Site Summaries
Site: EQP-2A
Priority: Primary
Position: 2°46.22'N, 110°34.31'W
Water Depth: 3761 m
Sediment Thickness: 318 m
Target Drilling Depth: Through sediment-basement transition
Approved Maximum Penetration: 318 m (To 350 m requested from PPSP)
Seismic Coverage: Thomas Washington Venture I line O, same position as Site 851.
See seismic line.
Objectives:
1) Test by comparison with other sites during this expedition whether microbial communities,
activity, and survival strategies are different in this deeply buried, organic-poor environment than
those in open-ocean sediments with more organic matter or shallower burial.
2) Examine how subsurface (up from basement) hydrologic flow affects microbiological
community structure and sediment chemistry in organic-poor sediments with sulfate-rich pore
waters.
Drilling Program: APC to refusal, XCB to and a couple of meters into basement. At least two holes, possibly three. Test site for PCS. May require additional mudline cores.
Logging and Downhole Program: Triple combo, possible FMS, APC-temperature, DVTP, and MBARI methane tool.
Nature of Rock Anticipated: Foraminifer nannofossil and diatom nannofossil ooze, basaltic basement.
