Site 955

Abstract

Principal results: Site 955, the third of four sites drilled into the volcanic apron peripheral to Gran Canaria, is located in the southern Canary Channel, 56 km southeast of Gran Canaria, 109 km southwest of Fuerteventura, and 125 km west of the African continental margin on the southeastern volcanic apron of Gran Canaria. The site is in line with DSDP Sites 397 and 369, 50 km and 100 km southeast of Site 955, respectively. The site is separated from Site 953 in the northern basin by the submarine ridge (maximum water depth 1550 m) separating Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria. The drill site is in a fairly flat area at a water depth of 2860 m. Although no structural or other complications were indicated on the highresolution pre-site survey data, additional reflection seismic data was acquired on our approach to Site 955. Site 955 is the first of two sites drilled in the southern volcanic apron of Gran Canaria that is open to sediment influx from the African continental margin. One of the objectives was to compare and correlate the volcaniclastic sediments south of Gran Canaria with those to be drilled in the northern basin. Because post-Miocene volcanic activity is absent in the south of the island, the influx of volcaniclastics in the upper part of the sediment column (younger than 10 Ma) is probably small. The major events to be studied include large explosive eruptions that resulted in widespread ash flows and ash falls during Mogan and Fataga volcanism, roughly between 14 and 10 Ma.