Timing and Metamorphic Evolution of the Ross Orogeny in and around the Mountaineer Range, Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica

• Published in: Minerals
• Main Authors: Sang-Bong Yi, Mi Jung Lee, Jong Ik Lee, Hwayoung Kim
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020
• Subjects: Antarctica; Gondwana margin; Ross Orogeny; Northern Victoria Land; Dessent Unit; tectonic slice; Mineralogy; QE351-399.2; Bowers; Mountaineer Range; Murchison; Pacific; Robertson Bay; Victoria Land; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/min10100908; https://doaj.org/article/b1aad4d4a65347a19f49c4d7db22b534

The Ross(–Delamerian) Orogeny significantly impacted the formation of the tectonic structure of the Pacific Gondwana margin during the early Paleozoic era. Northern Victoria Land (NVL) in Antarctica preserves the aspect of the Ross Orogeny that led to the union of the Wilson (WT)–Bowers (BT)–Robertson Bay Terrane. The aspect of the Ross Orogeny in the NVL is characterized by subduction of oceanic domains toward the continental margin (continental arc) and the accretion of the associated marine–continental substances from 530–480 Ma. In the Mountaineer Range in NVL, the Ross Orogeny strain zone is identified at the WT/BT boundary regions. In these areas, fold and thrust shear zones are observed and aspects of them can be seen at Mt. Murchison, the Descent Unit and the Black Spider Greenschist zone. The Dessent Unit corresponds to a tectonic slice sheared between the WT and BT. The metamorphic evolution phase of the Dessent Unit is summarized in the peak pressure (M 1 ), peak temperature (M 2 ) and retrograde (M 3 ). The sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) zircon U–Pb ages of 514.6 ± 2.0 Ma and 499.2 ± 3.4 Ma obtained from the Dessent Unit amphibolite are comparable to the M 1 and M 2 stages, respectively. The Dessent Unit underwent intermediate pressure (P)/temperature (T)-type metamorphism characterized by 10.0–10.5 kbar/~600 °C (M 1 ) and ~7 kbar/~700 °C (M 2 ) followed by 4.0–4.5 kbar/~450 °C (M 3 ). Mafic to intermediate magmatism (497–501 Ma) within the WT/BT boundary region may have given rise to the M 2 stage of the Dessent Unit, and this magmatism is synchronous with the migmatization period of Mt. Murchison (498.3 ± 3.4 Ma). This indicates that a continuous process of fold-shearing–magmatic intrusion–partial melting, which is typically associated with a continental arc orogeny, occurred before and after c. 500 Ma in the Mountaineer Range. During the Ross Orogeny, the Dessent unit was initially subducted underneath the WT at depth (10.0–10.5 kbar, ~35 km) and then thrust into the shallow (~7 ...