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doi:10.2204/iodp.proc.320321.216.2014

Conclusions

We present scanning XRF data along the splices of Sites U1335–U1337 (41,925 total sample measurements, with 33,739 samples along the three splices) and show their use in exploring the history of the equatorial Pacific productivity zone. We found we could scan the splices for Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, and Ba in a reasonably short amount of time, averaging slightly more than 1 h per section. The raw data, however, are a volume measurement and must be scaled, normalized, and eventually calibrated to make an estimate of sediment composition. The NMS data-reduction process described helps to make correlations between raw peak areas and measured chemical compositions more linear so that calibration is easier. To achieve good results, care must be taken to choose a sediment compositional model (median composition and type of sediment components) that is similar to the sediment under investigation. Calibration is the final step in converting XRF scan data to a compositional estimate. Ideally, enough samples are measured by discrete geochemical analysis that some of the data are left out of the calibration and can be used to check the data.

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