Sedimentary Processes and Pelagic Turbidites in the Eastern Central Pacific Basin

Book excerpt: Analysis of sediment cores from an area of the eastern Central Pacific basin revealed varied characteristics of the cores and associated acoustical properties of the sediments that enabled the study area to be divided into five provinces. Two of the provinces, one consisting of acoustically highly transparent siliceous ooze and the other of highly stratified calcareous ooze, are separated by a third, a siliceous-calcareous transition zone. A fourth province consists of partially eroded, highly stratified sediments of Tertiary age which are unconformably overlain by a thin, transparent siliceous ooze of Quaternary age. The fifth province consists of channels arranged in a distributary-like pattern that contain highly stratified sediments incised into surrounding transparent siliceous sediments. Surface sediment distribution was generally consistent with the calcite compensation depth of about 5000 meters.