0,88 percent in the three cores. It was highest in the midstrait core, 

 where a maximum of 1.2U percent was noted at the top of the core. The 

 core taken off Deception Island averaged 0,80 percent while only 0,U7 

 percent was noted at the core taken off D'Urville Island, The high 

 organic carbon content of cores taken in this area Is probably caused 

 by the large diatom popiilation and incoming organic matter flowing 

 through the strait, 



5, Weddell Sea Area 



Along the Princess Martha Coast of Queen Maud Land, the continental 

 shelf is much narrower than on the Pacific side of the Antarctic Conti- 

 nent and rarely exceeds 100 miles in breadth. In places it is as narrow 

 as 30 to kO miles wide and the continental slope is steep beyond. All 

 cores taken in this area by the ATKA were on the continental shelf or, 

 in one case off Atka Bay, at the start of the continental slope. 



Five cores or bottom samples were taken along the Princess Martha 

 Coast during the ATKA Cruise, At Penguin Bay the corer hit hard on 

 the bottom at 237 meters depth, and a small sample of green gray coarse 

 sand and silt was obtained. In Atki Bay, one core and one snapper 

 sample were obtained at depths of 1^6 and 68 meters, respectively, • 

 The core was 11 inches in length and indicated a shallow covering 

 of sediment over a hard roclqr bottom. The fact that the corer hit 

 with a distinct impact and large numbers of hydroids, requiring a hard 

 substratum for attachment, were obtained in the snapper sample indicated 

 a rocky bottom. The upper 6 inches of the core was composed of dark 

 yellowish brown sediment, while the bottom 5 inches was grayish olive. 

 Sand sized particles or larger con^jrised 5^ percent of the total sedi- 

 ment. The sphericity, of the particles varied from low to low moderate; 

 roundness varied from very angular to subangularj surface texture was 

 rough dull in the rock fragments, and rough polished in the mineral 

 grains. Clay sized particles averaged 19 percent of the total sediment. 

 Besides hydroids and calcareous algae, the sample contained sponge 

 spicules, arenaceous and calcareoxis forarainifera, bryozoa, radiolaria, 

 and ostracods. This was the only bottom sample collected which con- 

 tained Ostracoda, Bryozoan remains were dominant at the top of the 

 core and pelagic tests of various sorts at the bottom. Sponge spicules 

 were secondary at the top and bottom. Quarts and rock fragments were 

 also noted. The snapper sample obtained a number of bryozoans and 

 coarse sand. Two attempts at taking a core about 10 miles seaward 

 from Atka Bay resulted in hard hits on both tries in 823 meters; a little 

 sand and some bryozoans were obtained. Organic carbon content in the 

 10- inch core takan at Atka Bay averaged 0,37 percent and showed con- 

 siderable difference between the top and bottom content of the core. 

 An average of three analyses for the top of the core showed a carbon 

 content of O.U^ percent; the bottom content was only 0,22 percent. 



53 



