Priority: 1
Position: 53°10.84´S, 5°7.84´E
Water Depth: 2850 m
Sediment Thickness: 1000 m
Approved Maximum Penetration: 730* m
Seismic Coverage: AWI94080, shot point 475
Objectives: Recover a Pliocene-Pleistocene sequence at ultra-high-resolution to reconstruct
1. rapid climate change on suborbital time scales in the Southern Ocean and its relation to climate
signals recovered from ice cores in Greenland, Antarctica, and tropical glaciers;
2. surface-water parameters and sea-ice distribution south of the present PFZ;
3. paleoproductivity changes (e.g., silica, carbon export rates) in relation to surface-water-mass
changes and sea-ice distribution;
4. deep-water circulation including changes in the physical and chemical properties of CPDW; and
5. early low-temperature silica diagenesis.
Drilling Program: Triple APC/XCB to 200 m and, if time permits, XCB to 400 m, RCB to 730 m.
Logging and Downhole: None if <400 m
Nature of Rock Anticipated: Foram-bearing diatom ooze
*This site may be deepened to a maximum of 730 m, if time permits, at the end of Leg 177.
Priority: 2
Position: 53°12.95´S, 5°8.07´E
Water Depth: 2925 m
Sediment Thickness: 1000 m
Approved Maximum Penetration: 680* m
Seismic Coverage: AWI94080, shot point PS335
Objectives: Same as TSO-7A
Drilling Program: Triple APC to 200 m and, if time permits, XCB to 400 m, RCB to 730 m
Logging and Downhole: None if <400 m
Nature of Rock Anticipated: Foram-bearing diatom ooze
