ALBERT

Description: Igneous rocks were recovered from three sites on Hess Rise during Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 62: altered basalt at Site 464, at the northern end of Hess Rise; and altered trachyte from Site 465, and rounded basalt pebbles in upper Albian to middle Miocene sediments from Site 466, both at the southern end of Hess Rise. Major-, minor-, and trace-element data for basalt from Hole 464 are consistent with these rocks being transitional tholeiites that have undergone low-temperature alteration by reaction with sea water. Trachyte from Hole 465A exhibits as many as three generations of plagioclase along with potash feldspar that are flow aligned in groundmasses alterted to smectites and random mixed-layer clays. Textural evidence indicates that these rocks were eruped subaerially. Chemical data show a range of values when plotted on two- and three-component variation diagrams. The observed variations may result in part from differentiation, but they also reflect the high degree of alteration. Several oxides and elements show strong correlation with H2O+: K2O, SiO2, Rb and Lu decrease and MgO increases with increasing H2O+. These trends, except for that of Lu, are consistent with experimentally determined changes in chemistry that accompany alteration. The trend for Lu has not been previously reported; it may result from a more-intense alteration of the HREE-rich mafic minerals than of the LREE-rich feldspars. Despite their alteration, the trachytes compare favorably with alkalic differentiates from oceanic islands. We interpret Hess Rise as a volcanic platform formed by eruption of off-ridge volcanic rocks onto MORB oceanic crust during the Aptian and Albian stages, after the basement had migrated away from the spreading center. By analogy with present oceanic islands, we propose that early tholeiitic basalts were followed by alkalic basalts and their differentiation products (trachytes), producing a volcanic archipelago of islands and seamounts. Subsequent tectonism and subsidence led to the present state of Hess Rise.

Description: Atomic-absorption spectrophotometry and instrumental neutron activation analysis were used to determine concentrations of SiO2, Al2O3, FeOt, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, MnO, La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Tb, Yb, Lu, Sc, Co, Cr, Th, Hf, and Ta for 14 basalt samples from the lower portion of Hole 462A in the Nauru Basin. The basalts are similar to normal midocean ridge basalt (MORB) for the elements analyzed, and light rare-earth elements (LREE) are depleted relative to heavy rare-earth elements (HREE). Two samples are extensively altered to smectites and show significant reductions in Al2O3, CaO, MnO, Na2O, REE, Sc, Co, and Hf and gains in MgO and FeOt relative to unaltered samples. The increase in MgO and decrease in CaO indicate that alteration was caused by hydrothermal solutions.

Description: At Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Site 462, from mudline to 447 meters below the sea floor, Cenozoic nannofossil oozes and chalks have acoustic anisotropies such that horizontal sonic velocities are 0 to 2.5% faster than those in the vertical direction. In laminated chalk, anisotropy of 5% is typical, and in limestones, radiolarian oozes, porcellanites, and cherts, the anisotropies range from 4 to 13%. Middle Maestrichtian volcaniclastics from 447 meters to 560 meters below the sea floor have an acoustic anisotropy of 2 to 32%; 4 to 13% is typical. Basalt flows and sills occur between 560 meters and 1068 meters, and have no apparent anisotropy, but minor interbedded volcaniclastics have anisotropies from 0 to 20% (5% is typical). These volcaniclastics frequently have very small anisotropies, however, compared with the volcaniclastic sequence above the basalt section. Data in cross-plots of the laboratory-measured compressional sound velocity versus wet-bulk density, wet-water content, and porosity of sediments and sedimentary rock typically lie between the equations derived by Wyllie et al. (1956) and Wood (1941); the Wyllie et al. (1956) equation has a fair fit with similar basalt velocity cross-plots. Crossplots of thermal conductivity and sound velocity indicate only a fair correlation. Cross-plots of thermal conductivity versus porosity, wet-water content, and wet-bulk density correlate well with equations derived by Maxwell (1904), Ratcliff (1960), Parasnis (1960), and Bullard and Day (1961). Electrical formation factor versus porosity for sediments and sedimentary rock agrees with the Archie (1942) equation, with m values of 2.6; for basalt, an m of about 2.1 is typical. Basalt pore-water resistivities do not appear to be greatly different from sea water. Formation factors are greater than those derived from equations in Maxwell (1904), Winsauer et al. (1952), Boyce (1968), and Kermabon et al. (1969). An "apparent interstitial water resistivity" (Rwa) curve was derived from the density and induction logs. This Rwa curve indicated an anomaly, at 393.5 to 396.5 meters, which could be interpreted as (1) 76% hydrocarbons, (2) relatively fresh pore water (1.8 per mil salinity), or (3) low-grain-density (2.2 g/cm**3) semi-lithified porcellanite-chert. Porcellanite-chert is the most plausible interpretation. In situ temperatures measured by the Uyeda temperature probe were about 2 to 5°C (50%) higher than the equilibrium temperature (Lachenbruch and Brewer, 1959) extrapolated from two Gearhart-Owen continuous temperature logs; this discrepancy probably arises because the hole was washed out in this depth interval, so these extrapolated temperatures are probably not reliable. If one ignores all precautions as to temperature artifacts, then the equilibrium temperatures of the Gearhart-Owen temperature logs suggest that hydrothermal circulation is occurring in at least the upper 40 meters of the basalt section and heat is transferred by convection and not conduction. Hydrothermal circulation is probably not indicated, however, and the temperature anomalies probably result from excessive artificial cooling of the fractured basalt zones by circulation of water during drilling.

