5. SITE 214
The Shipboard Scientific Party1

ABSTRACT
Site 214 is situated on the crest of Ninety east Ridge in a water
depth of 1655 meters. The 490-meter-thick stratigraphic column
comprises several distinct stratigraphic units which were
deposited in environments ranging from pelagic to shallow waterand subaerial. Uppermost of these is a thick pelagic foraminiferalnannofossil ooze, glauconitic at its base, which ranges in age
from upper Pleistocene to lower Eocene. This grades down into aglauconitic carbonate silt of lower Eocene to Paleocene age whichis underlain by pyritic lagoonal sediments and a complex oflignitic and volcanoclastic sediments and tuffs interbedded withdifferentiated igneous flows. A coarse amygdalar basalt occurs
below a depth of 490 meters, possibly representing the basementof Ninety east Ridge. The stratigraphy of this site is in accord withsubsidence of the area at or above sea level during Paleocene andpossibly older times to its present depth.

SITE DATA

Date Occupied: 8 Feb 72 (2315)
Date Departed: 12 Feb 72 (0103)
Time on Site: 73 hours 48 minutes
Position:
lat ll°20.2l'Slong 88°43.08'E
Water Depth (to rig floor):
1671 meters (Echo sounding)
1665 meters (Drill pipe)
Penetration: 500 meters
Number of Holes: 1
Number of Cores: 54
Total Length of Cored Section: 494.5 meters
Total Core Recovered: 346.0 meters
Acoustic Basement:
Depth: 490 meters
Nature: Vesicular basalt
Age of Oldest Sediment: Paleocene
Basement: Vesicular basalt
C. C. von der Borch, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South
Australia; J. G. Sclater, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La
Jolla, California; S. Gartner, Jr., Rosenstiel School of Marine andAtmospheric Science, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida;
R. Hekinian, Centre Oceanologique de Bretagne, Brest, France; D. A.
Johnson, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole,
Massachusetts; B. McGowran, University of Adelaide, Adelaide,
South Australia; A. C. Pimm, Scripps Institution of Oceanography;
La Jolla, California; R. W. Thompson, Humboldt State College,
Arcata, California; J. J. Veevers, Macquarie University, North Ryde,
N.S.W., Australia; Lee S. Waterman, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Prominent and distinctive east-west trending magnetic
anomalies have been identified on either side of the
Ninetyeast Ridge (McKenzie and Sclater, 1971; Sclater andFisher, in press). These anomalies have been identified as 23
through 32, spreading in opposite directions. The oceanic
crust on the east of the ridge gets older to the north, whileon the west the age increases to the south. Thus, theNinetyeast Ridge and the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge to thewest which marks a similar offset in the magnetics(McKenzie and Sclater, 1971) are the features left behindwhen India moved north during the Late Cretaceous andearly Tertiary relative to a fixed Antarctica/Australia. In the
middle Eocene (anomaly 21), Australia started to separate
from Antarctica. The ridge between the triple junction,
marking the junction of the central Indian Ridge andsoutheast and southwest branches, and the Tasman Fracture Zone became a long continuous feature, and motion
on the Ninetyeast Ridge terminated. Australia and India
became part of the same plate, and the spreading direction
started to change from north-south to northeast-southwest.
McKenzie and Sclater (1971) postulated that this change inspreading direction caused compression along the line of
weakness—the long north-south fracture zone—and the
Ninetyeast Ridge was formed by uplift of the oceanic crust.
The Ninetyeast Ridge has a basically north-south grainsouth of 12°S and an en-echelon nature north of this point.
It is possible that the differences reflect the different
tectonic process active in the ridge at the time ofcompression. The ridge to the north, being just a fracturezone and not an active transform fault, was offset in an
en-echelon fashion, whereas the portion to the south, being
part of the recently active transform fault, was formed bymajor outbursts of volcanic material.

119

SITE 214
Cretaceous and Eocene calcareous material has been
dredged from the sides of the Ninetyeast Ridge, andcalcareous cores of Eocene through present have been
recovered from the crest. From this evidence is it presumed
that the ridge has been above the carbonate compensationlevel since the Cretaceous. Thus sites on the ridge present aunique chance to obtain the complete calcareous biostratigraphic records for the post-Cretaceous sediments
Site 214 was chosen on an elevated region at the crest of
the Ninetyeast Ridge on the last section of the predominantly north-south grain before the ridge turns into a seriesof en-echelon north northeast-south southwest trending
short ridges (Figure 1). In this region the ridge is thinnerthan to the south and has a roughly bell-like shape.
However, it is not quite symmetrical having a steeper
eastern slope. The Conrad 14 Site Survey (Figure 2) showstransparent sediment on top of stratified sediments with asmooth strong reflector at 0.2 sec with a strong probably
basement reflector at 0.45 sec. Surface sediments consist ofa coarse foraminiferal sand. An Eocene core was obtained
not far from this site on Ninetyeast Ridge and may give theage of the smooth hard reflector. The seismic reflection
record from the Challenger going towards and leaving thesite are typical of the ridge in this area (Chapter 10).
The objectives of this site were to attain a continuous
calcareous biostratigraphic section from above the carbonate composition depth in the Indian Ocean and to
determine the basement age and method of formation andpetrology of the Ninetyeast Ridge.

LITHOLOGIC SUMMARY
Hole 214 was continuously cored to a total depth of 500
meters. Pleistocene to Eocene calcareous biogenous ooze,
323 meters thick, overlies a Paleocene glauconitic silty
calcarenite and a complex of presumably older Paleocene
lignite and volcanogenic sediments which are intruded by abasaltic sill. Five lithologic units are recognized as shown in
Figure 3 and below.
Depth Below
Unit Sea Floor (m)Lithologylb

Oto 162

Foram-nanno oozelb

162 to 219

lc

219 to 323

Foram-rich nannoooze
Nanno ooze

Id

323 to 333

2a

333 to 366

2b

366 to 390

3

390 to 490

4440 to 468

5490 to 500

OPERATIONS
Site 214 was approached in a westerly direction along
the seismic reflection profile of Conrad 14. The site issituated on the crest of the Ninetyeast Ridge, in an area
where sediment thickness is about 0.5 sec over acoustic
basement.
A spar buoy was dropped over the proposed drilling site,
after which the seismic gear and magnetometer weresecured, and the Challenger reversed course to the buoy.
The beacon was dropped in a water depth of 1665 meters.
The coring summary is given in Table 1.
The uppermost 330 meters of the hole was drilled in
unconsolidated
tosemiconsolidated
foraminiferalnannofossil ooze. A minor amount of hole caving was
experienced in the uppermost few meters due to the loose
foraminiferal sand. Hole conditions improved after Barrels
2 and 3, and drilling progressed through 53 meters ofglauconitic chalk and 62 meters of lagoonal sediments andlignites to a basalt flow at a sediment depth of 445 meters.
The basalt, 27 meters in thickness, was penetrated without
mishap, after which 16 meters of semi-indurated volcanoclastic material was drilled overlying coarse amygdaloidal
basalt. The lower basalt was penetrated for 12 meters
before drilling was stopped. Flowage of sand-sized material
from the layer between the basalts caused some hole
problems. Fifty barrels of mud were pumped into the holefor stabilization, with successful results.
The bit used was a Smith 94 CJS, 4-cone type.

