The age model is based on biostratagraphic and paleomagnetic shipboard age picks published in the Leg 177 Initial Reports volume (Gersonde, Hodell, Blum, et al., 1999) and used to calculate sedimentation rates (Fig. F3; Table T1). Sedimentation rates were generally higher in the Quaternary, averaging almost 2 cm/k.y., but ranging from <1 to >6 cm/k.y. Below the hiatus (~70 mcd), sedimentation rates were considerably lower, averaging slightly >1 cm/k.y.
Ages from the shipboard age model were used in the program AGER developed by Philip Howell (pers. comm., 1999) at Brown University to assign ages to data presented in this paper.