My final week of research included XRF scanning core section 5/8 and finishing the processing of section 5 samples also.

Below is the XRF image of core section 5. It does not have the same clear laminations present in section 4 caused by the stratified conditions in the water column of the Baltic Sea. Core section 5 was more oxygenated than core section 4 because the Baltic Sea water, in the period that section 5 was formed, was able to mix better with the higher oxygenated waters which allowed for oxygen to reach the sea floor and far less stratification caused by anoxia to occur. 

The laminations of core section 4 were caused by more stratified conditions in the Baltic Sea water column which resulted in less oxygen being present in the bottom water of the Baltic Sea causing anoxic conditions. (See section 4/8 post for the image of the laminations of core section 4/8).

I concluded my week 6 research with the sample processing and data handling (producing the XRF graphs featured within my report).