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You are viewing a plan-view animation traveling 'back in time' through the
reef coral, Diploria strigosa. The movie
represents passing down through the plan view of the coral for a distance
of approximately 8 mm, or approximately 2 years of growth. The 41 images which compose the animation are actually X-ray computed tomography (CT) scans of a sectioned coral cube, 25 mm on a side. Corals are known to possess annual density bands that are similar to the annual growth rings in trees. It is interesting to note the structural thickening and thinning within the valleys (columella) associated with high density and low density periods of growth. Understanding structural changes associated with density banding aids in the study of corals as proxy records for environmental change. For further information about research pertaining to skeletal architecture of coral at NSUOC, contact "Kevin Helmle" <kevinh barney nova fred edu>
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