Description: The stratigraphic position of the glacially transported 'Scholle' (large-size erratic block) at Schobüll near Husum (Schleswig-Holstein) is now considered to be Devonian rather than 'Rotliegendes'. The 'Scholle', consisting of red clay and dolomite, is overlain by red-colored till without any flint but with up to 90% carbonate clasts (containing 15% dolomite), which indicates an eastern Baltic origin. The relationship of the 'Scholle' with the glacial till also points to an eastern Baltic origin for it, with up to 1 000 km transport distance.

Description: Ferromanganese nodules in the deep-sea and in freshwater lakes usually accrete layers rich in manganese oxides alternating with layers rich in iron oxides. The mechanism producing these alternating layers is unknown; indeed, the mechanism producing the nodules themselves is unknown. In Oneida Lake, New York, precipitants from the lake water and the surfaces of nodules at the sediment-water interface are enriched in Mn, whereas nodules buried in lake sediments have surface layers enriched in Fe. It is hypothesized here, using field and laboratory evidence, that reduction and mobilization of Mn from the nodule surface during periods of anoxic sediment cover produce the high Fe layers observed in the nodules.

Description: Analysis of manganese in sediments of the equatorial Pacific.

Description: The major and some of the minor constituents and the rate of accumulation of manganese nodules in the western North Pacific were determined. Manganese concentration in the nodules ranged from 20 to 30 per cent in the acid soluble fraction. As to the rare earth concentration, enrichment of cerium was observed in the manganese nodule as compared with that in shales or sea water. Thorium to uranium ratio in the nodule ranged from 9.4 to 14.3, which was very much higher than that in sea water. From the distribution of excess ionium, excess protactinium and Io/Th ratio, a rate of accumulation of 7 mm per million years was obtained with the surface layer of several mm in thickness of the JEDS-4-E4 nodule.

Description: The cores described in this report were taken on AMPHITRITE Expedition in Decenber 1963 - February 1964 by Scripps Institution of Oceanography from, the R/V Argo. A total of 148 cores were recovered and are available at Scripps for sampling and study. The coring sites, all in the tropical central Pacific. The AMPHITRITE cores are here briefly described to identify visually distinct units based on lithology, color, texture, or other characteristic unique to an interval of sediment. For determination of lithology, the slides prepared from samples of the cores were examined microscopically in conjuction with the visual examination.

Description: This report is Volume 3 of Descriptions of WHOI rock dredge samples. This series represents a major effort to catalog the rock dredge samples in the WHOI Sea Floor samples collection, and to disseminate this information throughout the scientific community. Volume 3 contains sample descriptions and station data for the dredge stations from five cruises during the period September 1978 through December 1980. The material in this and subsequent volumes of rock descriptions was largely prepared onboard ship by the participating scientists. Volume 3 was printed prior to volumes 1 and 2 because of the excellent documentation of the samples represented in this volume.

