Data report: X-ray fluorescence scanning of sediment cores, IODP Expedition 390/393 Site U1558, South Atlantic Transect

We report semiquantitative elemental data from X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning of Site U1558 sediment cores drilled during International Ocean Discovery Program Expeditions 390C and 393. These expeditions, together with Expeditions 395E and 390, form the South Atlantic Transect, which collected sediment and basement cores from the western flank of the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. XRF scanning of the continuous splice of Site U1558, using Holes U1558A and U1558F, was conducted at three acceleration voltages to capture a range of major, minor, and trace elements. At Site U1558, positive correlations exist between terrigenous-sourced elements (Al, Si, Ti, and Fe) and a negative correlation exists between the terrigenous-sourced elements and Ca. XRF geochemistry is correlated with lithologic changes, most notably at the boundary of Lithologic Units I and II, where Unit I is brown and reddish brown nannofossil-rich clay and Unit II is pink, pinkish white, pinkish gray, and light brown nannofossil ooze and chalk with varying amounts of clay and foraminifera. Peaks in XRF data align with the boundaries of Lithologic Subunits IIA and IIB and Subunits IIB and IIC.