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IODP Expedition 342
Paleogene Newfoundland Sediment Drifts
Daily Science Report for 31 July 2012
LOCATION: St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
SCIENCE UPDATE: The science party completed Expedition 342 shipboard work. IODP-USIO management personnel boarded the vessel and debriefed Expedition 342 scientists and staff. Science participants will disembark tomorrow morning, 1 August.
Daily Science Report for 30 July 2012
LOCATION: St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
SCIENCE UPDATE: The vessel arrived in St. John's in the afternoon. Science personnel went on shore leave at 1800. The science party will complete Expedition 342 shipboard work tomorrow, 31 July, and disembark on 1 August.
Daily Science Report for 29 July 2012
LOCATION: In transit from Site U1411 to St. John's, Newfoundland.
SCIENCE UPDATE: We are in transit to St. John's at full speed. Expected time of arrival is 1600 h on 30 July. All sampling and shipboard measurements are completed. The science party is busy writing science reports.
Daily Science Report for 28 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1411 (41°37.10'N, 48°59.98'W, 3299 m water depth; proposed site SENR-11A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1411C was completed with Cores U1411C-5H through 17X (109.5-223. 9 m). Total recovery in Hole U1411C was 117.6 m (92% recovery, excluding the interval drilled without coring from 9.2-100 m). The sequence of Pleistocene to late Eocene clay with various amounts of silt, nannofossils, and foraminifers is the same recovered in Hole U1411A. Due to a medical emergency, plans to drill another hole at Site U1411 before concluding Expedition 342 drilling operations were abandoned. The drill pipe was pulled and the vessel prepared for transit to St. Johns, Newfoundland.
Daily Science Report for 27 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1411 (41°37.10'N, 48°59.98'W, 3299 m water depth; proposed site SENR-11A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Hole U1411B was completed with Cores U1411B-21X through 28X (177.4-254.2 m). Total recovery in Hole U1411B was 233.9 m (92%). The sequence consists of Pleistocene to late Eocene silt clay with foraminifers and foraminiferal clay with silt (15 m), silty clay (45 m), and nannofossil clay, clay with nannofossils with varying amounts of silt, and clayey nannofossil ooze with silt (145 m). Hole U1411C was initiated with Cores U1411C-1H and 2H (0-9.2 m). Assessment of remaining operations time led to the decision to drill without coring from 9.2-100 m. Coring then resumed with Core U1411C-4H to 109.5 m.
Daily Science Report for 26 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1411 (41°37.10'N, 48°59.98'W, 3299 m water depth; proposed site SENR-11A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Hole U1411B was initiated with Cores U1411B-1H through 20H (0.0-177.4 m), recovering 182.7 m (103%). The sequence is of Pleistocene to late Eocene age, with an expanded (75-100 m thick) early Oligocene interval. The sediments so far described comprise, from top to bottom, clay with varying amounts of silt and foraminifers (15 m), silty clay (45 m), and nannofossil clay and clay with nannofossils with varying amounts of silt (55 m).
Daily Science Report for 25 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1411 (41°37.10'N, 48°59.98'W, 3299 m water depth; proposed site SENR-11A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: The vessel transited to Site U1411 (proposed site SENR-11A), the last site of Expedition 342. Site U1411 should provide an expanded record of primarily calcareous ooze and chalk roughly age-equivalent to sites in deeper water on J Anomaly Ridge. It should also include a high deposition-rate record of the Miocene(?), Oligocene and Eocene as a counterpart to the largely sub-CCD record at Site U1403 and the shallower records at Sites U1405 and U1406. The drill pipe was tripped to the seafloor and Core U1411A-1H was recovered at the very end of the day - it was a full core and the mudline could therefore not be determined. Hole U1411A was abandoned and spudding of Hole U1411B began.
Daily Science Report for 24 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1410 (41°19.70'N, 49°10.20'W, 3387 m water depth; proposed site SENR-23A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1410C was completed with Cores U1410B-6H through 27X (44.8-243.8 m). Total recovery in Hole U1410C is 229.0 m (94%). The recovered sequence consists of Pleistocene to early Eocene nannofossil ooze/chalk and clay/claystone with varying amounts of foraminifers and radiolarians. At the end of the day, the rig was preparing to pull the pipe for the transit to the last site of Expedition 342, proposed site SENR-11A.
Daily Science Report for 23 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1410 (41°19.70'N, 49°10.20'W, 3387 m water depth; proposed site SENR-23A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1410B was completed with Cores U1410B-16H through 28X (128.8-245.2 m). Total recovery in Hole U1410B is 244.8 m (100%). The recovered sequence consists of Pleistocene to early Eocene nannofossil ooze/chalk and clay/claystone with varying amounts of foraminifers and radiolarians. Hole U1410C was initiated with Cores U1410C-1H though 5H (0-44.8 m).
