Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project - Volume 17

This volume covers Leg 17 of the cruises of the Drilling Vessel Glomar Challenger. The main objectives of Leg 17 were: 1. To establish the regional pattern of oceanic crustal ages in the central Pacific. 2. To obtain cores of the entire stratigraphic succession, especially from pre-Middle Eocene strata. Improved drilling bits were available for Leg 17 operations, and thus the older sediments were the major targets for coring. 3. To document the history of growth and subsidence of seamounts located along seamount chains, by drilling on the archipelagic apron of sediments near the foot of individual seamounts. 4. To sample acoustic reflectors seen on seismic reflection profiles and to establish their physical properties and their ages. The ship left Honolulu on March 30, 1971 and returned to Honolulu on May 25, 1971, after a voyage of 4783 nautical miles. A total of 10 holes was drilled at eight sites.