Finally each core section is photographed and sealed for archiving. Until they are unloaded on shore, they will be stored in walk-in coolers in the hold of the ship. Meanwhile, the paleontologists have washed the silt away from their sample and are making microscope slides of the tiny exoskeletons of ancient diatoms and foraminifera. Well, it is the first core. The chemistry of this water reveals changes that are taking place in the sediments.
Water flowing through the sediments also leaves telltale traces.
Before the job is done, seven more cores will be processed, hopefully including one drilled from the hard rock at the bottom of the sediment layer. The core crew will be up most of the night and work into tomorrow. By Resolution standards, this isn't much. But these scientists are satisfied. Because of an unexpected opportunity they have added a small datapoint to our knowledge of the earth.