ABSTRACT

Statistical analysis of carbonate curves from the "Karbonat-Bombe" technique (Muller and Gastner, 1971) show that these carbonate variations are similar to curves drawn from previously-published Deep Sea Drilling Project carbonate data obtained by the LECO 70-Second Carbon Analyzer (Boyce and Bode, 1972), and the combined carbonate data set may be used to obtain a more accurate record of carbonate fluctuations in DSDP sites. Carbonate curves from the Carbonate Bomb data for an Equatorial Pacific piston core (RC 12-66) are not significantly different from carbonate curves drawn for the same core from the Rapid Gasometric Carbonate Analysis (Hulsemann, 1966), so these two data sets may be combined to increase the stratigraphic resolution of carbonate variations in this core.

Modifications to the Muller-Gastner method can increase the accuracy of carbonate determinations made with the carbonate bomb. The carbonate bomb is subject to variations in response to gas pressures, and bomb gauges do not always show a linear increase with increased gas pressures. The bomb gauges may also show a vapor pressure effect when concentrated hydrochloric acid is used in the carbonate analysis.