Grain character data (grain size, sorting and shape) from quasi-coeval topset, foreset and bottomset deposits of Miocene clinothems, offshore New Jersey, USA@en

These data comprise a grain character dataset (grain size, sorting and grain shape) from the topset, foreset, and bottomset deposits of four successive Miocene intrashelf clinothem sequences (m5.7, m5.4, m5.45 and m5.3). These clinothems have been mapped and described by various authors (e.g. Monteverde et al., 2008; Mountain et al., 2010; Miller et al., 2013), and were continuously cored and logged during IODP (International Ocean Discovery Program) Expedition 313 (Offshore New Jersey, USA). In total, 878 sediment samples were collected from the working half of three cores recovered during IODP Expedition 313, offshore New Jersey. The three cores, kept in cold storage at the University of Bremen, are from Sites M27, M28 and M29. The stratigraphic horizons targeted during this investigation were exclusively Miocene in age, corresponding to depths of 225 - 365 mcd (metres composite depth), 312 - 600 mcd, and 600 - 730 mcd in cores M27, M28 and M29 respectively. Collectively, a total of 560 m of core has been sampled. With reference to the seismic clinothem model presented in Miller et al. (2013), these stratigraphic depths correspond to the interval between major seismic sequence boundaries m5.7 - m5.2. Where no prominent grain size change was recorded in either the cumulative lithology presented in Miller et al. (2013) or core descriptions (Mountain et al., 2010), the strategy for sample collection was to remove 15 x 15 x 15 mm sediment slices, subsampled at ~ 500 mm intervals down-core. The sampling strategy was amended to target stratigraphic depths where grain size change was most prominent. At these intervals, highlighted by the broad patterns of down-core lithological and grain size change (Mountain et al., 2010; Browning et al., 2013; Miller et al., 2013), sampling density was increased to ~ 300 mm intervals. During the sampling process there was some deviation from this sampling configuration in order to avoid 1) horizons of cementation, (2) biscuiting disturbance, 3) key stratigraphic surfaces and 4) heavily sampled intervals. Due to the pervasive presence of biogenic material (including calcareous skeletal remains, shell fragments, and organic matter) sample pre-treatment was undertaken prior to grain character measurements, in order to remove these components. […]