Compared to the shallower water sites, Sites 1054 and 1055, there is much less evidence of downslope transport and current activity. The reworking of both planktonic foraminifers and calcareous nannofossils is surprisingly low. Stratigraphic correlation based on MST records from all holes suggest that we have recovered a complete stratigraphic sequence. Nannofossil ooze layers, present in the overlying unit, are missing. The succession contains abundant and well preserved calcareous nannofossils and common to few planktonic and benthic foraminifers with good to moderate preservation.
Diatoms are few to common, and often fragmented.
Magnetic susceptibility and magnetic intensities show cyclic variations that can be correlated with marine oxygen isotope stages for the past 600 k.y. Magnetic polarity assessment is difficult because of the effects of overprints, reduction diagenesis, and core disturbance due to gas expansion. Results of Rock-Eval analysis indicate that organic matter is thermally immature with respect to petroleum generation. Pore-water profiles from Site 1056 are typical of sediments in which sulfate reduction and methanogenesis occur. The sulfate reduction zone extends to only 16 mbsf, and carbonate precipitation probably occurs below that level.