Age-depth correlations for Ontong Java Plateau sites

By comparing sediment bulk density, velocity, and resistivity logs from adjacent holes at the same site, we showed that even subtle features of the well logs are reproducible and are caused by variations in sedimentation. With only minor amounts of biostratigraphic information, we could readily correlate these sedimentary features across the entire top of the Ontong Java Plateau, demonstrating that for most of the Neogene the top of the plateau is a single sedimentary province.

We found it more difficult, but still possible, to correlate in detail sites from the top of the plateau to those drilled on the flanks. The pattern of sedimentation rate variation down the flank of the plateau cannot be interpreted as simply controlled by dissolution. Site 805, in particular, oscillates between accumulating sediment at roughly the same rate as cores on top of the Ontong Java Plateau, and accumulating sediment as slowly as Site 803, 200 m deeper in the water column.