Organic geochemistry from different DSDP Holes in the subtropical South Atlantic Ocean

• Main Authors: Keswani, Sushiel R, Dunham, Keith W, Meyers, Philip A
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 1984
• Subjects: 72-515; 72-515B; 72-516; 72-516A; 72-517; 74-525A; 74-528; 74-528A; 75-530B; 75-532; Deep Sea Drilling Project; DRILL; Drilling/drill rig; DSDP; Glomar Challenger; Leg72; Leg74; Leg75; South Atlantic; South Atlantic/BASIN; South Atlantic/CONT RISE; South Atlantic/CREST; South Atlantic/FLANK; South Atlantic/RIDGE; South Atlantic Ocean
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.761244; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.761244

Organic matter has been characterized in samples of Pleistocene, Pliocene, and Miocene sediments from seven Deep Sea Drilling Project sites in the subtropical South Atlantic Ocean. Organic carbon concentrations average 0.3% for most samples, and n-alkanoic acid, n-alkanol, and alkane biomarkers indicate extensive microbial reworking of organic matter in these organic-carbon-lean sediments. Samples from the easternmost parts of the South Atlantic contain an average of 4.1% organic carbon and reflect the high productivity associated with the Benguela Current. Lipid biomarkers show less microbial reworking in these sediments. Eolian transport of land-derived hydrocarbons is evident at most of these oceanic locations.