Daily Science Report 45 -- Tuesday, 25 January 2011
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The vessel arrived at the new site in the early morning and Hole U1375A was spudded on a flat, sandy seafloor plane in the early afternoon. Core U1357A-1R (0-8.5 mbsf) recovered only 2 cm of loose sand in the core catcher. The material is described as sandy, foraminiferal ooze containing abundant Pleistocene to Holocene planktonic foraminifers and nannofossils. Unfortunately the uppermost part of the hole was not stable enough to continue coring, therefore coring was cut short and Core U1375A-2R (8.5-11.5 mbsf) was retrieved after 3 m of advancement. The core recovered 1.5 m of consolidated material of varying lithology. The upper 1 m is a colorful conglomerate composed of at least three different types of volcanic clasts (detailed description is ongoing) that are cemented by a white, foraminifer-rich limestone matrix. The lower part of the core is a yellowish volcanic sandstone containing (shallow-marine?) bioclasts. The decision was made to start a new hole 300 m further to the NW in the hope of finding better drilling conditions. Hole U1357B was spudded shortly before midnight. Sampling for personal, post-expedition research continued today from Cores U1374A-50R through -60R.
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