Lower Cretaceous Rocks (Neocomian-Albian) Dredged from Blake Escarpment

Abstract

Algal calcarenites, Neocomian to Aptian in age, dredged from 3000 to 5000-meter depth on Blake Escarpment, are the oldest rocks yet obtained from deep-sea outcrops. Five thousand meters of post-Aptian subsidence of the Blake Plateau is thus established. Aptian-Albian calcilutites obtained from depths of less than 3000 meters mark the establishment of an offshore environment.