Description: The minor-element composition of concentric layers within a single ferromanganese nodule from the eastern North Pacific exhibits strong correlations with Fe and Mn contents but appears to be independent of pronounced mineralogic variations. On the basis of these correlations, the elemental composition of individual layers apparently is controlled by the relative contribution of two sources: seawater, and interstitial water of associated sediment. In contrast, the mineralogy of the nodule, consisting of birnessite in the outer few layers and todorokite in the inner layers, is considered to be a function of nodule diagenesis.

Description: Compositional data for coexisting manganese nodules, micronodules, sediments and pore waters from five areas in the equatorial and S.W. Pacific have been obtained. This represents the largest study of its type ever undertaken to establish the distribution of elements between the various phases within the sediment column. The composition of manganese nodules, micronodules and sediments (on a carbonate-free basis) shows marked differences between the equatorial high productivity zone and the low productivity region of the S.W. Pacific. In the case of the nodules, th is reflects an increased supply of transition elements (notably Ni, Cu and Zn) to the nodules as a result of the in situ dissolution of siliceous tests within the sediment column in the equatorial Pacific high productivity zone. Micronodules display similar, but somewhat different, compositions to those of the associated nodules in each area. Micronodule composition is therefore influenced by the same basic factors that control nodule composition, but is modified by dissolution of the micronodules in situ within the sediment column. Locally, as in the area immediately south of the Marquesas Fracture Zone, the micronodule population is contaminated by small, angular volcanic rock fragments; this leads to apparently anomalous micronodule compositions. Micronodules appear to be a transient feature in the sediment column, especially in the equatorial Pacific. Dissolution of micronodules in the sediment column therefore represents an important source of elements for the growth of manganese nodules in the equatorial Pacific. Sediment composition is markedly influenced by the carbonate content. On a carbonate-free basis, the sediments from the equatorial high productivity zone are quite distinct in composition from those in the S.W. Pacific. This reflects differences in the lithology of the sediments. In the Aitutaki Passage, the local influence of volcanoclastic material in sediment composition has been established. The major cations and anions in pore waters measured here show no major differences between equatorial and S.W. Pacific sediments. Silica is, however, higher in equatorial Pacific pore waters reflecting the dissolution of siliceous tests in these sediments.

Description: Manganese nodules, micronodules, and crusts were encountered in surface sediments, and at depth, in 6 of the 10 sites drilled during DSDP Leg 29 south of New Zealand and Tasmania. Major concentrations of surface nodule pavements occur on and adjacent to the Campbell Plateau south of New Zealand, south of the Tasman Rise, and in the South Tasman Sea. These deposits are found on top of erosional unconformities, which span tens of millions of years and reflect scouring by strong bottom currents. Micronodules were also found at depth throughout most of these cores. Their occurrence apparently is dependent upon a number of environmental factors.

Description: The major purpose of Leg 31 was the scrutiny of tectonic, sedimentologic, volcanic, paleontologic, and paleooceanographic processes operative in arc-marginal basin complexes along with a deciphering of basin history. The 12 sites ultimately occupied during Leg 31 all yielded significant new data bearing on the nature and evolution of the West Philippine Basin, Shikoku Basin, and Sea of Japan. The major objective at sites 290 through 292 was to test the mode and age of origin of the West Philippine Sea with emphasis on the nature of the Central Basin Fault. Sites 294/295 were drilled far to the east of the Central Basin Fault zone in the thin sediment blanket covering deeper portions of the northeastern West Philippine Basin. The other sites were situated in the Sea of Japan.

Description: The northwestern Pacific Ocean is the largest expanse of old oceanic lithosphere, and so the principal theme of Leg 32 set by the Pacific Advisory Panel was the late Mesozoic history of the Pacific Ocean. The main scientific goals originally set for the leg were to: 1) Determine the development of the very deep sea floor of the western Pacific, including the nature of its basement rocks and the age, lithology, and fossil content of the sedimentary rocks overlying acoustic basement. 2) Establish standard mid-Mesozoic to Recent paleontological-biostratigraphic reference sections for the (present-day) northwest Pacific. 3) Determine the paleolatitude for a specific period of volcanicity on Koko Guyot of the Emperor Seamount Chain.

