The dominant mineral in these cores was quartz with some cores 

 showing rock fragments as dominant. Rock fragments were composed of 

 quartzite, grcinite, granitoid rocks, slate, schist, and. gneiss. 

 Secondary minerals were usually feldspar with some quartz, especially 

 at the bottom of the cores. Other materials noted were mica, horn- 

 blende, and volcanic glass. 



Organic remainis were found mainly in the top portion of the cores, 

 but in one core taken along the shelf ice edge at about 172° W, and in 

 a core taken off Okuma Bay, organic remains were found at the bottom of 

 the cores as weH, The remains consisted of arenaceous and calcareous 

 foraminifera, bryozoa, sponge spicules, diatoms, and radiolarians, A 

 heavy liquid separation of heavy and light sana fractions and magnetic 

 particles was carried out on the core taken along the Ross Ice Barrier 

 at about 172° W« The light weight sand fraction was 92 percent, heavy 

 weight sand fraction 8 peix;ent, magnetic light weight fraction 0,U per- 

 cent, and heavy weight magnetic fraction Cq percent. It will be noted 

 that magnetic sands are not abundant in this portion of the Ross Sea, 

 although in other parts of the Antarctic a very high magnetic separation 

 was obtained. 



The median diameter of particles averaged ^o7h in ^ units but was 

 1,38 ^ at Okuma Bay entrance. Determination of sorting coefficients 

 was possible only vrith the Okuma Bay core where it was found to be U.OO, 

 a high figure denoting poor sorting. Although each core was carefully 

 examined while in its plastic covering for both Beta and Gamma radiation, 

 no evidence of radioactivity was noted in any core at any place tested. 

 Samples of the bottom removed from the core liners were also tested with- 

 out results. The Geiger counter showed a background of between 0,5 and 

 0,8 units. This count was lowered through absorption by the core to 

 about 0,U units. 



Obtaining data on water content of the cores was not possible because 

 they had dried out during the voyage home, hence there is no information 

 available on the amoimt of compaction of bottom sediments. From visual 

 inspection of the samples at the time they were taken, it is believed 

 that the sediment is very loosely compacted. This fact, together with 

 the large number of foraminifera present in the core, suggest a porous 

 bottom sediment with a high water content which wo\ild absorb a con- 

 siderable portion of sound waves. 



Organic carbon (noncrystalline) content as determined by the 

 Schollenberg method, averaged 0,U6 percent in the top and bottom of 

 the cores taken in the Ross Sea area. The largest percentage (0.91 

 percent) observed in the Ross Sea area occurred in the bottom portion 

 of the core taken about 25 miles off Little Americaj the top percentage 

 of this core was 0,38 percent. The minimiDa value noted in tliis area 

 (0,23 percent) occurred at tlie top of the core taken at about 172° W, 



h9 



