The preservation of fossil leaves in Cretaceous volcaniclastic rocks from Alexander Island, Antarctica

Summary Leaf compression fossils are abundant within the lower Cretaceous part of the Fossil Bluff Formation in southern Alexander Island, Antarctica. They occur in lacustrine laminated siltstones with a high volcaniclastic component. During zeolite facies metamorphism of the rocks, breakdown of cla...

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Published in:Geological Magazine
Main Author: Jefferson, T. H.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1982
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0016756800026108
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0016756800026108
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spelling crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0016756800026108 2024-03-03T08:36:27+00:00 The preservation of fossil leaves in Cretaceous volcaniclastic rocks from Alexander Island, Antarctica Jefferson, T. H. 1982 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0016756800026108 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0016756800026108 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Geological Magazine volume 119, issue 3, page 291-300 ISSN 0016-7568 1469-5081 Geology journal-article 1982 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0016756800026108 2024-02-08T08:35:39Z Summary Leaf compression fossils are abundant within the lower Cretaceous part of the Fossil Bluff Formation in southern Alexander Island, Antarctica. They occur in lacustrine laminated siltstones with a high volcaniclastic component. During zeolite facies metamorphism of the rocks, breakdown of clay minerals, volcanic glass and calcic plagioclase generated new mineral phases. The growth of these minerals was concentrated within and around leaves: finely disseminated oxide of titanium crystallized within the organic material, a thin film of chlorite was precipitated around leaves and silica, calcite and laumontite grew disruptively between leaf cuticles. Despite relatively low levels of organic maturation the structure of the leaf cuticles was destroyed and the only details which survived were those preserved as impressions in the chorite film. Article in Journal/Newspaper Alexander Island Antarc* Antarctica Cambridge University Press Alexander Island ENVELOPE(-69.895,-69.895,-71.287,-71.287) Fossil Bluff ENVELOPE(-68.274,-68.274,-71.332,-71.332) Geological Magazine 119 3 291 300
institution Open Polar
collection Cambridge University Press
op_collection_id crcambridgeupr
language English
topic Geology
spellingShingle Geology
Jefferson, T. H.
The preservation of fossil leaves in Cretaceous volcaniclastic rocks from Alexander Island, Antarctica
topic_facet Geology
description Summary Leaf compression fossils are abundant within the lower Cretaceous part of the Fossil Bluff Formation in southern Alexander Island, Antarctica. They occur in lacustrine laminated siltstones with a high volcaniclastic component. During zeolite facies metamorphism of the rocks, breakdown of clay minerals, volcanic glass and calcic plagioclase generated new mineral phases. The growth of these minerals was concentrated within and around leaves: finely disseminated oxide of titanium crystallized within the organic material, a thin film of chlorite was precipitated around leaves and silica, calcite and laumontite grew disruptively between leaf cuticles. Despite relatively low levels of organic maturation the structure of the leaf cuticles was destroyed and the only details which survived were those preserved as impressions in the chorite film.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Jefferson, T. H.
author_facet Jefferson, T. H.
author_sort Jefferson, T. H.
title The preservation of fossil leaves in Cretaceous volcaniclastic rocks from Alexander Island, Antarctica
title_short The preservation of fossil leaves in Cretaceous volcaniclastic rocks from Alexander Island, Antarctica
title_full The preservation of fossil leaves in Cretaceous volcaniclastic rocks from Alexander Island, Antarctica
title_fullStr The preservation of fossil leaves in Cretaceous volcaniclastic rocks from Alexander Island, Antarctica
title_full_unstemmed The preservation of fossil leaves in Cretaceous volcaniclastic rocks from Alexander Island, Antarctica
title_sort preservation of fossil leaves in cretaceous volcaniclastic rocks from alexander island, antarctica
publisher Cambridge University Press (CUP)
publishDate 1982
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0016756800026108
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0016756800026108
long_lat ENVELOPE(-69.895,-69.895,-71.287,-71.287)
ENVELOPE(-68.274,-68.274,-71.332,-71.332)
geographic Alexander Island
Fossil Bluff
geographic_facet Alexander Island
Fossil Bluff
genre Alexander Island
Antarc*
Antarctica
genre_facet Alexander Island
Antarc*
Antarctica
op_source Geological Magazine
volume 119, issue 3, page 291-300
ISSN 0016-7568 1469-5081
op_rights https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1017/s0016756800026108
container_title Geological Magazine
container_volume 119
container_issue 3
container_start_page 291
op_container_end_page 300
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