(Table 1) Interstitial water chemistry at DSDP Leg 59 Holes

Interstitial water studies of samples from Leg 59 show small concentration variations from sea water in Sites 447 and 451 but very large concentration changes in Site 450. A general analysis of calcium concentration gradients in this region is presented, which emphasizes the anomaly presented by the interstitial water chemistry of Sites 53 and 450 in the Parece Vela Basin. An analysis of concentration changes in Ca, Mg, Sr, Li, Mn, and Si indicates that reaction zones associated with high concentrations of dissolved silica can account for these observations.