Description: Initial data on the hydrogen-isotopic compositions in hydrous Mn minerals from various occurrences fall in a wide range from -298 to -84 per mil, relative to SMOW. DeltaD-values of todorokite and cryptomelane from Tertiary deposits show -89 and -150 per mil. 10 Angström-manganite and Delta-MnO2 from deep-sea nodules have relatively restricted DeltaD-values ranging from -96 to -84 per mil. The DeltaD-values for manganese bog ores from recent hot springs show almost -105 per mil. It is recognized that the isotopic values obtained for the deep-sea nodules and recent bog ores are slightly different ranged. Manganite and groutite are unique in their hydrogen-isotopic compositions, having the most depleted DeltaD-values ranging from -298 to -236 per mil. MnO(OH) minerals are more deuterium-depleted hydrous minerals than any other hydrothermal minerals from various ore deposits. Hydrogen-isotope fractionation factors between manganite and water were experimentally determined to be 0.7894, 0.7958 and 0.8078 at 150°, 200° and 250°C, respectively. the present experimental results indicate that if manganites were formed at temperatures below 250°C, under isotopic equilibrium conditions, most of the manganite mineralization in the Tertiary manganese deposits must have precipitated from meteoric hydrothermal solutions.

Description: This report is Volume 1 in the series of reports entitled "Descriptions of W.H.O.I. rock dredge samples". This series represents a major effort to catalog and prepare initial descriptions for all rock dredge samples in the W.H.O.I. Sea Floor Samples Collection, and to distribute this information throughout the scientific community. Volume 1 contains sample descriptions from approximately 382 dredging stations executed during the period 1960 through 1977. It also represents a digitized listing of all dredge station data for the entire W.H.O.I. Dredge Collection through 1980. This data is sorted by Marsden Square and can serve as a regional index for all rock descriptions included in Volumes 1-3.

Description: Examination of the surface of freshly collected ferromanganese nodules by scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of microcolonies of rod- and coccus-shaped bacteria which appeared to be anchored to the nodule surface by slime. The attachment of microcolonies by slime to the surface of freshly collected nodules argues against their being contaminants introduced during nodule collection or processing. These results corroborate cultural and biochemical detection of bacteria on ferromanganese nodules.

Description: Various types of rocks consisting of plagioclase basalts, olivine basalts, pyroxene basalts, picritic basalts and volcanoclastics were found in the Rift Valley between 36°52'N and 36°47'N in the Atlantic Ocean. Palagonite and manganese are the main coating materials encountered on the chilled margins of the pillow-lava fragments. Palagonite is often associated with montmorillonite and chlorite. The thickness of palagonite coating the chilled margins increases in the fragments found from the innerfloor axis towards the walls of the Rift Valley. There is a linear correlation between the thickness of palagonite and that of the manganese encrustation. Considering a rate of manganese and palagonite accumulation of about 3my/10**3 year it is speculated that the age of a hill located near the axis of the inner floor near 36°50'N is between 3,000 and 12,000 years. The relative age of the inner floor near the intersection of the Rift Valley walls is less than 120,000 years. The specimens having a thicker manganese and palagonite crust located at 4-6 km away from the inner floor axis are 130,000–482,000 years old.

Description: A submersible study has been conducted in February - March 1978 at the axis of the East Pacific Rise near 21°N. The expedition CYAMEX, the first submersible program to be conducted on the East Pacific Rise, is part of the French-American-Mexican project RITA (Rivera - Tamayo), a 3-year study devoted to detailed geological and geophysical investigations of the East Pacific Rise Crest. On the basis of the 15 dives made by CYANA in the axial area of the Rise, a morphological and tectonic zonation can be established for this moderately-fast spreading center. A narrow, 0.6 to 1.2 km wide zone of extrusion (zone 1), dominated by young lava flows, is flanked by a highly fissured and faulted zone of extension (zone 2) with a width of 1 to 2 km. Further out, zone 3 is dominated by outward tilted blocks bounded by inward-facing fault scarps. Active or recent faults extend up to 12 km from the axis of extrusion of the East Pacific Rise. This represents the first determination from direct field evidence of the width of active tectonism associated with an accreting plate boundary. Massive sulfide deposits, made principally of zinc, copper and iron, were found close to the axis of the Rise. Other signs of the intense hydrothermal activity included the discovery of benthic fauna of giant size similar to that found at the axis of the Galapagos Rift. We emphasize the cyclic character of the volcanicity. The main characteristics of the geology of this segment of the East Pacific Rise can be explained by the thermal structure at depth below this moderately-fast spreading center. The geological observations are compatible with the existence of a shallow magma reservoir centered at the axis of the Rise with a half-width of the order of 10 km.

