Daily Science Report 23 -- Monday, 3 January 2011
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Today’s Cores U1373A-7R (32.7-37.4 mbsf), -8R (37.4-42.1 mbsf), -9R (42.1-46.5 mbsf), -10R (46.5-51.3 mbsf) and -11R (51.3-56.0 mbsf) were retrieved with excellent average recovery of 97%. Fluorescent microspheres for microbiologic contamination testing were deployed in Core U1373A-11R. The transition from predominantly clastic (conglomerate) sediment with minor lava units to “igneous basement” (predominantly lava flows) was identified at U1373A-7R-1, 121 cm corresponding to 33.9 mbsf. At that depth, a distinct highly olivine-pyroxene-phyric basaltic lava flows is encountered. The same lithology was found in some of the clasts in the overlying conglomerate, and pending geochemical analyses will show if those clasts can be related to this flow. Below this distinct flow, the lavas become less phyric to aphyric. Several flows show a peperitic texture (caused by mixture or shallow intrusion of lava into unconsolidated sediment) either at the flow margins or throughout the whole flow. At noon, the site summary meetings for previous Site U1372 continued with presentations by the Physical Properties and Microbiology lab groups.
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