120

Age

Cores

Pleistocene
1-17
to uppermid-Miocene
18-23
Mid-early
MioceneLate Oligo- 24-34
cene to
Early Eocene
Early Eocene 35-36
to Paleocene
Paleocene
36-39

Glauconitic foramrich ooze and chalk
Glauconitic carbonate silt and sandwith some shells
Paleocene
Glauconitic shelly
carbonate silt andlimestone withvolcanic components
Lignite, volcanic
1clay, tuff, and lapilli
tuff interlayered with
Unit 4
1
Intermediate differentiated rocks
1
Basalt, coarse
grained, vesicularand amygdalar

40-41

42-53

48-51
53-54

Unit 1 —Nannofossil Ooze (Cores 1-34)
All but a small part of Unit 1 is made up of calcareous
nannofossils with variable amounts of foraminifera. Parts ofsubunit la contain as much as 50% of foraminifera, subunitlb < 20%, subunit lc < iθ%, and subunit Id < 13%. The
other constituents are in trace quantities only and include
radiolarians, diatoms, sponge spicules, and volcanic glassnear the surface (0-66 meters) and a mottle of volcanic glassfragments at 263 meters. Except for subunit Id, the entire
unit is uniform in appearance, being a soft white (N9) tovery pale orange (10YR8/2) ooze, and the only structures
are color bands, streaks, and mottles. The top 95 cm are
fairly regularly banded, either white (N9) and yellowish
gray (5Y7/2), or dusky yellow green (5GY5/2) and grayish
yellow green (5GY7/2). These bands probably reflect
climatic effects. Subunit la and the top 30 cm of subunit
lb give off H 2 S.
Subunit Id is transitional to Unit 2 and includes paleyellow glauconite (<3%), some of it altered to limonite,and parts of it are lightly indurated to chalk.

SITE 214

Figure 1. Bathymetry in vicinity of Site 214.

121

SITE 214

Unit 4—Intermediate Differentiated Rocks (Cores 48-51).
Unit 4 consists of a differentiated flow within volcanoclastic sediments (Figure 2).
This flow consists of fine-grained moderately freshintermediate differentiated rocks (about 3 meters ofrecovery). The top and the bottom of this unit, where in
direct contact with volcanoclastic material, show chilled
margins with a decrease in the size of the minerals and anincrease of glassy groundmass. The general textural featureis trachytic, with Plagioclase laths being arranged in aparallel manner within a matrix containing few pyroxene
granules, iron ore, and fresh light brown glass.
Unit 5-Basaltic Rocks (Cores 53, 54).

Figure 2. Presite survey and form lines for Site 214.
Unit 2— Glauconitic Carbonate Silt and Sand
With Some Volcanic Components (Cores 36-41)
Unit 2 is an unconsolidated grayish olive green (5GY3/2)
glauconitic carbonate silt and sand with gastropods andbivalves which in subunit 2b additionally contains abundantreworked volcanic components. The chief constituent is
calcite, in grains <0.5 mm across, some of them identifiable
as various fossils, including foraminifera and echinoderms,
others as micrite pellets, but most grains are unidentifiable.
Other constituents include glauconite, volcanic (basaltic)
glass, fragments of volcanic rocks, feldspar, apatite, pyrite,
and various amounts of calcareous nannofossils andsiliceous fossils. The only structures are poorly developed
bedding and imbricated bivalves. Near the base of Unit 2 isa 10-cm-thickbed of white recrystallized limestone.
Unit 3 — Lignite, Volcanic Clay, Tuff, andLapilli Tuff (Cores 42-53)
Unit 3 is made up of an interbedded sequence of lignite
and volcano clastic material mainly pyritic volcanic clay,
tuff, and lapilli tuff that overlies coarse-grained amygdalar
and vesicular basalt, interpreted as basement. The sediments
are interlayered with two bodies of fine-grained basalt,interpreted as differentiated rocks. The lignite is greenish
gray, brown, or black, and impurities include sand-sized andlarger grains of clay aggregates and pyrite. The thickest
recovered lignite interval was 80 cm. Clay aggregatesranging in size up to 4 mm constitute most of the tuff;
many of them stained with hematite and other iron oxides.
Other constituents include variable amounts of pyrite,
feldspar, volcanic glass, some of it identifiable as devitrifiedbasaltic glass, chlorite, and apatite. The lapilli tuff is madeup of clayey or glassy lapilli (>4 mm), in which relict
feldspar laths are visible in a predominantly siliceous
matrix. Three indurated beds (20-23 cm in thickness) of
volcanic conglomerate occur in the volcanoclastic sequence.
They consist of rounded volcanic rock granules and pebbles
cemented by sparite. A crystal tuff bed was seen in Core
43. The volcanic clay consists mainly of montmorillonite
and/or beidellite and K-feldspar (see X-ray results).

122

Unit 5 consists of partially weathered basaltic rocks.
These basaltic rocks are subdivided into three categories
according to their fabric: (1) vesicular bbasalt, (2)amygdalar basalt, and (3) crystalline basalt, which alternatewith one another.
1) The vesicular basalt is fine grained and has a darkmesostasis made up of dark glass and iron-oxide aggregates.
The size of the vesicles varies between 1 and 10 mm indiameter, and they comprise about 10% to 15% of the bulkrock.
2) The amygdalar basalts are medium-grained hypocrystalline rocks containing clinopyroxene, chlorite, phenocrysts, and microphenocrysts of Plagioclase, iron ore, andsmall amounts of dark mesostasis. The amygdales are filledwith calcite.
3) The crystalline basalts are coarse grained, holocrystalline, and porphyritic. Plagioclase phenocrysts are set in a
subophitic matrix of Plagioclase and clinopyroxene.
Preliminary Interpretation
Unit 1: Except for their variable proportions of foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils and their subtle color
banding, Subunits la to lc are uniform and from sedimentological evidence alone were deposited presumably inuniformly deep water above the carbonate compensationlevel similar to the present depth of 1665 meters. The
appearance of glauconite in Subunit Id probably indicatesshallowing to a few hundred meters. The glauconite seems
to be weathered, as shown by its pale amber color, andmuch of it is replaced by limonite, so the possibility that itis detrital (and not authigenic) must be entertained.
Whatever the case may be, from its grain size alone theglauconite indicates deposition in shallower water.
Unit 2: Further shallowing is indicated by deposition of
the carbonate silts and sands with large shells in Unit 2. The
appearance of grains of feldspar, volcanic glass, and volcanic
rock fragments reflects a volcanic provenance.
Unit 3: Sediments here lack marine fossils, and the only
biogenous component is lignite which contains abundantterrestrial palynomorphs (Chapter 24). This unit isdominated by volcanoclastic material which was mostly
deposited subaerially, but the three thin indurated volcanic
conglomerates were water lain (Chapter 39).
Unit 4: The glassy margins and the freshness of theintermediated type of rocks of this unit indicate that they
are sills.

SITE 214
TABLE 1
Coring Summary, Site 214

Core
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45

Depth fromDrill Floor

Date
(Feb)

Time

9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10

0705
0800
0900
0945
1030
1105
1145
1230
1315
1400
1445
1512
1600
1645
1805
1850
1935
2045
2130
2215
2330
0020
0105
0200
0320
0410
0510
0635
0755
0843
0935
1035
1125
1215
1310
1405
1500
1540
1630
1725
1900
2000
2105
2220
2330

(m)

Depth Below
Sea Floor
(m)

Cored
(m)

Recovered(m)

Recovery(%)

1665.0-1674.5
1674.5-1684.0
1684.0-1693.5
1693.5-1703.0
1703.0-1712.5
1712.5-1722.0
1722.0-1731.5
1731.5-1741.0
1741.0-1750.5
1750.5-1760.0
1760.0-1769.5
1769.5-1779.0
1779.0-1788.5
1788.5-1798.0
1798.0-1806.5
1808.0-1817.5
1817.5-1827.0
1827.0-1835.5
1836.5-1846.0
1846.0-1855.5
1855.5-1864.0
1865.0-1874.5
1874.5-1884.0
1884.0-1893.5
1893.5-1902.0
1903.0-1912.5
1912.5-1922.0
1922.0-1931.5
1931.5-1940.0
1941.0-1950.5
1950.5-1960.0
1960.0-1969.5
1969.5-1979.0
1979.0-1988.5
1988.5-1998.0
1998.0-2007.5
2007.5-2017.0
2017.0-2026.5
2026.5-2036.0
2036.0-2045.5
2045.5-2055.0
2055.0-2058.0
2058.0-2067.5
2067.5-2077.0
2077.0-2086.5