Description: Of numerous island-arc systems in the western Pacific, the Mariana arc-trench system and the basins and submerged ridges lying west of them in the Philippine Sea seemed to be best suited to answer questions regarding arc-trench and back-arc basin formation. Three years of planning by the JOIDES Active Margin Panel, Ocean Crust Panel, and Planning Committee resulted in a proposed transect of drill sites aligned more or less along the 18th parallel. This South Philippine Sea transect was designed to investigate each major basin and ridge between the central part of the West Philippine Sea and the Mariana Trench and the Pacific Ocean plate immediately to the east.

Description: The 286 site is located in the gap between the North and South New Hebrides trenches near the foot of the slope down from Malekula (100 km west of the island) and 370 km north of Mare in the Loyalty Island. The main objectives at the site were: 1) To determine when detritus was first shed into this basin from Malekula and thereby determine when the trench was destroyed and whether the island has moved into its present position in relatively recent time. 2) To determine the time of generation of the sea floor and compare it with that of the South Fiji Basin The Ontong-Java Plateau is underlain by a region of unusual oceanic crust that has an estimated maximum thickness of 40 km. Site 288 was located on the eastern flank of the plateau with the hope that the nature of the basement of the plateau could be determined.

Description: The goal of Site 462 was to study the paleontologic, sedimentary, petrologic, tectonic, and magnetic histories of that area through Recent to Late Jurassic time by drilling a deep re-entry site into the Nauru Basin west of the Ralik Chain of the Marshall Islands. This area formed at a fast-spreading Pacific Plate boundary 145 to 155 m.y. ago, in the Late Jurassic. Cores from this area allow to better understand the biostratigraphic evolution and sedimentary processes in a Mesozoic open-ocean environment, the petrologic nature of fast-spreading oceanic crust, the tectonic history of the Late Jurassic Pacific Plate, and the nature of the Jurassic magnetic quiet zone.

Description: The four sites drilled during Leg 62 were needed to establish better regional coverage of the North Pacific Ocean. Although paleoenvironments were to be stressed on Leg 62, studies of igneous rocks from acoustic basement were planned, to determine ages, petrogenesis, alteration effects, rock magnetism, and Paleomagnetism of old parts of the Pacific crust. These studies were emphasized in order to establish the early history of oceanic plateaus and whether they are the result of midocean-ridge or intraplate volcanism.

Description: A primary objective of Leg 63 was to investigate the fluctuations of this eastern boundary current along a north-south transect off the Gulf of California. This information would aid in biostratigraphically correlating open-ocean planktonic zones with local California zonations. Spanning the last 30 m.y., the complicated tectonic history of the continental margin off California and Baja California comprises changes from a subduction zone to a transform boundary and then to an inactive margin. A second objective of Leg 63 was to define and clarify this history using information on sedimentation, unconformities, basement ages, and paleomagnetic reconstructions gained from drilling, in conjunction with geophysical data and pre-existing bottom samples.

Description: Undamaged deep-sea manganese nodules were retrieved from a box core from the central North Pacific and quickly preserved in formaldehyde solution. Light and scanning electron microscope studies of the nodule surface reveal the presence of a variety of fragile filamentous and coccoid bacterial morphotypes, associated with an organic film that covers the botryoid surface.

Description: This report presents megascopic descriptions of deep sea sediment cores obtained by the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics on cruises of the R/V Kana Keoki in the eastern and western Pacific Ocean during the year 1971.