Daily Science Report for 22 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1410 (41°19.70'N, 49°10.20'W, 3387 m water depth; proposed site SENR-23A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1410A was completed with Cores U1410A-27X and 28X (246.7-259.8 m). Total recovery in Hole U1410A is 256.9 m (99%). This lowermost interval consists of early Paleocene nannofossil chalk with foraminifers. Hole U1410B was initiated with Cores U1410B-1H through 15H (0-128.8 m) with a recovery of 130.6 m (101%). This hole will provide a copy of the sequence recovered in Hole U1410A, consisting of Pleistocene to late Paleocene nannofossil ooze/chalk and clay/claystone with varying amounts of foraminifers and radiolarians.
Daily Science Report for 21 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1410 (41°19.70'N, 49°10.20'W, 3387 m water depth; proposed site SENR-23A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1410A continued with Cores U1410A-4H through 26X (27.5-246.7 m) with a recovery of 217.4 m (99%). The sequence drilled so far is of Pleistocene to early Eocene in age based on core catcher sample analysis. The the top ~140 m interval was described today and consists of ~33 m of Pleistocene brown and gray muddy nannofossil ooze with foraminifers and radiolarians and muddy foraminiferal ooze with nannofossils, followed by ~30 m of Miocene to Oligocene dark greenish gray clay, clay with nannofossils, and nannofossil clay, followed by ~80 m of middle Eocene greenish gray nannofossil ooze and nanofossil clay, and light greenish gray nannofossil ooze with foraminifers.
Daily Science Report for 20 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1409 (41°17.50'N, 49°14.00'W, 3500 m water depth; proposed site SENR-22A)
and Site U1410 (41°19.70'N, 49°10.20'W, 3387 m water depth; proposed site SENR-23A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1409C was completed with Cores U1409C-14H through 21X (116.3-160.8 m). Total recovery in Hole U1409C was 160.6 m for 160.8 m cored (100% recovery). The sediments consist of Pleistocene to late Paleocene nannofossil ooze and nannofossil clay, with foraminifers and radiolarians in some intervals. This concluded operations are Site U1409. The vessel moved to Site U1410 (proposed site SENR-23A) in dynamic positioning mode to core the same sediment drift sequence cored at Site U1409, but with an expanded Eocene section. Hole U1410A was initiated with Cores U1410A-1H through 3H (0-27.5 m) with a recovery of 28.4 m (103%).
Daily Science Report for 19 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1409 (41°17.50'N, 49°14.00'W, 3500 m water depth; proposed site SENR-22A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1409B was completed with Cores U1409A-17X and 19X (141.7-170.5 m). Total recovery in Hole U1409B was 167.1 m for 170.5 m cored (98% recovery). Hole U1409C was initiated with Cores U1409B-1H through 13H (0-116.3 m) with a recovery of 118.5 m (102%). As in Holes U1409A and U1409B, the sediments consist of Pleistocene to early Eocene nannofossil ooze and nannofossil clay, with foraminifers and radiolarians in some intervals.
Daily Science Report for 18 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1409 (41°17.50'N, 49°14.00'W, 3500 m water depth; proposed site SENR-22A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1409A was completed with Cores U1409A-25X and 26X (197.7-200.1 m). Total recovery in Hole U1409A was 183.3 m for 200.1 m cored (92% recovery). Hole U1409B was initiated with Cores U1409B-1H through 16X (0-141.7 m) with a recovery of 138.9 m (98%). As in Hole U1409A, the sediments consist of Pleistocene to early Eocene nannofossil ooze and nannofossil clay, with foraminifers and radiolarians in some intervals.
Daily Science Report for 17 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1409 (41°17.50'N, 49°14.00'W, 3500 m water depth; proposed site SENR-22A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1409A continued with Cores U1409A-3H through 24X (10.6-197.7 m) with a recovery of 171.3 m (92%). The sediments are of Pleistocene to early Paleocene age and consist primarily of nannofossil ooze/chalk and nannofossil clay, with foraminifers and radiolarians in some intervals.
Daily Science Report for 16 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1409 (41°17.50'N, 49°14.00'W, 3500 m water depth; proposed site SENR-22A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: The vessel arrived at Site U1409 (proposed site SENR-22A) in the morning. The objective at this site is to recover a lower to middle Eocene sediment drift section. A few afternoon hours were spent deploying and testing the repaired subsea camera system that suffered damage during attempts to recover a lost logging tool at Site U1403. Coring in Hole U1409A was initiated in the late evening with Cores U1409A-1H through 2H (0.0-10.6 m).