0-9.5
9.5-19.0
19.0-28.5
28.5-38.0
38.0-47.5
47.5-57.0
57.0-66.5
66.5-76.0
76.0-85.5
85.5-95.0
95.0-104.5
104.5-114.0
114.0-123.5
123.5-133.0
133.0-141.5
143.0-152.5
152.5-162.0
162.0-170.5
171.5-181.0
181.0-190.5
190.5-199.0
200.0-209.5
209.5-219.0
219.0-228.5
228.5-237.0
238.0-247.5
247.5-257.0
257.0-266.5
266.5-276.0
276.0-285.5
285.5-295.0
295.0-304.5
304.5-314.0
314.0-323.5
323.5-333.0
333.0-342.5
342.5-352.0
352.0-361.5
361.5-371.0
371.0-380.5
380.5-390.0
390.0-399.5
399.5-402.0
402.5-412.0
412.0-421.5

9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
8.5
9.5
9.5
8.5
9.5
9.5
8.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
8.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
8.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
3.0
9.5
9.5
9.5

9.5
6.8
9.5
9.5
9.5
6.0
9.5
8.2
9.5
9.5
9.5
7.5
8.3
9.5
8.5
9.5
9.5
7.5
8.6
9.5
7.0
9.5
9.5
9.0
2.0
8.7
9.5
9.0
8.5
9.3
9.3
9.3
9.4
9.2
6.0
4.7
3.0
5.0
3.7
3.8
3.2
0.8
CC
1.5
1.0

100
72
100
100
100
63
100
85
100
100
100
79
87
100
100a
100
100
100a
90
100
82a
100
100
95
25a
90
100
95
100a
98
98
98
99
97
63
49
32
53
39
40
34
26
1
20
12

123

SITE 214
TABLE 1 - Continued

Core

Date
(Feb)

46

11

47

11

48

11

49

11

50

11

51

11

52

11

53

11

54

11

Time

Depth fromDrill Floor(m)

Depth Below
Sea Floor
(m)

0055
0205
0405
0745
1000
1145
1315
1545
1840

2086.5-2096.0
2096.0-2105.5
2105.5-2113.0
2113.0-2122.5
2122.5-2132.0
2132.0-2141.5
2141.5-2151.0
2151.0-2155.5
2155.5-2165.0

421.5-431.0
431.0-440.5
440.5-448.0
448.0-457.5
457.5-467.0
467.0-476.5
476.5-486.0
486.0-490.5
490.5-500.0

TotalsCored(m)Recovered(m)

Recovery
(%)

9.5

3.8

40

9.5

1.1

13

7.5

3.0

45

9.5

1.9

20

9.5

0.5

5

9.5

0.8

8

9.5

0.4

4

4.5

2.6

57

9.5

4.0

42

494.5

345.0

70

Note: Echo sounding depth (to drill floor) = 1671 meters; drill pipe length to bottom =1665
meters.
aHeat-flow run.

Unit 5: The coarse grain, the amygdalar and vesicular
structures, and the weathering of this basalt indicate that it
is made up of flows; the absence of pillow structuresuggests that the flows were deposited on land or in shallow
water.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Twenty samples were collected for the interstitial waterand inorganic geochemistry shipboard measurements program from the 54 cores recovered at this site. A total of 12
pairs of contiguous minicores was collected from thecalcareous sediments. Samples were taken from oddnumbered cores between Cores 1 and 11 approximately
every 20 meters to a depth of ~IOO meters. Thereafter,
pairs of minicores were removed from every fourth corethrough Core 31, 290 meters (approximately 40-meterintervals). A single 10-cm sample was taken from Core 35
which proved to be the bottom of the carbonate layer.
Eight samples representing other lithologic units werecollected from Cores 36 through 52 which was the last corecontaining sufficient sediment to sample (486 meters).
Insofar as was practical, a single 10-cm minicore wasremoved; otherwise core-catcher samples were taken. It waspossible to make resistivity measurements on 18 of thesesamples. The results are summarized in Table 2.
BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC SUMMARY
GeneralGood assemblages of Radiolaria, calcareous nannofossils,
and foraminifera occur together in the Holocene to middle
Miocene interval. It is noteworthy that Radiolaria disappear
downsection at about the same level biostratigraphically in
Sites 213 and 214. Foraminifera and nannofossils, variablein preservation, occur on down into the lower Eocene
where firm dates are obtained almost to the Paleocene/
Eocene boundary. This carbonate ooze section is believed

124

to be essentially continuous, variations in the quality ofmaterial notwithstanding. Poor returns of nannofossils andplanktonic foraminifera indicate a Paleocene age for thebasal marine section in which oceanic influence wasrestricted, as in a lagoonal or shallow shelf environment.
Sediment accumulation rates are variable, and theinterval of slower accumulation matches well with theinterval in which preservation of planktonic foraminifera ispoor.
Foraminifera

Diverse and well-preserved assemblages were found inCores 1 to 10 (Quaternary to Pliocene). Upper to middle
Miocene assemblages (Cores 11 to 20) show increasing signsof chemical corrosion. Lower Miocene to upper Eocene
assemblages (Cores 21 to 26) are recovered easily from thesoft sediment, but the quality of preservation reaches a low
over this interval: diversity is reduced, tests are badly
fragmented and often recrystallized or overgrown withcalcite, and robust Globigerina and Globoquadrina
dominate. A striking increase in specimen numbers and inquality of preservation begins within the middle Eocene(Core 29) and continues into the lower Eocene (Core 34).
Preservation falls off again (for different reasons) with thechange to coarser, glauconitic carbonate in Core 35 (lowest
two Eocene Zones). It is poor in the Paleocene assemblages
down to the pyritic siltstone in Core 41.
At this stage of the investigation there is little evidence
to suggest that the pelagic lower Eocene to Quaternary
section is other than "low latitude" throughout; that is,absences can be ascribed to preservation. For example, theindications of "extratropical" faunas found (displaced) at
Site 212 are not found here, while the sharply restrictedlate stages of the Globorotalia fohsi lineage are. The
distinctive and short-ranging Truncorotaloides (Morozovella) caucasica occurs in noteworthy abundance inCore 33; this species does not figure in the detailed
zonations of Trinidad or the Appennines, but occurs in

SITE 214
TABLE 2
Shipboard Chemistry Results

SITE 214
l l ° 2 0 . 2 ' S 88°43.1'E
1665 mCore,
Section,Interval(cm)

Foram-Nanno
Ooze

Moo

M62

pH
(flow-through)Foram-Rich
Nanno Ooze
h2OO
1-219
U 25

lc

Nanno Ooze

h300

Id

[-323

]G1aucon1t1c
anno Chalk H33

JGlauconitic
I Carbonate
S1 I t and 1-366
j SandIshelly in
2b
h390

1-400

LigniteVolcanogenic]
Sediments
and Tuffs

1-440
4a

Differentiated Rock
h468
Volcanogente]
Sediments
and Tuffs h490
Basalt-500
T.D. 500 m; 54 cores;
346 m rec.

