Physical properties of sediments at DSDP Holes 78-541 and 78-543

Sediment cored within the Barbados subduction complex at Sites 541 and 542 are underconsolidated. Underconsolidation and changes in physical properties of the cored section can be related to excess pore water pressure that equals the lithostatic load at Site 542 and to major thrust faulting observed at Site 541. Apparently, the pore fluids within the subduction complex are absorbing the tectonic shock of underthrusting. Sediment sampled from the reference Site 543 on the adjacent Atlantic Plate are also underconsolidated. However, underconsolidation in Hole 543 is apparently due to the movement of excess nitrogen gas observed deeper in the hole. Excess gas was not observed at Sites 541 and 542.

Element contents and isotope composition of sediments and basalts from DSDP Site 78-543

Twenty-four piston core sediment samples and 13 sediments and 3 basalts from DSDP Leg 78 Site 543 were analyzed for Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic compositions. The results show sediment with highly radiogenic Pb (206Pb/204Pb up to 19.8) and rather radiogenic Sr and unradiogenic Nd has been deposited in the region since the Cretaceous. The source of this sediment is probably the Archean Guiana Highland, which is drained by the Orinoco River. Pb and Sr isotopic compositions and sediment thickness decrease and 143Nd/144Nd increases northward due to a decrease in turbiditic component. This decrease is partly due to the damming action of basement ridges. Rare earth concentrations in the sediments are somewhat low, due to the abundance of detrital and biogenic components in the sediment and rapid sedimentation rates. Both positive and negative Ce anomalies occur in the surface sediments, but only positive Ce anomalies occur in the Site 543 sediments. It is unlikely that sediment subducted to the source region of Lesser Antilles arc magmas could be the cause of negative Ce anomalies in those magmas. Isotopic compositions of Site 543 basalts show some effect of contamination by seawater-basalt reaction products and sediments. Beyond this, however, they are typical of "normal" depleted MORB.