Daily Science Report for 15 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1408 (41°26.30'N, 49°47.15'W, 3022 m water depth; proposed site SENR-21B)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1408C was completed with Cores U1408C-8H through 23X (59.3-187.5 m). We cored a total of 187.5 m in Hole U1408C and recovered 162.3 m (87% recovery). This is the same Pleistocene to Eocene sequence cored in Holes U1408A and U1408B, consisting of clay (claystone) and nannofossil ooze (chalk) with varying, subordinate amounts of silt and foraminifers. Preparations are underway to move to the next site (proposed site SENR-22A).
Daily Science Report for 14 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1408 (41°26.30'N, 49°47.15'W, 3022 m water depth; proposed site SENR-21B)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1408B was completed with Cores U1408B-12H through 26X (90.7-217.5 m). We cored a total of 217.5 m in Hole U1408B and recovered 224.1 m (103% recovery). This is the same Pleistocene to Eocene sequence cored in Hole U1408A, consisting of clay (claystone) and nannofossil ooze (chalk) with varying, subordinate amounts of silt and foraminifers. Hole U1408C was initiated with Cores U1408C-1H through 7H (0.0-59.3 m).
Daily Science Report for 13 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1408 (41°26.30'N, 49°47.15'W, 3022 m water depth; proposed site SENR-21B)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1408A was completed with Cores U1408A-23X through 27X (198.5-246.5 m), with 41.7 m of core recovered (87%). The interval is of middle Eocene to late Paleocene age. Hole U1408B was initiated with Cores U1408-1H through 11H (0.0-90.7 m) with a recovery of 91 m (100%). The sediments described so far consist predominantly of clay and nannofossils, with varying, subordinate amounts of silt and foraminifers.
Daily Science Report for 12 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1408 (41°26.30'N, 49°47.15'W, 3022 m water depth; proposed site SENR-21B)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1408A proceeded with Cores U1408A-1H through 22X (0.0 -198.5 m), with 202.2 m of core recovered (102%). The sequence drilled so far is of Pleistocene to middle Eocene age. The middle Eocene, including the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO) record, appear to be expanded at this site (currently 42-198 m, or 156 m thick). Calcareous microfossil preservation is excellent, but the sediments are barren of radiolarians.
Daily Science Report for 11 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1407 (41°25.50'N, 49°48.80'W, 3080 m water depth; proposed site SENR-20A)
and Site U1408 (41°26.30'N, 49°47.15'W, 3022 m water depth; proposed site SENR-21B)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1407C was completed with Cores U1407C-12H through 29X (96.0 -261.6 m), with 152 m of core recovered (92%). Hole U1407C is a repeat section of the Pleistocene to Albian sequence recovered in Holes U1407A and U1407B. A third copy of the black shale and sandstone of the oceanic anoxic event at the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary (OAE2) was recovered at ~230 m. The vessel made the short transit to Site U1408 (proposed site SENR-21A) in dynamic positioning mode and, at the end of the day, was ready to retrieve the first core from Hole U1408A.
Daily Science Report for 10 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1407 (41°25.50'N, 49°48.80'W, 3080 m water depth; proposed site SENR-20A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1407B was completed with Cores U1407B-16X through 28X (155.8-276.3 m) with a recovery of 113.7 m (94%). Hole U1407C was initiated with Cores U1407C-1H through 11H (0-96.0 m). Holes U1407B and U1407C are repeat sections of the Pleistocene to Albian sequence recovered in Hole U1407A, and target to recover intervals that were not recovered in the previous holes.
Daily Science Report for 9 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1407 (41°25.50'N, 49°48.80'W, 3080 m water depth; proposed site SENR-20A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1407A was completed with Cores U1406A-31X through 35X (260.7-308.7 m) with a recovery of 8.4 m (17%). Core U1407A-31X (8 m long, 80% recovery) consists of late Albian white nannofossil chalk with foraminifers, grading downhole into white sandstone. Cores U1406A-32X through 35X returned only a total 43 cm (~1% recovery) and consist of white fossiliferous limestone reef deposits. Hole U1407B was initiated with Cores U1407B-1H through 15X (0-155.8 m) and is a repeat section of Hole U1407A.
Daily Science Report for 8 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1407 (41°25.50'N, 49°48.80'W, 3080 m water depth; proposed site SENR-20A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1407A continued with Cores U1406A-10H through 30X (82.8-260.7m) with a recovery of 113.2 m (64%). The cores are of middle Eocene to Cenomanian age and are comprised of white nannofossil ooze with foraminifers, white nannofossil chalk with biogenic components, and pinkish white and very pale brown nannofossil chalk with radiolarians. A 22-cm thick layer of black claystone at ~232 m made the organic geochemists' day.