Figure 3. Lithologic units at Site 214.
New Zealand—facts which are not explained clearly but
which require something more than a simplistic climaticinterpretation,
The lowest material determinable biostratigraphicallywas found in Cores 37 and 38, where rare, poor specimensof Planorotalites chapmani suggest an age in the vicinity of

Water
(%)

Porosity Density(gm/cc)
(%)

41
42

_
_
72
—
64
68
67

_
—
1.63
_
1.48
1.65
1.59

45
44

71
72

1.56
1.63

7.10

40

70

1.73

44
39
48

72
62
75

1.62
1.59
1.57

-

-

41

66

11-5, 0

7.16

7.06

42

69

1.59
1.64

13-3, 96

-

-

35

57

1.63

15-2,108
15-3,016-1,72

_
7.14
-

7.04
-

36
43
42

64
72
66

1.77
1.67
1.60

17-3, 98

-

-

32

56

1.75

18-3,116

-

66

7.16
-

7.02
-

39

19-5, 019-5, 88

37
36

64
63

1.71
1.74
1.73

21-5, 55

-

-

28

52

1.86

22-5, 36

_
7.44

7.04

34

62

1.85

31
32

7.13

7.03

24

53
60
49

1.73
1.87
2.03

-

-

28

55

1.96

-

-

30

58

1.92

7.22
—
7.32

7.05
—
7.31

-

-

26
-

49
-

1.88
-

364,0

-

-

31

-

-

37-2, 0

-

-

32

-

-

28
_
25

-

_
7.54
_
—
7.40
—
7.17
—
—
7.32

—
7.17
_
7.14
—
7.10

9-1,117
9-3,118
9-5,0

—
7.14

10-2,113

1-4, 143
1-5,130
3-1,273-3, 703-5,04-2, 70
5-4,805-6,06-1,96
6-3, 58
7-3, 57
7-5,0
8-3, 51

1b

pH(punch-in)

23-2, 95
23-5, 027-5, 0 a
28-5, 83a29-6,128
31-5, 0a35-3, 99
35-5, 0 a

a

a

7.30

43.82
45.36
41.07

47
44
43
43

39-3, 0-41-CC41-3, 0

-

—
-

42-CC

-

-

-

-

—
-

46-3, 0
52-CC

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

a

The water tended to rise in sediments on standing. The results,
therefore, may be high.

125

SITE 214

56 to 58+m.y. (upper Paleocene), and in Core 41, where
benthonics are of Paleocene age; a single benthonic specimen in Core 52 could be too. This material is characterizedby sponge spicules, poor foraminifera preservation, small
specimen size, low diversity, and high but varying
dominance (cibicidids, ostracodes, and buliminids dominate
at different horizons). The foraminiferal evidence agrees
with the lithological in suggesting a shallow environment
into which planktonic organisms were washed. The lack of
agglutinated benthonics may indicate negatively that thewater was not significantly below normal salinity. There is
no foraminiferal bio stratigraphic evidence to oppose theconcept of more or less continuous deepening from a
Paleocene "lagoonal" or shelf facies, through lower Eocene
shelf glauconite-carbonates, into lower Eocene deep-waterooze.
Nannofossils
Calcareous nannofossils were recovered in the sedimentsof Cores 1 through 41 at Site 214. The sediments range inage from late Pleistocene Holocene (Emiliania huxleyi
Zone) at the top of Core 1 to the mid-Paleocene {Heliolithus kleinpelli Zone) at the top of Core 37, and possiblyas old as the Cyclococcolithina robusta Zone in Core 41.
The Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary is within section 2,
Core 3, and the Miocene-Pliocene boundary is between
Cores 9 and 10, or possibly in Section 1 of Core 10. Thebase of the Miocene is within Core 23, but it is difficult todetermine this boundary precisely on the basis of calcareous nannofossils, as no unequivocal index species arepresent. The base of the Oligocene is more clearly determinable on the highest occurrence of Discoaster barbadiensis in Core 27, Section 6. The base of the Eocene
again cannot be clearly determined as it is within a greatly
attenuated section within Core 35, Sections 1 and 2, whichcontains parts of the early Eocene and late Paleocene
interval. A more or less continuous record was recoveredfrom the Holocene to the early Eocene (Discoasterlodoensis Zone) in Core 35. The record is considered
continuous, although not all nannofossil zones of any one
scheme are represented. This may be owing entirely,
however, to the absence of certain provincial index species
in this region. In addition, the middle Miocene discoasters
are excessively calcified as are also many early and middle
Eocene nannofossils. The early Oligocene seems somewhat
compressed possibly as a result of loss during coring.
The late Miocene to Holocene nannofossil assemblage
has, in general, an oceanic aspect, but backward from thelate Miocene progressively stronger hemipelagic influences
are present. The nonoceanic species Zygrhablithus bjugatus
crassus is present throughout the Eocene-Oligocene interval,
and in the early Eocene assemblages pentaliths are abundantly present. Much of the lower Eocene and upper
Paleocene may not be present, and the interval below the
top of Core 37 can be dated only as mid-to-late Paleocene
because of the meager assemblage.
Radiolaria

Radiolaria at Site 214 are common to abundant and wellpreserved within Cores 1 through 20 (0 to 190.5 meters),
which range in age from Quaternary to middle Miocene. In

126

the lower part of this interval (Cores 17 through 20) theradiolarian assemblages show strong effects of corrosion;
species are only moderately preserved. Below Core 20 noidentifiable Radiolaria were encountered, although trace
amounts of siliceous debris are present in some samples.
The following radiolarian zonal boundaries can berecognized within the cores at Site 214:
The base of the Quaternary lies between Samples 214-2,
CC and 214-3-2, 70-72 cm. The base of the Pterocanium
prismatium Zone lies between Samples 214-5-1, 70-72 cm
and 214-5-3, 66-68 cm. The base of the Spongaster pentas
Zone lies between Samples 214-9-6, 70-72 cm and 214-9,
CC. The base of the Stichocorys peregrina Zone lies
between Samples 214-13-3, 70-72 cm and 214-13-5, 70-72
cm. The base of the Ommatartus penultimus Zone lies
between samples 214-14, CC and 214-15-2, 70-72 cm. Thebase of the Ommatartus antepenultimus Zone lies between
Samples 214-16, CC and 214-17-1, 70-72 cm. The base of
the Cannartus petterssoni Zone lies between Samples
214-18-2, 70-72 cm and 214-18-3, 70-72 cm. The base of
the Dorcadospyris alata Zone occurs in the nonsiliceousinterval, probably not far below Sample 214-20, CC.
All radiolarian assemblages appear to contain contemporaneous species, with no indication of reworking ofspecies from older sediment.
CORRELATION OF REFLECTION PROFILE AND
STRATIGRAPHIC COLUMN

Site 214 is on the crest of the Ninetyeast Ridge. The
airgun seismic reflection profile of the area shows asediment column approximately 0.5 sec in thickness andthickening westward, overlying the ridge basement.
Details of the reflection profile (Figure 4) suggest an
upper draped sediment unit about 0.28 sec in thickness.
This upper unit incorporates a zone of reflectors (l)at a
depth of 0.13 sec which are concordant with surface
topography. A stronger series of reflectors (2) appears at
0.28 sec, marking the upper level of possible ponding of thesediments against higher basement to the east. A coherent
strong reflector (4) occurs at 0.47 sec, and the upper
portion of a zone that wedges out appears at 0.40 sec.
The only obvious correlation with the stratigraphic
column (Figure 4) is the upper surface of the fine-grained
basalt flow and the upper surface of the carbonate sand.
Though not obvious to the stratigraphic column, Reflector
1 corresponds to a level about 100 meters deep, Reflector 2
probably correlates with a level about 242 meters, andReflector 3 at 356 meters to satisfy the constraints ofinterval velocities.
Depths of reflectors and interval velocities are as
follows:

Reflector

2-Way Time (sec)

0
1
2
3
4

0.13
0.28
0.40
0.47

0

Depth
(m)

Interval Velocity(km/sec)

0
100
242
356
440

1.55
1.90
1.90
2.40

1.9

SITE 214

metersSITE 214

—O•

SECS

Li

100-

Calcareous ooze

1-2.

200-

300-

Glauconitic
carbonate silt and sand-3

400yolcaniclastics
interbeddedwith l i g n i t e s

Nautical Miles

Fine-grained basalt
Volcaniclastics
500Figure 4. Correlation of reflection profile and stratigraphic column at Site 214.

