to gauge the health of local and regional marine ecosystems. The work involved examining each sand particle in a sample under a microscope, and with a fine brush, separating particles of interest from grains of sediment into a tray for further study.
>Read more on the Advanced LIght Source at L. Berkeley Lab website
Image: Researchers collected and studied beach sands from locations near Hiroshima including Japan’s Miyajima Island, home to this torii gate, which at high tide is surrounded by water. The torii and associated Itsukushima Shinto Shrine, near the city of Hiroshima, are popular tourist attractions. The sand samples contained a unique collection of particles, including several that were studied at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley.
Credit: Ajay Suresh/Wikimedia Commons