X-ray diffraction analysis of sediment cores from the ACEX expedition to the Arctic Ocean

This data report extents the X-ray diffraction (XRD) work reported in the Scientific Results Volume from ~ 200 samples to 1555 investigated bulk powder samples. The unique central Arctic Ocean samples of the International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Leg 302 Arctic Coring Expedition (ACEX), the first mission specific platform Leg, were collected and prepared by different German groups and provided to the Central Laboratory for Crystallography and Applied Material Sciences, Geosciences, University of Bremen. This data set is special because all samples were measured on the same diffractometer, used the same measurement settings and the diffractograms were investigated by the same person. Therefore, maximum continuity from the onshore party investigation till now is given. Sediments of the Arctic Ocean are dominated by detrital non-biogenic material in the Neogene and are also influenced by diagenetic processes over the whole section. XRD is the method of choice in particular for the composition of fine fraction silicates (clay minerals) and the different SiO2 - mineral phases which dominate much of the Paleogene section of the ACEX cores. Rich paleoceanographic and diagenic information can be deduced from XRD data.