Description: Submarine photography and box cores described in this report were taken during the R/V Oceanographer Cruise RP-8-OC-75 in October-November 1975 over areas A, B and C of the DOMES project (Deep Ocean Mining Environmental Study). This cruise was part of Phase I of the DOMES project which was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey under the auspices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The purpose of DOMES project was to acquire the information necessary to provide both a timely and an independent assessment of the impact of deep ocean manganese nodule mining on the marine ecosystem before commercial mining operations begin. It was formulated in cooperation with the academic community and the mining industry. It consisted of a two-phase study, first to obtain basic information on the deep ocean environment and then to assess the impact of prototype mining operations on that environment.

Description: The unusual petrological diversity of abyssal lavas erupted along some segments of the Galapagos spreading center is a direct consequence of the propagation (elongation) of these segments into older oceanic crust. With increasing distance behind propagating rift tips, relatively unfractionated MORB erupted close to the tips are joined first by FeTi basalts (bimodal assemblage) and then by a wide range of basaltic and siliceous lavas. Further behind propagating rift tips, this broad range diminishes again, approaching the narrow compositional range of adjacent normal ridge segments. These compositional variations reflect the evolution of the subaxial magmatic system beneath the newly forming spreading center as it propagates through a pre-existing plate. We envisage this evolution as proceeding from small, isolated, ephemeral magma chambers through increasing numbers of larger, increasingly interconnected chambers to the steady-state buffered system of a normal ridge. Throughout this evolution, magma supply rates gradually increase and cooling rates of crustal magma bodies decrease. High degrees of crystal fractionation are favored only when a delicate balance between cooling rate and resupply rate of primitive magma is achieved. At other propagating and non-propagating ridge-transform intersections the degree to which the balance is achieved and the length of ridge over which it evolves control the distribution of fractionated lavas. These effects may be evaluated provided a number of tectonic variables including transform length, spreading and propagation rates are taken into account.

Description: The southernmost part of the Sohm Abyssal Plain in the Northwest Atlantic Basin is geographically distal with respect to the major source of Quaternary terrigenous material transported from the Canadian Maritime Provinces. An assessment of the proportion of more locally introduced sediment relative to that derived from distal sources is based largely on size and compositional analyses of Quaternary piston core samples. These data are supplemented by radiocarbon dating of selected core samples, bottom photographs, conductivity-temperature-depth profiles, and seismic records. The premises of the study are that (a) locally derived sediment should be most abundant near high-relief bathymetric features such as seamounts and abyssal hills, and (b) such material should contain enhanced proportions of reworked volcanic debris and alteration products. Core analyses reveal that the amounts of these are directly related to proximity of volcanic ocean-bottom features, and that a significant, although not total, amount of such volcanic materials recovered from cores are derived from submarine weathering of basalt. Associated with this assemblage are nannofossils, dating from the Quaternary to the Upper Cretaceous, reworked from older strata. This increased proportion of volcanic and related products and reworked faunas near seamounts and basement rises strongly implies that such topographic features continue to serve as major source terrains. Locally derived volcanic materials, however, are usually disseminated and masked on the Sohm Abyssal Plain, particularly in sectors receiving large amounts of terrigenous turbidites and biogenic suspensates, and/or undergoing reworking by bottom currents. We propose that the volcanic fraction can serve as a useful index, or "yardstick," to interpret the role of locally derived material in abyssal plain sedimentation. A sedimentation model is developed to illustrate the premise that as access to land-derived sources diminishes, the proportion of terrigenous components is reduced while pelagic and volcanic fractions are enhanced. Thus, sediment accumulating in abyssal plains almost totally isolated from terrigenous sources would comprise significant amounts of pelagic (including wind-blown) and volcanic components.

Description: Five nodules collected on Leg 28 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project are unique in that they provide an opportunity of studying older, buried nodules. Paleontological evidence from the cores suggests they may be from Miocene to Pliocene in age. The thinness of the ferromanganese coatings on the nuclei suggests that rapid burial took place. They differ from the few analyzed surface nodules from the South Pacific in that the Mn and Ni concentrations of the buried nodules are lower, and the Co concentrations are slightly higher. The Fe and Cu concentrations are similar. There is no evidence that either leaching or remobilization of any of these elements has taken place subsequent to burial.

