Kernschaal

Kernschaal is a Dutch term that literally translates to core scale. It is a compound noun and is not a standardized term across Dutch-language scholarly literature, so its exact meaning depends on the disciplinary context and the author using it.

In geology and mining contexts, a proposed or informal kernschaal can refer to a coding or rating system applied to drill cores to document key core attributes such as lithology, color, fracture density, and core recovery. Such a scale would aid systematic data recording and facilitate comparison across samples, though the specific categories and scoring rules are defined locally by practitioners.

In data science or network analysis, the phrase is sometimes used metaphorically to denote a scale that measures core features of a dataset or network, or to distinguish central elements from peripheral ones. In this sense, it may relate to core-periphery concepts or to metrics that emphasize central structure over peripheral detail.

In other cases, kernschaal appears as a title or label within technical manuals or reports, where it designates a particular measurement framework defined by the authors. Because the term is not universally standardized, reliable interpretation requires consulting the original source to determine the intended meaning.

Etymology: kern (core) + schaal (scale). See also Core, Scale (measurement), Core-periphery model.