Studies of the mineral phase of coral skeleton

Coral calcification : insights from inorganic experiments and coral responses to environmental variables

“…Data presented here concur with earlier observations that coral sclerodermites consist of aragonite needles radiating out from regions of fine granular materials or 'nanocrystals' (Fig 6, 7, 8) (Vaughan and Wells, 1943;Wainwright, 1964;Constantz, 1986;Clode and Marshall, 2003). The sub-micron-sized granular materials are found at the base of dissepiments (Fig.…”

“…SEM imaging of materials occupying the centers of calcification showed that these are morphologically distinct from the surrounding fibers. The materials at the centers of calcification have been variously described as small, nano-crystals, very fine, or granular (e.g., Wainwright, 1964;Constantz, 1986;Clode and Marshall, 2003). Selective analyses of centers of calcification and adjacent fibers indicate that centers of calcification are also compositionally distinct.…”

Compositional and morphological features of aragonite precipitated experimentally from seawater and biogenically by corals

“…6-8) (Vaughan and Wells, 1943;Wainwright, 1964;Constantz, 1986;Cohen et al, 2001;Clode and Marshall, 2003). The sub-micron-sized granular materials are found at the base of dissepiments (Fig.…”

“…The materials at the centers of calcification have been variously described as small, nano-crystals, very fine, or granular (e.g. Wainwright, 1964;Constantz, 1986;Cohen et al, 2001;Clode and Marshall, 2003). Selective analyses of centers of calcification and adjacent fibers indicate that centers of calcification are also compositionally distinct.…”

Vibrational spectroscopic characterization of growth bands in Porites coral from South China Sea

“…Coral reefs consist of various coral deposits, among which Porites is one of main genera involved in the formation of coral reefs [3]. The skeleton of natural coral (Porites) consists mainly of calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite which can be doped with other cations such as Mg, Sr, Ba, U and the organic matrix [4][5][6]. As is well known, coral skeleton is composed of biogenic aragonite/calcite which forms a layered structure.…”