Study of geochemical data ( Eocene- Santonian samples) from Hole 516F (Leg 72) by the method of correspondence analysis.

Abstract

Correspondence analysis allows a simultaneous global treatment of all geochemical parameters of Coniacian-Eocene sediments from Hole 516F. The synthesis graph which summarizes the geochemical evolution of the series, suggests: 1) each time stage has a very well defined area; each can be easily characterized by its geochemistry; 2) during the Coniacian to Santonian, manganese was the dominant geochemical constituent; this suggests that the geochemical evolution of sediments from that interval is mainly controlled by seafloor spreading; 3) after the Campanian, there was a sharp change in the control of the geochemical evolution of sediments. This evolution is now mainly controlled by chemical variations of the sedimentary environment and by diagenetic phenomena.-from Authors