Uplift and denudation history of the Ellsworth Mountains: insights from low-temperature thermochronology ...

• Main Authors: Bastías-Silva, Joaquín, Chew, David, Poblete, Fernando, Castillo, Paula, Guenthner, William, Grunow, Anne, Dalziel, Ian W.D., Dias, Airton N.C., Ramírez de Arellano, Cristóbal, Fernandez, Rodrigo
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: ETH Zurich 2024
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctica; East Antarctica; West Antarctica
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000671802; http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/671802

While thermochronological studies have constrained the landscape evolution of several of the crustal blocks of West and East Antarctica, the tectono-thermal evolution of the Ellsworth Mountains remains relatively poorly constrained. These mountains are among the crustal blocks that comprise West Antarctica and exhibit an exceptionally well-preserved Palaeozoic sedimentary sequence. Despite the seminal contribution of Fitzgerald and Stump (1991), who suggested an Early Cretaceous uplift event for the Ellsworth Mountains, further thermochronological studies are required to improve the current understanding of the landscape evolution of this mountain chain. We present new zircon (U-Th) / He (ZHe) ages, which provide insights into the landscape evolution of the Ellsworth Mountains. The ZHe ages collected from near the base and the top of the sequence suggest that these rocks underwent burial reheating after deposition. A cooling event is recorded during the Jurassic-Early Cretaceous, which we interpret as ... : Solid Earth, 15 (4) ...