Description: Nine nodules collected from throughout the deep North Pacific were analyzed for their mineralogy and major-element composition before and after leaching with Chester-Hughes solution. Data indicate that the mineral phillipsite accounts for the major part (〉 75%) of the aluminosilicate fraction of all nodules. It is suggested that formation of phillipsite takes place on growing nodule surfaces coupled with the oxidation of absorbed manganous ion. All the nodules could be described as ternary mixtures of amorphous iron fraction (Fe-Ti-P), manganese oxide fraction (Mn-Mg Cu-Ni), and phillipsite fraction (Al-Si-K-Na), these fractions accounting for 96% of the variability of the chemical composition.

Description: Atlantic manganese nodules and encrustations are most abundant in areas of slow sedimentation beneath the carbonate compensation depth or where currents inhibit sediment accumulation. They principally contain the minerals todorokite and ?MnO2, which are selectively concentrated into nodules and encrustations, respectively, and which show an environmental differentiation thought to be related to redox potentials. Excluding the continental margins, todorokite is most abundant in deepwater deposits. Mineralogical differences between nodules influence their chemical compositions, Ni and Cu being most abundant in samples rich in todorokite and Co in those rich in ?MnO2. Chemically, the deposits differ from those in other major oceans principally in their higher Fe and lower Ni and Cu contents, which may be due to higher rates of supply of Fe to the deposits than those in the other oceans. Regional variations occur in the concentrations of several elements, Mn, Ni, and Cu being enriched in deepwater deposits from areas of slow sedimentation between the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the continental margins and Co being enriched in some deposits from elevated localities. These variations are thought to be due to variation in the sources of the elements concerned and in the depositional environment.

Description: The cores and dredges described in this report were taken on the KH-72-2 Expedition in October-December, 1972 by the Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo from the R/V Hakuho Maru. A total of 21 cores and dredge sites have been recovered.

Description: The object of the detailed investigations was an unusual material collected in the region of the Southern Basin of the Pacific Ocean floor, with features of intense manifestation of volcanic processes and subsequent hydrothermal alterations. These processes to a significant degree transformed the ferromanganese nodules and the pelagic sediments, causing the development of a new type of oceanic manganese mineralization.

Description: Crusts composed of nontronite and ferromanganese oxides were recovered from Explorer Ridge, a spreading ridge segment in the northeastern Pacific Ocean located off the west coast of Canada. The chemical and mineralogical composition of the crusts closely resembles that of the mound-like hydrothermal deposits recently discovered at the FAMOUS site on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and on the Galapagos spreading centre. Compositional anomalies suggest that the crusts are precipitates of hydrothermal vent solutions which were ejected discontinuously and subsequently mixed with seawater.

Description: Submersible exploration on the eastern Pacific Ridge near 21 ° N has revealed an active hydrothermal system. It is manifested by the emission in the marine environment of hot and Highly mineralized fluids (370 ° C maximum). These fluids precipitate on contact with seawater and deposits of massive sulphides are built at the outlet of their sources. The mineralogical and geochemical study of the products associated with the emissions of hot fluids provides an initial evaluation of this type of deposit and leads to a comparison between the hydrothermalism responsible for the formation of sulphides and the hydrothermalism responsible for the formation of metal rich crusts formed of iron smectites and manganese oxides. This study is carried out with conventional mineralogical and geochemical investigations (optical and electronic microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, electron microprobe, neutron activation and mass spectrometry).

Description: A reconnaissance cruise by the NZOI research vessel TANGAROA has defined limits of manganese nodule occurrence in portions of the Southwestern Pacific Basin. Bottom samples were collected at 46 stations between New Zealand and Rarotonga (in the Cook Islands), using pipe dredges, gravity corers and free fall grabs. Manganese nodules were recovered at 9 stations southwest of Rarotonga, at distances of 130 to 1000 km from the island, and in depths of 4700 to 5700 meters. Dense concentrations, up to 100% (as seen in bottom photographs), occur in a more restricted area, 220 to 745 km southwest of Rarotonga. A free fall grab yielded 20 kg/m^ of nodules at one station in this area. Most of the nodules are spheroidal, and range in size from 1-9 cm. Nodules were recovered at 15 stations in two areas south of Rarotonga, 45 to 1270 km and 1580 to 2090 km south of the island, and in depths of 3970 to 5590 meters. Compared to the nodules collected southwest of Rarotonga, nodules from the areas south of Rarotonga show a wider range of sizes (0.5-11 cm) and shapes (discoidal, botryoidal, spheroidal with equatorial "skirts", and more irregular forms in addition to many spheroidal nodules). Considering the entire study area, where different nodule morphologies occur at a single station, the smaller nodules tend to be more spheroidal. Surface textures of the nodules are generally uniformly granular. Nodules from all areas in the basin occur on light brown to dark brown silty clay; the coarse fraction of the sediment invariably includes volcanic fragments (pumice, tuff, and basalt), and often sharks' teeth. Areas devoid of nodules have little coarse fraction in the sediment. Sedimentation rates and availability of nuclei are presumed to govern nodule distribution.

