Cores 167-1017E-1H through 3H were taken down to 24.9 m below seafloor (mbsf), with 103.3% recovery at Site 1017 (34°32.099´N, 121°6.430´W, 955.5 m water depth) using the advanced piston coring system (Lyle, Koizumi, Richter, et al., 1997). Results from only the upper 6 m of the section are reported here. The deposits consist mainly of calcareous silt or clay. Frequent sand patches and layers are intercalated below 250 centimeters below seafloor (cmbsf), and most show graded bedding. Sediments are moderately to heavily bioturbated and rarely show recognizable stratification such as laminations. The biosiliceous component is very small (Lyle, Koizumi, Richter, et al., 1997), and carbonate and organic carbon contents range from 0.1% to 1.5% and 0.5% to 3%, respectively (Tada et al., Chap. 25, this volume). Thus, the sediments consist of ~80%-90% inorganic detritus.
The recovered core was sealed and refrigerated on board immediately after recovery. Sampling was performed at Texas A&M University (TAMU) three months after the cruise. Hole 1017E cores were split and sampled every 3 cm from top to bottom, and then every sample was vacuum packed and stored refrigerated at TAMU. Here we use 197 samples of Core 167-1017E-1H extending from 0 to 590 cmbsf. To compare measured element profiles directly with lithostratigraphic observations based on visual descriptions of the cut surface of the core and X-ray radiography (Tada et al., Chap. 25 this volume), we use sample depth uncorrected for core expansion. This interval corresponds to 0-25 ka based on the accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C dates of mixed planktonic foraminifers (Kennett et al., Chap. 21, this volume) and the boundary between marine isotope Stages (MIS) 1 and 2 located at 325 cmbsf. Bulk-sediment samples were prepared for analysis by freeze drying and were homogenized by grinding in a tungsten carbide disc mill.