The relevant sites are Sites 1081 through 1087, from Walvis Ridge to the Southern Cape Basin. Together they provide an excellent record for the late Neogene. Changes in the strength of the current are reflected in the composition of microfossil assemblages and in productivity-related sediment properties. These have different dynamics and histories. The outstanding feature regarding coastal upwelling is the late Pliocene diatom acme, seen between Walvis Ridge and Southern Cape Basin.
NADW production is affected, as seen in the carbonate record.
Details will emerge from comparison of Leg 175 records with those from the Ceara Rise. Upwelling history and aridity history will be matched in detail in these sites. Analysis of clay mineral content will be necessary to tie down the details. Chemical activity from the degradation of organic matter is extremely strong in most of the sediments recovered. Some of the most extreme values for ammonia and alkalinity ever measured were found at Site 1084.