Accumulation Rates of Mississippi Fan Sediments Cored during Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 96

Abstract

Sediment accumulation rates (g/cm 2 I0 3 yr.) were calculated for undisturbed cores from the Mississippi Fan drill sites. These values take into account the effect of compaction, thus allowing an exact comparison between all sites and stratigraphic zones.In the uppermost stratigraphic Zone Z of Ericson and Wollin, sediment accumulation is comparable to that found in hemipelagic sequences (1-10 g/cm 2 I0 3 yr.). In Zone Y (late Wisconsin glacial), which spans a period of fluctuating sea level, the accumulation rates are one to three orders of magnitude greater than in Zone Z, using seismic 3 yr.), but this value is influenced by debris flow deposits occurring in Zone X.