127

SITE 214
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Site 214 is situated on the crest of Ninetyeast Ridge in awater depth of 1655 meters. The airgun seismic reflection
profile of the area shows an upper draped sedimentary unit,
about 0.28 sec in thickness, overlying a series of reflectorsthat show evidence of ponding against acoustic basement.
The site was chosen in a location which would enablesampling of the deepest of the ponded layers.
The section is composed of several distinct stratigraphic
units ranging from subaerial and shallow water to pelagic.
The lowermost unit below a depth of 490 meters consistsof a series of highly vesicular, and nonvesicular basalts
compositionally similar to basalts of oceanic volcanicislands. These basalts are overlain by tuffs which aresucceeded by differentiated igneous rocks. The volcanics
from Site 214 are similar to the mildly tholeiitic series of
St. Paul and New Amsterdam islands' rocks. Above thislevel occurs a complex of lignites and volcanoclastic
sediments which are overlain in turn by a Paleocene shallow
shelf and open shelf sequence of glauconitic shelly carbonate silt and sand. The uppermost unit at Site 214
consists of 330 meters of foraminiferal-nannofossil ooze of
early Eocene to Quaternary age which contains glauconite
at its base.
The igneous, sedimentary and paleontological evidence
indicates that Ninetyeast Ridge was once an emergent chainof volcanic islands which sank below sea level in Paleocene
times at Site 214. A short history of shallow-shelf and

128

open-shelf conditions was followed in the early Eocene by adeepening to oceanic depths as suggested by the upward
disappearance of glauconite and transition of the sediment
to a pelagic calcareous ooze. Oceanic pelagic sedimentation
has persisted in the area to the present. Biostratigraphic andlithologic observations place possible constrictions on the
paleolatitude of Site 214 during the Paleocene. The site atpresent is located at 11° south of the equator and lies wellwithin the zone of reef-building coral. No fragments of reef
coral were found in the cored shelf sediments, suggestingthat during Paleocene times the area was at a higher latitude
than at present. Palynological evidence (Chapter 24) is inaccord with this suggestion.
The evidence presented for slow sinking of the Ninetyeast Ridge since the Paleocene would argue strongly against
the McKenzie and Sclater (1971) compressional hypothesis
for the origin of the ridge. In this hypothesis, the ridge
would have been elevated in the middle Eocene and not the
Paleocene as observed in the earliest sediment record.

REFERENCES
McKenzie, D. P. and Sclater, J. G., 1971. The evolution of
the Indian Ocean since the Late Cretaceous; Geophys. J.
Roy. Astro. Soc, v. 25, p. 437-528.
Sclater, J. G. and Fisher, R. L., in preparation. The
evolution of the East Central Indian Ocean withemphasis on tectonic setting of Ninetyeast Ridge.

Cored Interval;0-9.5 m

Site 214

FOSSILCHARACTER

Hole

Core 2

Cored Interval;9.5-19.0 m

FOSSILCHARACTER
LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

A: FORAM NANNO OOZE
white (N9)ForamsNannosClay

1- "1,r -t

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

48%
50%
2%

B: VOLCANIC GLASS BEARINGFORAH NANNO OOZE
yellowish gray (5Y7/2)
Volcanic glass
2%
Forams40%
Nannos52%
Diatoms2%
Spicules1%
Silicoflag.
1%and B interiaminatedClay2%with laminae of
medium light gray(N6) ooze
Forams48%
Nannos50%
Clay
2%

FORAH RICH NANNO OOZE
FeldsparClay
Volcanic glass(basaltic)
ForamsNannos
Di atoms
Rads
SpiculesSilicoflag.

C: FORAH RICH NANNO OOZE
yellowish gray (5Y8/1)
Forams20%
Nannos75%
Clay5%
D: VOLCANIC GLASS BEARINGFORAH RICH NANNO OOZE
very pale orange (10YR8/2)
Volcanic glass
2%
Forams20%
Nannos74%
Spicules1%
Silicoflag.
1%
Clay
2%

FORAM NANNO OOZEForamsNannosClay

Section 3 too watery to split.

Tr.
10%
Tr.
15%
69%
2%
i%
2%
1%

40%
5%

C with laminae(<l cm) of A

A firmer than above,with mottles of C

Section 5 too watery to split.

Section 6 too watery to split
NANNO FORAH OOZE
Mica
Tr.
Forams55%
Nannos
39%
Rads
1%
Spicules
Tr.
Clay
5%

N22 (F)Core
Catcher

Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

N22 (F)Core
Catcher

Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

FORAH NANNO OOZEForamsNannos
Clay

45%
50%
5%

Site 214

Hole

Core 3

Cored I n t e r v a l : 1 9 . 0 - 2 8 . 5 m

Site 214

Hole

Core 4

Cored I n t e r v a l : 28.5-38.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONFORAM NANNO OOZE
A: dominantly white (N9) w i t hlaminae (<l cm) o f
B: y e l l o w i s h gray (5Y8/1) andmicrolaminae (~l mm) o f
C: medium b l u i s h gray (5B5/1)

FORAM NANNO OOZEForamsNannosClay
FORAM NANNO OOZE
Volcanic glass(basaltic)
ForamsNannos
Clay

458!
50%
5%

Tr.
45%
50?
5%

A
A: FORAM NANNO COZE
E
white (N9)1 cm piece o f pumice»
D: LAMINAE of dusky yellow
green (5GY5/2)
D

„
"
c

pUce fragment
FORAM NANNO OOZE
Mica
ForamsNannosSpicules
Clay

Tr.
45?
50%
Tr.
5%

E: FORAM NANNO OOZE
laminae of grayish yellow
green (5GY7/2)
Forams45%
Nannos
50%
Cl ay
5%

^ n i cNannosClay

C (as in core 3)

glass

Tr.
65%
5%

Site 214

Hole

Core 5Site 214

Cored Interval; 38.0-47.5 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONCore 6

Cored Interval;47.5-57.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

A: FORAM NANNO OOZE
white (N9) with rare mottles
Mica
Tr.
Forams35%
Nannos60%
Clay5%
B: FORAM NANNO OOZEForamsNannos
Clay

Hole

40%
55%
5%

Section 2 too watery to split.

FORAM NANNO OOZE
white with green and graylaminae repeated at intervalsof every 30 to 50 cm.
ForamsNannosClay
Spicules

FORAM NANNO OOZEForamsNannosClay
FORAM NANNO OOZEForamsNannos
Clay

45%
50%
5%
Tr.

40%
55%
5%
40%
55%
5*

Site 214

Hole

Core 7Site 214

Cored Interval: 57.0-66.5 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

HoleCore 8

Cored Interval: 66.5-76.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Site 214

Hole

Core 9

Cored Interval: 76.0-85.5 m

Site214LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

HoleCorelO

Cored Interval: 85.5-95.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Site214

HoleilCore

Site214

Cored Interval :95.0-104.5 m

HoleCorel2

Cored Interval; 104.5-114.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONFORAM NANNO OOZE
white without color bands.
Lightly indurated layers
becoming harder and more
frequent.

ForamsNannos
Clay

40%
55%
5%

ForamsNannos
Clay

55%
40%
5%

Some color bands (pale gray blue
5PB7/2)

Site214

Hole

Corel3

Site214

Cored Interval ;114.0-123.5 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

HoleCorel4

Cored Interval: 123.5-133.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Site 214

Hole

Corel5

Cored Interval;133.0-141.5 m

Site 214

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

HoleCorelδ

Cored Interval:143.0-152.5 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Site 214

Hole

Core17Site 214

Cored I n t e r v a l :152.5-162.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

HoleCore 18

Cored Interval;162.0-170.5 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Site214

Hole

Corel9Site 214

Cored I n t e r v a l : 171.5-181.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

HoleCore 20

Cored Interval:181.0-190.5 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Site214

Hole

Core 21

FOSSILCHARACTER\.

Site214

Cored Interval.190.5-199.0 m

HoleCore 22

Cored Interval.-200.0-209.5 m

FOSSILCHARACTER
LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Not opened.

FORAM RICH NANNO OOZE
whiteForams ( a l l <lOOy)
Nannos
Clay

15?
82%
3%

Color change to white (N9).

