Fifteen planktonic foraminiferal stratigraphic events were used to provide an age model for Site 1143 (Table T2; Fig. F1) (Li and Jian, 2001). The Brunhes/Matuyama boundary is present at 42.54 mcd, corresponding to an age of 0.78 Ma (Wang, Prell, Blum, et al., 2000). Microtektites are found at 42.81 mcd, with an age of ~0.8 Ma (Wang et al., 2000). Figure F1 shows the age-depth model of sedimentation rates between stratigraphic control points that are assumed to be constant. Based on the sedimentation rate, the age of the bottom sediments is assigned to be ~12.3 Ma. No obvious hiatuses are found at Site 1143 over the past 12.3 m.y., although slumped sediments have been reported over two short intervals (7.5-7.4 and 6.9-6.8 Ma) (Wang, Prell, Blum, et al., 2000).