Description: During a research cruise of the New Zealand research vessel Tangaroa 1974 large manganese nodule fields with high density have been discovered in the Southwest Pacific. The chemical analysis was carried out on the dredges showing average grades of 16.7% Mn, 21.1% Fe, O, 22% Cu, o, 4o% Ni and O, 38% Co. The highest copper and nickel contents are at l% and therefore below the limit of 3%, which must be exceeded in general today, when the ore is to be regarded as an economically interesting . Comparisons of different analysis of manganese nodules size fractions showed that there are little differences in the chemical composition associated with nodule size. Also, the value of metal content in well-preserved nuclei volcanogenic nuclei is comparable with that of the nodule surface areas.

Description: The cores and dredges described in this report were taken on the GH74-5 Expedition in September-October, 1974 by the Geological Survey of Japan from the R/V Hakurei Maru. A total of 36 cores, dredges and submarine camera sites have been visited. The survey conducted an investigation of the manganese deposits in the Eastern Pacific Basin and the East of the Okinawa islands

Description: Deep sea manganese nodules are considered as important natural resources for the future because of their Ni, Cu and Co contents. Their different shapes cannot be correlated clearly with their chemical composition. Surface constitution, however, can be associated with the metal contents. A classification of the nodules is suggested on the basis of these results. The iron content of the nodules strikingly shows relations to the physical properties (e.g. density and porosity). The method of density-measurement is the reason for this covariance. The investigation of freeze-dried nodular substance does not give this result. The Fe-rich nodules lose more hydration water than the Fe-poor ones during heat drying. The reason for this effect is the different crystallinity, respectively the particle size. The mean particle size is calculated on the basis of geometrical models. The X-ray-diffraction analysis proves the variation of crystallinity in connection with the Fe-content, too. The internal nodular textures also show characteristic distinctions.

Description: The sulfide deposit at Site 471 occurs between overlying pelagic sediment and underlying basalt. The deposit is vertically zoned and consists, from top to bottom, of the following mineral assemblages: (1) pyrite, chalcopyrite, and Zn-sulfide in chert and calcite gangue (~ 35 cm thick); (2) a 5-cm-thick metalliferous sediment layer and (3) a 4-cm-thick chert layer. The calcite gangue appears at a later stage than chert gangue in the sequence of deposition, also filling in voids and fractures. The manganese content of calcite is particularly high and varies systematically, reaching a maximum at the top of the massive sulfide portion of the deposit.

Description: Elevated regions in the central parts of ocean basins are excellent for study of accumulation of eolian material. The mass-accumulation rates of this sediment component appear to reflect changes in the influx of volcanic materials through the Early Cretaceous to Recent history of Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 463, on the Mid-Pacific Mountains. Four distinct episodes of eolian accumulation occurred during the Cretaceous: two periods of moderate accumulation, averaging about 0.2 to 0.3 g/cm**2/10**3 yr, 67 to 70.5 m.y. ago and 91 to 108 m.y. ago; a period of low accumulation, approximately 0.03 g/cm**2/10**3 yr, 70.5 to 90 m.y. ago; and a period of high accumulation, about 0.9 g/cm**2/10**3 yr, 109 to 117 m.y. ago (bottom of the hole). Much of the Cenozoic section is missing from Site 463. Upper Miocene to Recent sediments record an upward increase in accumulation rates, from less than 0.01 to about 0.044 g/cm**2/10**3 yr. The late Pliocene-Pleistocene peak may reflect the change to glacial-wind regimes, as well as an increase in volcanic source materials.