FORAM RICH NANNO OOZEForamsNannosClay

ForamsNannosClay
ForamsNannosClay
FORAM RICH NANNO OOZE
pinkish gray (5YR8/1)
ForamsNannosClaybrownish gray (5YR4/1) stai
white

—65
—90

Not opened.

Not opened.

brownish gray mottles? N6-7(F)Core
Catcher

Explanatory notes in Chapter 1
ForamsNannosClay

N5 (F)Core
Catcher

Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

15S
3%

Site214

Hole

Core23

Site214

Cored Interval :209.5-219.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

HoleCore 24

Cored Interval:219.0-228.5 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Site214

Hole

Core25Site214

Cored Interval:228.5-237.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Hole

Core26

Cored Interval:238.0-247.5 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Site 214

Hole

Core27

Cored Interval .247.5-257.0 m

Site214LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Hole

Core28

Cored Interval: 257.0-266.5 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Site214

Hole

Core 29

S•it.e^iCored Interval:266.5-276 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONHoleCoreSdCored I n t e r v a l :?76.(1-?RR.5 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Site 214

Hole

Core31Site 214

Cored I n t e r v a l :285.5-295.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

HoleCore 32

Cored Interval:295.0-304.5 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Site 214

Hole

Core33S1te2l4

Cored Interval:304.5-314.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

HoleCore 34

Cored Interval;314.0-323.5 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Site 214

Hole

Core 35

Hole

Cored I n t e r v a l : 323.5-333.0 m

COCored Interval: 333.0-342.5 m

HW

FOSSILCHARACTER
LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONFORAM RICH NANNO OOZE
very l i g h t gray (N8)GLAUCONITIC CARBONATE SAND
grayish green 10GY5/2
Glauc.
25%
Forams and other
Shell fragments
20%
Carbonate silt
(few nannos only)
30%
Clay
15%
Feldspar, Opaques
10%

GLAUCONITE-BEARING FORAM RICH
ooze
chalk
ooze
chalk
ooze
chalk
ooze
chalk
ooze
chalk
ooze
chalk
ooze
chalk
ooze
chalk
ooze
chalk

cream and w h i t e , speckled w i t hgreen
Glauconite
2%
Forams13%
Nannos80%
Cl ay
5%
FORAM BEARING NANNO OOZE
Glauconite
ForamsNannosgrayish yellow c l a > •(5Y8/4) ooze
and chalk

pale olive 10Y6/2
speckled grayish
green 5G5/2

1%
9%
85%
5%

shells, including
brachipod
shell
clay
bivalves

ooze

GLAUCONITE BEARING NANNO CHALK
pale pink (5RP8/2) c h a l k w i t hspots of glauconite
Glauconite
3%
Forams5%
Nannos
82%
Clay
10%

Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

Section 4
not opened.

Core
Catcher
Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

GLAUCONITE BEARING CARBONATE SILT
dusky y e l l o w 5Y6/4
Glauc.
5%
Carbonate s i l t
75%
Nannos2%
Clay18%
Feldspar, A p a t i t e
Tr.
SILTY SHELL RICH RlAUCONITF SAND
speckled y e l l o w i s h gray 5Y7/2
Glauc.
55-65%
Forams and other
Shell fragments
20%
S i l t and Clay sizeinc. Carbonate
m a t e r i a l , Heavy
mins., and Clay
15-25%
mins.
Glauc.
ApatiteAugi teCalciteForamsMica
OpaqueUnidentified
Other shells

72%
3%
1%
7%
9%
Tr.
4%
3%
λ%

X-ray a t 334.60 m Plag 40, Mont 39, Apat 21
X-ray a t 336.50 m Calc 55, Plag 12, Mica 4 , Mont 6,
C l i n 22

1

Cored I n t e r v a l : 3 4 2 . 5 - 3 5 2 . 0 m

LITHOLOGYα.

DEFORMATION

ZONE

AGE

o

METERS

Core 37

FOSS LCW RAC TER

Site 214

Hole

Core 39

Cored Interval:361.5-371.0 m

FOSSILCHARACTER

LITHO.SAMPLEHoleSECTIONS i t e 214

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Fasciculithus tympaniformis Zone (N)PALEOCENE

1

*

0.5—
1

-85
1.0I V J » »*•'

2

Section 2
not opened.

GLAUCONITE BEARING CARBONATESILTY SAND
crudely laminated grayish green
5G5/2
Forams and other shell (?)
fragments
48%
Glauc.
3%
Feldspar1%
Heavy mins., FeO,
Opaques
1%
Sponge s p i c .
2%Diatoms
Tr.
Auth. carb.
Tr.
Carbonate s i l t
45%* WATERYGLAUCONITE BEARING CARBONATE
grayish o l i v e green 5GY3/2 withwhite ( f o s s i l ) and black flecks
and grayish yellow green 5GY7/2
interbeds o f mud
Forams and other Shellfragments
50%
SpiculesGlauc.
2%λ%FeldsparVole, glass
Opaques ( p y r i t e and
FeO?)
2%
Tr.
Heavies
Diatom fragmentsn
Carbonate s i l t
37%!
Nannos

X-ray at 345.20 m Calc 88, Plag 8, Mont 3, Pyri 1
R
F
N

R
A

P
P

Core
Catcher* P l a n o r o t a l i t e s pseudomenardii Zone (P4) (F)Site 214

Hole

Core 38

Cored I n t e r v a l ; 352.0-361.5 m

FOSSILCHARACTER
LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONCoreCatcher
Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

GLAUCOHITF BEARING CARBONATESILTY SAND
grayish green 10GY5/2 crudely layered
Forams and other Shellfragments
42%
Glauc.
Z%
Spicules3%
Di atoms
2%
Opaques3%
Vole, glass
1%
Feldspar1%
Carbonate s i l t
44%Nannos2%
X-ray a t 356.50 m Calc 7 6 , Plag 1 3 , Mont 9 , P y r i 2

CoreCatcher
Explanatory notes in Chapter 1* Planorotalites pseudomenardii Zone (P4) (F)Site 214

Hole
FOSSILCHARACTER

Core 40

Cored Interval:371.0-380.5 m

Site 214

Cored Interval; 380.5-390.0 in

Hole
FOSSILCHARACTER

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

HW
LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Section 1
not opened.

GLAUCONITE BEARING CARBONATESANDY SILT AND SILTSTONE
grayish olive green 5GY3/2 withlaminae of gastropods andbivalves' -&f'
Section 2
not split.

gastropods
gastropods
gastropods

GLAUCONITE BEARING VOLCANICLIMESTONE
Section J, Thin Section, 135 cm
dark green
Limey clay matrix
55%
Grains including:452
subrounded vole, frags.-- GEO CHEM SAMPLE
gastropods

with laths or chloritizedsubhedral feldspar phenocrysts
scattered opaques-somesecondary in fossils-pyrite?
gastropods
rads
diatoms
sponge spic.
glauconite
also veins of calcite present

white recrystallized
limestone
VOLCANIC SILTY CLAY
grayish green

Core
CatcherCore
Catcher

VOLCANIC CLAY CARBONATE SILT
grayish olive green 5GY3/2 withpyri teClay aggregates
30%
Opaques (pyrite?)
15%
Feldspar5%
Glauconite
2%
Carbonate silt
45%
Forams1%
Nannos2%

FeidsparPyri teClay aggregates
Vole, glass
Glauc.
Carbonate s i l t
ForamsNannos

5%
15%
40%
1%
1%
33%
1%
2%

Thin Section a t Section 3 , 49 cm.
GLAUCONTTE-BEARING VOLCANIC SAND
RICH LIMESTONE
Matrix-recryst. calcite
mosaic90%
Rest: Feldspar, chloritizedvole. (?) rock frags.,
glauconite, fossil ghosts,
pyriteX-ray at 372.10 m Calc 26, Arag 12, Quar 1 , Plag 40,
Mont 15, Pyri 6

Explanatory notes In Chapter 1

X-ray at 384.50 m Calc 12, Quar 1 , Plag 39, Mont 21,
Pyri 27
X-ray at 384.80 m Calc 7, Plag 31, Mont 38, Pyri 24

Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

Site 214

Cored Interval:390.0-399.5 m

Hole

Site 214

Core44

Hole

Cored Interval :402.5-412.0 m

FOSSILCHARACTER

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONTUFFInterbedded l i g h t b l u i s h gray
5B7/1 and medium gray N5

GEO CHEM SAMPLE
grayish black N2
l i g n i t e , with whiteflecksgreenish gray 5GY6/1
l i g n i t e (lOOS)
LIGNITE
grayish black N2

greenish gray 5GV6/1
Clay aggregates
PyriteApatiteLigniteCore
Catcher

20%
10%

n

68%

X-ray at 90 cm and 110 cm
Major constituents; clinoptiioliteand beidel l i t e .
ligniteX-ray at 390.90 m Clin 100
X-ray at 391.10 m Quar 2. CHn 91, Anal 2, Pyri 4
Explanatory notes in Chapter 1
Cored I n t e r v a l : 393.0-402.0 mvery l i g h t gray N8

Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

CRYSTAL TUFF AND LIGNITE
black NI
FeldsparClay
PyriteCore 45

F 1SSI L
CHA RAC1 ER

AGE
green gray 5GY5/1
and l i g h t green
N7 interbedded

Hole

Q
DC

LITHOLOGY

α.
60%
30%
0.5-

PYRITIC CLAYEY LIGNITE
black NIClay
LignitePyrite

15%
70?
15%

X-ray at 90 cm
K-Feldspar
PyritePlag. Feld.
Gibbsite
Kaolinite
Beidel l i t eMontmorillonite

17%
14%
5%
4%
4«
Abundant
56%

X-ray at 110 cm
Quartz
K-Feidspar
Kaolinite
PyriteBeidellite

13%
60%
21%
7%
Abundant

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

VOID

1

^
1.0—
:

15%
75%
10%

Cored Interval: 412.0-421.5 m

DEFORMATION |DESCRIPTION

LITHO.SAMPLE |Site 214
LITHOLOGICMETERS

Core43

FOSSILCHARACTERSECTION

Hole

ZONE

Site214

TUFF
l i g h t gray N7FeidsparClay (volcanic)
Pyriter^^-LIGNITIC VOLCANIC CLAY
^ ^ ^ y e l l o w gray 5Y8/1-~-""""'^^PYRITIC CLAYEY LIGNITE^ _ _ _ — - ^ ^ black NI- -105 „—--―~~~~~^
_____
,

"

—VOLCANIC CLAYl i g h t olive gray 5Y6/1—* Weathered
Lapilli Tuff?
Core
Catcher
Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

CΛ

H

VOID
Weathered LAPILLI TUFF and LIGNITE
matrix dark greenish gray 5G4/1,
w i t h white and dark c l a s t s l i g n i t e
as above
LIGNITE
as aboveCore
Catcher

VOLCANIC CLAYSTONEDEFORMATION

ZONE

à
o

LITHOLOGYLu

LITHO.SAMPLE

Cored Interval:440.5-448.0 m

F )S5I L
CHA RAC ERMETERSHoleSECTION

Site 214

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONGLASSY BASALT
medium dark gray N4 f i n e - g r a i n e d

0.5-

1

not stained clay 32%
Chlorite20%

1.0-

i I I I 1 I I I I 1 I I I 1

black LIGNITE interbedded

Thin Section, Section 2, 44-48 cm.
Relict lava fragments-subrounded tosubangular closely packed withsiliceous cement in parts.

2

Thin Section, Section 2, 84-91 cm.
L a p i l l i are a l l lava fragmentsmany strongly altered to pale grayclay or dark brown volcanic glassy
fragments - a l l retain feldspar
lath ghosts sim. s i l i c a cement
to thin section at 44 cm.

Holev e s i c u l a r and amvqdalar BASALT
f i n e - g r a i n e d BASALT, medium darkgray N4, s i m i l a r t o 4 8 / 1 .

T w v

Core
CatcherSite 214

medium-grained BASALT

1£"~~"- medium dark gray N4 BASALTCore 49

Cored Interval: 448.0-457.5 m

METERS

Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

1CoreCatcher

Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

LITHOLOGY

II 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

FOSSILABUND.
PRES.
SECTION

ZONE

r

AGE

FOSSILCHARACTER

DEFORMATION

with greenish gray 5GY6/1
CLAYEY LAPILLI TUFF
black and brown LIGNITE

X - r a y a t 423.30 m Quar 1 0 , Feld 5 3 , Mont 3 4 , Pyr1 2
X - r a y a t 424.40 m Quar 4 , F e l d 1 6 , Mont 6 5 , P y r i 15

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

LITHO.SAMPLE

chloritic clay
as above, but harder, grayish
green 5G5/2, with grayish
yellow green 5GY7/2 LAPILLILITHOLOGY

CC
Q_

1

AGE

WEATHERED VOLCANIC CLAY and
LAPILLI TUFF WITH LIGNITE
light brownish gray 5YR6/1 CLAY
Feldspar10%
Clay aggregates,
pale blue green 5BG7/2 CLAY
Fe stained
902
pinkish gray 5YR8/1 CLAY
interbedded purple and gray
CLAY, with LAPILLI
Feldspar..brownish gray 5YR4/1 (flecked/ with white) CLAY interlayered
Fe oxideswith dark gray N4 CLAY
Claydark gray CLAY.
clay flake LAPILLI, flakes
Feldsparpinkish gray 5YR8/1
Fe stained clay 60?
black LIGNITE
clay flake LAPILLIinterbedded LIGNITE and CLAY
FeldsparLAPILLI TUFF
Claygreenish gray 5G4/1 CLAY
medium light gray N6,
clasts dark
FeldsparIt^ g r e e n i s h gray 5GY4/1 CLAYEY
Fe stained clay 46£-a:

DEFORMATIONQo

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

ZONE

AGE

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

Cored Interval:431.0-440.5 m

LITHO.SAMPLE

Core47F OSS I L
CHP RAC TERMETERSHoleSECTION

Site 214

Cored Interval;421.5-431.0 m

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

VOID

f i n e q r a i n e d BASALT medium dark α r a v N4. v e r v
similar to Core 48 Section 1.

BASALT1

0.5-

very f i n e grained BASALT, medium
dark gray N4

PLE

DEF DRMAT ION

k

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

LITH

ETER5

LITHOLOGYPRE

ABU ND.

ZONE

t—

1

VOID

:
C o l l e c t i o n (order not known) o f
LIGNITE and WEATHERED LAPILLI TUFF
(grayish blue green 5BG5/2).

1 -115

1
I

F

R

P

-145

BASALT d e b r i s : aggregates o fCoreCatcherglass
Feldspar
Chlorite
Remainder

LITHOLOGY

DEFORMATION

Cored Interval: 467.0-476.5 m
LITHO.SAMPLE J

METERS

Core 51
SECTIONZONEAGEF OSSI L
CHA RAC PER

o

VOID

very f i n e d grained BASALT

Hole

AGE

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONCoreCatcherSite 214

Cored In t e r v a l .-476.5-486.0 m

Core 52

FOSSILFOS SIL

Qi

Hole
CHARACTER

one
specimenno age<C

LITHOLOGY

DEFORMATIONσu_

Site 214

Cored I n t e r v a l : 4 5 7 . 5 - 4 6 7 . 0 m
LITHO.SAMPLE

ZONE

AGE

Q

METERS

Core 50

F 1SSI L
CW RAC FER

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Hole

SECTIONS i t e 214

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

VOID
0.5 —
-67

1

CHLORITIC CLAY:
Fe stained clay
Clay, c l e a r
Chlorite

45%
45%
10%

X-ray a t 130 cm
Montomorillonite
K-Feldspar
Beidellite
QuartzSiderite
Calcite63%
23%
Present
3%
5%
6%

