389 



Slide No. 10 



This drum is the one that we ultimately recovered for analysis. 

 This drum was only a matter of 100 or 200 yards away from the 

 drum in the previous photo. And yet the other drum was sitting on 

 the sediment surface in an area where there was a lot of erosion 

 and scouring. The area where this drum came to rest is quite 

 obviously a strong depositional environment. The sediment is 

 moving quite massively and rapidly downslope. 



This drum couldn't have been down here more than 20 years 

 since the site was reportedly used only between 1957-59. And this 

 drum is not buried only to its terminal velocity at impact. Most of 

 the burial is due to sediment sweeping down and covering the 

 drum. The hypothesis is that with enough time some of these 

 drums would be completely covered, and may, in fact, have already 

 been covered. 



There are certain artifacts in this photo not normally present. I 

 don't know if you can see this, but there is a track at a distance 

 behind the drum and a pile up of sediment and another track 

 immediately in front of the drum. Both are artifically induced by 

 the sled track of the submersible ALVIN. 



Another interesting point is that there is very little corrosion 

 and practically no biofouling of this drum or the drum seen in the 

 previous photograph. 



There is also very little observable biological activity in the area. 

 The paint surface is relatively intact, which indicates that the 

 erosional scour we would expect to see in this canyon axis is not 

 present here. This drum was selected for recovery because of its 

 good condition, and presence of some identification markings. 



Next slide, please. 



(Slide No. 11.) 



