(Table 1) Magnetic viscosity coefficient, VRM and NRM of DSDP Hole 6-57

THE magnetic properties of the basalts which form layer 2 of the oceanic lithosphere are important because of their relevance to the hypothesis (Vine and Matthews, 1963, doi:10.1038/199947a0) of seafloor spreading. Most studies of these magnetic properties have been carried out on basalts obtained from dredge hauls taken predominantly from ocean ridge systems and fracture zones. These constitute special areas of the oceanic crust where the sediment cover is negligible. It is of interest to compare the magnetic properties of the dredged basalts with samples recovered from holes drilled through the overlying sediments into the basaltic layer at places distant from ridge axes. Samples obtained from the abandoned Mohole project and, more recently, from the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) possessed magnetic properties similar to those of dredged basalts (Cox and Doell, 1962, doi:10.1029/JZ067i010p03997; Lowrie et al., 1973, doi:10.1016/0012-821X(73)90198-2). Here I describe highly unstable magnetic characteristics found in basalts from DSDP hole 57.

Coarse-silt-fraction mineralogy at DSDP Legs 56 and 57 Holes

Soviet sedimentologists use the term "coarse silt" to denote the size fraction 0.1 to 0.05 mm (50-100 µm). Petelin (1961) has shown that this fraction is most diagnostic for terrigeneous and volcanogenic mineral assemblages and provinces in Recent deep-sea sediments, because of its greatest variability of both heavy and light non-opaque minerals, which may be easily identified by the common immersion method. We believe that the fraction is suitable for mineralogical study of unconsolidated and friable sediments from DSDP cores as well, if the objective is to investigate their source area and transporation tracks. In the case of fine-grained oceanic sediments, mineral composition of the coarse silt does not differ markedly from that of the "coarse fraction" (>62 µm).

Geochemistry of the Japan Trench sediments at DSDP Legs 56-57 Holes

The main objective of this investigation was to study distribution of main chemical constituents and several minor elements in sediment sections drilled during DSDP Legs 56 and 57 in the Japan Trench, in order to infer geochemical features of different lithologic types of sediments, and to find out how the geochemistry is associated with major lithologic constituents, such as terrigenous detrital matter, clay, volcanic ash, and biogenic particles. The geochemical data may help to indicate the nature of the sediments and to interpret sedimentation processes. The analyzed samples seem to be representative of most lithologic units, sub-units, and sediment types drilled at all sites on both legs, except for some shallow-water deposits at Sites 438 and 439. We analyzed bulk-sediment composition by X-ray fluorescence (Kuzmina and Turanskaya) and routine wet-chemical methods (Mikhailov); amorphous SiO2, extracted in a boiling sodium carbonate solution (Analythical Laboratory, P. P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology); Cr, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, and Al by atomic absorption (Gordeev); and Sn, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Cr, V, B, and Ag by quantitative spectrographic analyses in both bulk samples and granulometric fractions (Mikhailov). In addition, Fe, Ti, Mn, and CaCO3 have been determined in selected samples by routine wet-chemical methods (Analytical Laboratory, P. P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology). Murdmaa was responsible for interpretation of the results.