Geochemical Peculiarities of the Pacific Pleistocene Sediments

In this geochemical review, tables of average arithmetic chemical composition, mean weighted chemical composition, accumulation rates, and mass accumulation rates of chemical components are presented. They are based on the records from cruises of the International Deep Sea Drilling Project and other literature data concerning the main lithologic types of the Pacific Pleistocene sediments. These tables can be used for the comparative analysis with sediments of the same or other stratons in different oceanic basins, as well as paleoceanic sediments on the continents. The terrigenous matrix dominates in the lithogenic matter. We revealed a close resemblance between the chemical composition of volcanic sediments and hemipelagic clays. Peculiarities of hydrothermal sediments are described. Using the methods of mathematical statistics, we deciphered the main geochemical associations and principal factors determining the chemical composition of studied sediments. Masses of major oxides and several trace elements have been calculated for Pleistocene sediments. A concept about the average chemical composition of the Pacific Pleistocene is proposed.