An interval of small slumps and glauconite beds separates the Cenomanian from upper Albian deposits. The Albian sequence consists of green massive claystone alternating with dark laminated greenish-black claystones. Indeed, gas content is uniformly extremely low throughout the rocks at Site 1052 and consists mostly of methane. Interbedded with the laminated claystones are lithified, coarser grained intervals that contain foraminifers, shallow-water limestone fragments and quartz. Color varies from light olive gray in the limestones to very dark olive gray in the more laminated rocks.
Laminated claystones are more abundant and thicker toward the top of the Albian section.
These sandstones were probably deposited near storm wavebase, as suggested by the occurrence of well-sorted grainstones that are often features associated with sand waves. Apparently, the entire upper Albian clinoform stack represents a deepening upward package. Rocks of this age were generally recovered in long coherent sections of core, which allowed us to collect high quality data on the inclinations associated with the natural remnant magnetizations of the rocks. Apparently, in previous reconstructions the middle Cretaceous North American pole has been placed approximately 1000 km too far southward with respect to the southeastern United States.