Material in this publication may be copied without restraint for library, abstract service, educational, or personal research purposes; however, republication of any portion requires the written consent of the Director, Ocean Drilling Program, Texas A&M University, 1000 Discovery Drive, College Station Texas 77845-9547, USA, as well as appropriate acknowledgment of this source.

This publication was prepared by the Ocean Drilling Program, Texas A&M University, as an account of work performed under the international Ocean Drilling Program, which is managed by Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation. Funding for the program is provided by the following agencies:

Australia/Canada/Chinese Taipei/Korea Consortium for Ocean Drilling
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Federal Republic of Germany)
Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (INSU CNRS; France)
Ocean Research Institute of the University of Tokyo (Japan)
National Science Foundation (United States)
Natural Environment Research Council (United Kingdom)
European Science Foundation Consortium for Ocean Drilling (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.)
Marine High-Technology Bureau of the State Science and Technology Commission of the People's Republic of China

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation, the participating agencies, Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Inc., Texas A&M University, or Texas A&M Research Foundation.

This Scientific Prospectus is based on precruise JOIDES panel discussions and scientific input from the designated Co-Chief Scientists on behalf of the drilling proponents. The operational plans within reflect JOIDES Planning Committee and thematic panel priorities. During the course of the cruise, actual site operations may indicate to the Co-Chief Scientists and the Operations Manager that it would be scientifically or operationally advantageous to amend the plan detailed in this prospectus. It should be understood that any proposed changes to the plan presented here are contingent upon approval of the Director of the Ocean Drilling Program in consultation with the Science and Operations Committees (successors to the Planning Committee) and the Pollution Prevention and Safety Panel.

Technical Editors: Karen K. Graber and Lorri L. Peters