Daily Science Report for 7 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1407 (41°25.50'N, 49°48.80'W, 3080 m water depth; proposed site SENR-20A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: The vessel arrived at Site U1407 (proposed site SENR-20A) in the morning and coring in Hole U1407A began in the afternoon. Cores U1406A-1H through 9H (0-82.8 m) were taken with a recovery of 84.1 m (102%). The first core is Pleistocene foraminifer-sand-rich mud alternating with reddish-brown clay-rich sediment and comprises granule to cobble clasts and lithogenic sand. The base of Core U1406A-2H is Oligocene, and Cores U1406A-3H through 9H are middle Eocene. Foraminifers are exceptionally well preserved in the Eocene clay-rich sediments.
Daily Science Report for 6 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1406 (40°21.00'N, 51°39.00'W, 3850 m water depth; proposed site JA-6A)
and in transit to Site U1407 (proposed site SENR-20A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1406C was completed with Cores U1406C-28X through 29X (226.1-241.4 m), with a recovery of 3.1 m (20%). The recovered sediment consists of late Eocene light greenish gray nannofossil chalk. The vessel then returned to Site U1405 to release and recover the beacon left on the seafloor due to rough seas, before getting underway to Site U1407 (proposed site SENR-20A). Proposed sites SENR-20A, SENR-21B, and SENR-22A were requested and approved for drilling a few days ago and are not listed in the Scientific Prospectus. The objective of these sites is to avoid thick Miocene sediments found at Sites U1404, U1405, and U1406, and instead recover the originally targeted Paleogene sediment packages outcropping or lying at shallow burial depths that can be reached with the APC coring system.
Daily Science Report for 5 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1406 (40°21.00'N, 51°39.00'W, 3850 m water depth; proposed site JA-6A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1406C proceeded with Cores U1406C-12H through 27X (97.9-226.1 m), with a recovery of 123.4 m (98%). The recovered sediment consists of the same Miocene to Eocene sequence cored in Holes U1406A and U1406B, comprised dominantly of light greenish gray nannofossil ooze with varying amounts of foraminifers, radiolarians and clay.
Daily Science Report for 4 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1406 (40°21.00'N, 51°39.00'W, 3850 m water depth; proposed site JA-6A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1406B was completed with Cores U1406B-26X through 30X (212.9-253.6 m), with a recovery of 36.8 m (90%). Hole U1406C was initiated with Cores U1406C-1H through 11H (0-97.9 m), with 3 m drilled without coring and 96.5 m recovered (102% recovery). The recovered sediment consists of the same Miocene to Eocene sequence cored in Holes U1406A and U1406B, comprised dominantly of greenish gray nannofossil ooze with varying amounts of foraminifers and radiolarians.
Daily Science Report for 3 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1406 (40°21.00'N, 51°39.00'W, 3850 m water depth; proposed site JA-6A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Coring in Hole U1406B continued with the retrieval of Cores U1406B-4H through 25X (23.3-212.9 m), with a recovery of 180.5 m (95%). The recovered sediment consists of Miocene to Eocene greenish gray nannofossil ooze with varying amounts of foraminifers and radiolarians.
Daily Science Report for 2 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1406 (40°21.00'N, 51°39.00'W, 3850 m water depth; proposed site JA-6A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Hole U1406A was completed from 222.8 m to the total depth of 283.3 m with Cores U1406A-27X through 34X. In Hole U1404A, we cored a total of 283.3 m and recovered 267.3 m (94%). The stratigraphic record extends back to the upper Paleocene and contains well-preserved calcareous microfossils. The sediments consist of greenish gray, white and pink nannofossil ooze and nannofossil chalk with foraminifers and radiolarians. Hole U1404B was initiated with Cores U1404B-1H through 3H (0-23.3 m), with a recovery of 103%.
Daily Science Report for 1 July 2012
LOCATION: Site U1406 (40°21.00'N, 51°39.00'W, 3850 m water depth; proposed site JA-6A)
SCIENCE UPDATE: Cores U1406A-5H though 26X were cut from the interval 34.7 m to 222.8 m, with a recovery of 179.4 m (95%). Partial APC strokes started with Core U1406A-13H, but core lengths were still >8 m down to Core U1406A-23H. The following two cores U1406A-24H and 25H came up empty and we therefore switched to the XCB system with Core U1406A-26X. The Eocene-Oligocene transition was identified in Core U1406A-22H. The cores described so far comprise greenish gray nannofossil ooze and nannofossil ooze with foraminifers.
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