Thin Section 120-123 cm.
Variety igneous rock fragments
and l i g n i t e ,lavas - lath textures
glassy lavas with spherulitic andcontact at 117 cm—-

Core
Catcherf i n e grained BASALT
veins of calcite in chilled glassy margin

1.0-

83%
5%
10%
2%

—-olive qrav 5Y4/1 VOLCANIC CLAY, consists of brownglass, partly d i v i t r i f i e dfeldspar crystals"~-olive qrav LAPILLI TUFF

143-145 cm
most fragments glassy
lavas with p e r l i t i c textures

Explanatory notes in Chapter 1
VOLCANIC

X-ray a t 477.80 m Calc 6 , Side 5, Quar 3, Feld 23,
Mont 63

Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

HoleCore 53o

METERSëLITHOLOGY

1 1

o

PRE

-j

ABU

1

Site 214

Cored Interval.-486.0-490.5 m

FOSSILCHARACTER

DEF( RMAT ION

S i t e 214

to

0.5-

1

Hole
FOSSILCHARACTER

Core 54

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION

LITHOLOGIC DESCRIPTION^~^greenish gray 5GY6/1 LAPILLI TUFF, hard*,'>'•'-'VΛamygdalar BASALT, very coarse grained,
dark greenish gray 5GY5/1; amygdales "1-10 m,
f i l l e d with c a l c i t e . Contact at point of
disappearance of anygdalarc h i l l e d margin o f f i n e grained GLASSY BASALT, darkgray N3
coarser grained:

very coarse grained basalt, dark greenish gray
5GY5/1:clinopyroxene
Plagioclase
chloriteiron ore

VOID

:

2

— - l o o s e pieces o f b a s a l t , probably c h i l l e d margin

_
~-

-

— c u t t i n g s , Including chunks o f basalt

FeldsparClay

Λ ; " I:'*«*•!

,

b a s a l t

Catcher

Cored Interval: 490.5-500.0 m

Thin Section, Section 2, 50-54 cm
glassy lava f r a g m e n t s - p e r l i t i c ,vesicular, etc.
c h l o r i t i c amygdaloidal glassy lava
c a v i t i e s l i n e d w i t h z e o l i t e i n vugs

vesicular BASALT, vesicles 3-9 mm in diameter
amygdalar BASALT, amygdales 3-6 mm
vesicular BASALT, vesicles 2-9 mm
amygdalar BASALT. amygdales 1-5 mm

Explanatory notes in Chapter 1coarse grained BASALT. dark greenish gray 5GY5/1,
similar to Core 54, Sections 1 and 2.
vesicular BASALT. vesicles 1-5 mm

CoreCatcher
Explanatory notes in Chapter 1

amygdalar basalt

SITE 214214-1-1

214-1-2

214-1-3

214-1-4

214-1-5

214-1-6
153

SITE 214214-2-1
154

214-2-2

214-2-3

214-2-4

214-2-5

214-3-1

SITE 214
OCDl•

25

50

75

100

125

150

214-3-2

214-3-3

214-3-4

214-3-5

214-3-6

214-4-2
155

SITE 214

•0 cm

— 25

50

75

100

125

150

214-4-3
156

214-4-4

214-4-5

214-4-6

214-5-1

214-5-2

SITE 214214-5-3

214-5-4

214-5-5

214-5-6

214-6-1

214-6-2
157

SITE 214

0 cm

25

50

— 75

100

125

150

214-6-3
158

214-6-4

214-7-1

214-7-2

214-7-3

214-7-4

SITE 214214-7-5

214-7-6

214-8-1

214-8-2

214-8-3

214-8-4
159

SITE 214

0 cm

F

— 25

-

— 50

75

-

100

—125

150

214-9-1
160

214-9-2

214-9-3

214-9-4

214-9-5

214-9-6

•0 cm•

B

1

B

1

1

1

25

,

'

-

1 i
Ti "1

'
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JJ
J
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1

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1
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125
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214-10-1

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214-10-2

214-10-3

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214-10-4

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SITE 214j1

214-10-5i;

1

214-10-6

161

SITE 214

0 cm

25

50

75

—100

—125

150
214-11-1
162

214-11-2

214-11-3

214-11-4

214-11-5

214-11-6

SITE 214214-12-1

214-12-2

214-12-3

214-12-4

214-13-1

214-13-2
163

SITE 214214-13-3
164

214-13-4

214-13-5

214-13-6

214-14-1

214-14-2

SITE 2140 cm

214-14-3

214-14-4

214-14-5

214-14-6

214-15-1

214-15-2

165

SITE 214214-15-3
166

214-15-4

214-15-5

214-15-6

214-16-1

214-16-2

SITE 214

r

0 cm

25

— 50

75

—100
-

—125

150

214-16-3

214-16-4

214-16-5

214-16-6

214-17-1

214-17-2
167

SITE 214214-17-3
168

214-17-4

214-17-5

214-17-6

214-18-1

214-18-2

SITE 214

•0 cm

— 25

50

— 75

—100

125

150

214-18-3

214-18-4

214-18-5

214-19-1

214-19-2

214-19-3
169

SITE 214214-19-4
170

214-19-5

214-20-1

214-20-2

214-20-3

214-20-4

SITE 214214-20-5

214-20-6

214-21-1

214-21-2

214-21-3

214-21-4
171

SITE 214214-21-5
172

214-22-1

214-22-2

214-22-3

214-22-4

214-22-5

SITE 214214-22-6

214-23-1

214-23-2

214-23-3

214-23-4

214-23-5

173

SITE 214214-23-6
174

214-24-1

214-24-2

214-24-3

214-24-4

214-24-5

SITE 214214-24-6

214-25-5

214-25-6

214-26-1

214-26-2

214-26-3
175

SITE 214214-26-4
176

214-26-5

214-26-6

214-27-1

214-27-2

214-27-3

SITE 214214-27-4

214-27-5

214-27-6

214-28-1

214-28-2

214-28-3
177

SITE 214214-28-4
178

214-28-5

214-28-6

214-29-1

214-29-2

214-29-3

SITE 214214-29-4

214-29-5

214-29-6

214-30-1

214-30-2

214-30-3
179

SITE 214

0 cm

25

50

75

100

125

150

214-30-4
180

214-30-5

214-30-6

214-31-1

214-31-2

214-31-3

SITE 214214-31-4

214-31-5

214-31-6

214-32-1

214-32-2

214-32-3
181

SITE 214

0 cm

25

50

75

100

125

150

214-32-4
182

214-32-5

214-32-6

214-33-1

214-33-2

214-33-3

SITE 214

•0 cm

25

— 50

^75

—100

—125

150

214-33-4

214-33-5

214-33-6

214-34-1

214-34-2

214-34-3
183

SITE 214
•Ocm•

J

HB t

1

1

1

1

1

'ilk

1
1

:

9

•

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Λ

•

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f

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,

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j

i

214-34-4
184

1

_

150

214-34-5

214-34-6

I1

214-35-1

214-35-2

1
214-35-3

SITE 214

•0 cm

— 25

50

75

100

125

150

214-35-4

214-36-1

214-36-2

214-36-3

214-36-4

214-37-1
185

SITE 214214-37-2
186

214-38-1

214-38-2

214-38-3

214-38-4

214-39-1

SITE 214214-39-2

214-39-3

214-40-1

214-40-2

214-40-3

214-40-CC
187

SITE 214

0 cm -

25

50

CO

•<

75

et:
CD

o
I—
o

Q_
O

100

125

150

214-41-2
188

214-41-3

214-42-1

214-44-1

214-45-1

214-46-2

SITE 214

•0 cm

25

— 50

— 75

100

—125

150

214-46-3

214-47-1

214-48-1

214-48-2

214-49-1

214-50-1
189

SITE 214

0 cm

— 25

50

75

100

125

150

214-51-1
190

214-52-1

214-53-1

214-53-2

214-54-1

214-54-2

SITE 214

0 cm

25

50

75

100

125

150

214-54-3
191