Data report: grain size analysis of Bengal Fan sediments at Sites U1450 and U1451, IODP Expedition 354

Abstract

Grain size distributions of 311 sediment samples from Sites U1450 and U1451 of International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 354 were determined using laser diffraction. Most of the samples were from turbidites, but some hemipelagic beds were also examined. The mean grain size values show that silt-sized particles are the dominant textural class, whereas the grain size values range from clay to coarse-grained sand. An overall upward change in mean grain size value reveals a slight coarsening-upward trend. However, other parameters such as standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis show no systematic relationship with depth in the holes. The analyzed samples cover the age range from recent to early Miocene. Shepard textural classification plots show the sediments are mostly sandy silts, silty sands, and clayey silts with a few silts and sands also present. Frequency curve plots of samples from individual turbidite beds show inversely graded beds are most common at Site U1450, whereas thicker massive beds are dominant at Site U1451.