Piston corer and method of acquiring a soil sample

A piston corer for acquiring a soil sample, the piston corer comprising:

• a sample reception cylinder which comprises a piston, wherein the piston is moveable over a piston stroke inside the sample reception cylinder in a longitudinal direction thereof,
• the sample reception cylinder comprising an intake opening at a first end thereof, the piston being configured to move in a direction away from the intake opening during taking in of the soil sample towards an end position of the piston stroke;
• an activator cooperating with a valve, the valve being configured for closing of the intake opening upon activation thereof by the activator, wherein the activator is configured for activating a closing action of the valve in response to the piston reaching the end position of the piston stroke;
• an outer cylinder which is concentrically arranged around the sample reception cylinder to thereby at least partially enclose the sample reception cylinder, wherein the sample reception cylinder is moveable relative the outer cylinder in the longitudinal direction thereof, and wherein the activator is configured for activating the closing action of the valve in response to the sample reception cylinder moving relative to the outer cylinder;
• and
• a locking mechanism for fixing the sample reception cylinder relative to the outer cylinder during descending of the piston corer, wherein the locking mechanism is configured for unlocking in response to the piston reaching the end position of the piston stroke.