Abstract
The flux of icebergs is most commonly constrained in the palaeo‐record by manually counting gravel clasts in sediment core X‐ray images—a trusted method in Quaternary science and palaeoceanography for nearly 40 years. In this study, we explore the reproducibility (user consistency and between‐user variability) of the traditional clast‐counting technique, something that has rarely been quantified. A participatory study was undertaken whereby 14 individuals counted gravel clasts (>2 mm) on X‐radiographs in cm intervals of two different glaciomarine sediment cores: (i) a matrix‐supported subaqueous diamicton facies and (ii) a clast‐poor to clast‐moderate laminated facies. Pairwise comparisons of all 14 users' counts using Spearman's rho indicate statistically significant relationships in all but one case ( p p