The site should also prove useful for sedimentological study of turbidite deposition and the development of Hueneme Fan. Organic carbon diagenesis will be studied, through detailed pore-water analysis in the upper 100 mbsf geochemical analyses of the solids, in a sedimentary section that has been quickly deposited and that contains a large terrigenous organic component. Sediments consist of one lithologic unit, which is dominated by quartz feldspar sand and clayey silt interbedded at decimeter to meter scale. Sand layers with sharp basal contacts, frequently with wood fragments in the upper part, grading upwards into clayey silt are interpreted as turbidite deposits. Thin layers of laminated hemipelagic nannofossil clay and disseminated volcanic glass occur between the turbiditic sediments.
Authigenic pyrite is a minor but common constituent.
Calcareous nannofossils and, to a lesser extent, foraminifers dominate the calcareous fraction of the sediments. The biosiliceous component is negligible. Detailed comparisons between the magnetic susceptibility generated using the MST and high-resolution color reflectance measured using the Oregon State University system at the two holes, demonstrated complete recovery of the sedimentary sequence down to 36 mbsf. The existence of gas voids, turbidites, and coring disturbances below that depth precluded an interhole correlation. Calcareous nannofossil and planktonic foraminifer data indicate that the 150-m sequence of turbidites and hemipelagic sediments are of latest Quaternary age, younger than 60 ka.