Experimental setup
A transect across a sample of tropical coral Acropora polystoma ,
cultured in artificial seawater in a closed coral mesocosm at the Coral
Reef Laboratory, National Oceanography Centre,
Southampton18 is also included in the package as an
example of an ablation line and is identified hereon as “coral-6”. As
polished coral sections can be irregular in shape, thickness and
porosity, it is possible for the laser to ablate fully through at a
thinner location or traverse a boundary between the sample and its
mounting resin. In this example, the ablation line passes over a thinner
section of coral and consequently the laser fully ablates through before
the end of the analysis time.