A review of geological constraints on the pre-break-up position of the Ellsworth Mountains within Gondwana: implications for Weddell Sea evolution
It has long since been recognised that the Ellsworth-Whitmore mountains (EWM) crustal block possesses an anomalous structural and stratigraphic history relative to its neighbouring West Antarctic crustal blocks, and the Transantarctic Mountains. This has led to uncertainties in the original pre-brea...
Published in: | Geological Society, London, Special Publications |
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Geological Society of London
1996
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Online Access: | http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/515015/ https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.1996.108.01.02 |
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ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:515015 2023-05-15T13:49:33+02:00 A review of geological constraints on the pre-break-up position of the Ellsworth Mountains within Gondwana: implications for Weddell Sea evolution Curtis, M.L. Storey, B.C. Storey, B.C. King, E.C. Livermore, R.A. 1996 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/515015/ https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.1996.108.01.02 unknown Geological Society of London Curtis, M.L.; Storey, B.C. 1996 A review of geological constraints on the pre-break-up position of the Ellsworth Mountains within Gondwana: implications for Weddell Sea evolution. In: Storey, B.C.; King, E.C. orcid:0000-0003-3793-3915 Livermore, R.A., (eds.) Weddell Sea tectonics and Gondwana break-up. London, Geological Society of London, 11-30. (Geological Society spacial publication, 108, 108). Publication - Book Section PeerReviewed 1996 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.1996.108.01.02 2023-02-04T19:43:48Z It has long since been recognised that the Ellsworth-Whitmore mountains (EWM) crustal block possesses an anomalous structural and stratigraphic history relative to its neighbouring West Antarctic crustal blocks, and the Transantarctic Mountains. This has led to uncertainties in the original pre-break-up position of the EWM within Gondwana. Positions vary from along the East Antarctic margin, west of the Pensacola Mountains, to within the Natal embayment region between Africa and Antarctica. The original position of the EWM within Gondwana has important implications, as its subsequent transposition has to be accounted for during the tectonic evolution of the Weddell Sea region. Several geological features have been identified within the EWM as potential constraints on Gondwana reconstructions. These include a Grenvillian age basement devoid of mineral reset ages; an apparently continuous stratigraphic succession from Cambrian to Permian times; Middle-Upper Cambrian extension-related volcanic rocks; no Ross age deformation; and a dextral transpressive component to the Early Mesozoic Gondwanide deformation. Based on a consideration of these key geological features, and comparisons between the Ellsworth Mountains and the palaeo-Pacific margins of Gondwana, we conclude that the EWM displays geological affinities with both the Antarctic and South African margins, and that it was located outboard of both. A prerequisite of this conclusion is that rotation and translation of the EWM must be included in models of early Weddell Sea tectonic evolution. Book Part Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Weddell Sea Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Antarctic The Antarctic Weddell Sea Transantarctic Mountains Pacific Weddell Ellsworth Mountains ENVELOPE(-85.000,-85.000,-78.750,-78.750) Pensacola Mountains ENVELOPE(-58.000,-58.000,-83.500,-83.500) Whitmore Mountains ENVELOPE(-104.000,-104.000,-82.500,-82.500) Geological Society, London, Special Publications 108 1 11 30 |
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Open Polar |
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Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
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ftnerc |
language |
unknown |
description |
It has long since been recognised that the Ellsworth-Whitmore mountains (EWM) crustal block possesses an anomalous structural and stratigraphic history relative to its neighbouring West Antarctic crustal blocks, and the Transantarctic Mountains. This has led to uncertainties in the original pre-break-up position of the EWM within Gondwana. Positions vary from along the East Antarctic margin, west of the Pensacola Mountains, to within the Natal embayment region between Africa and Antarctica. The original position of the EWM within Gondwana has important implications, as its subsequent transposition has to be accounted for during the tectonic evolution of the Weddell Sea region. Several geological features have been identified within the EWM as potential constraints on Gondwana reconstructions. These include a Grenvillian age basement devoid of mineral reset ages; an apparently continuous stratigraphic succession from Cambrian to Permian times; Middle-Upper Cambrian extension-related volcanic rocks; no Ross age deformation; and a dextral transpressive component to the Early Mesozoic Gondwanide deformation. Based on a consideration of these key geological features, and comparisons between the Ellsworth Mountains and the palaeo-Pacific margins of Gondwana, we conclude that the EWM displays geological affinities with both the Antarctic and South African margins, and that it was located outboard of both. A prerequisite of this conclusion is that rotation and translation of the EWM must be included in models of early Weddell Sea tectonic evolution. |
author2 |
Storey, B.C. King, E.C. Livermore, R.A. |
format |
Book Part |
author |
Curtis, M.L. Storey, B.C. |
spellingShingle |
Curtis, M.L. Storey, B.C. A review of geological constraints on the pre-break-up position of the Ellsworth Mountains within Gondwana: implications for Weddell Sea evolution |
author_facet |
Curtis, M.L. Storey, B.C. |
author_sort |
Curtis, M.L. |
title |
A review of geological constraints on the pre-break-up position of the Ellsworth Mountains within Gondwana: implications for Weddell Sea evolution |
title_short |
A review of geological constraints on the pre-break-up position of the Ellsworth Mountains within Gondwana: implications for Weddell Sea evolution |
title_full |
A review of geological constraints on the pre-break-up position of the Ellsworth Mountains within Gondwana: implications for Weddell Sea evolution |
title_fullStr |
A review of geological constraints on the pre-break-up position of the Ellsworth Mountains within Gondwana: implications for Weddell Sea evolution |
title_full_unstemmed |
A review of geological constraints on the pre-break-up position of the Ellsworth Mountains within Gondwana: implications for Weddell Sea evolution |
title_sort |
review of geological constraints on the pre-break-up position of the ellsworth mountains within gondwana: implications for weddell sea evolution |
publisher |
Geological Society of London |
publishDate |
1996 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/515015/ https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.1996.108.01.02 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-85.000,-85.000,-78.750,-78.750) ENVELOPE(-58.000,-58.000,-83.500,-83.500) ENVELOPE(-104.000,-104.000,-82.500,-82.500) |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic Weddell Sea Transantarctic Mountains Pacific Weddell Ellsworth Mountains Pensacola Mountains Whitmore Mountains |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic Weddell Sea Transantarctic Mountains Pacific Weddell Ellsworth Mountains Pensacola Mountains Whitmore Mountains |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Weddell Sea |
op_relation |
Curtis, M.L.; Storey, B.C. 1996 A review of geological constraints on the pre-break-up position of the Ellsworth Mountains within Gondwana: implications for Weddell Sea evolution. In: Storey, B.C.; King, E.C. orcid:0000-0003-3793-3915 Livermore, R.A., (eds.) Weddell Sea tectonics and Gondwana break-up. London, Geological Society of London, 11-30. (Geological Society spacial publication, 108, 108). |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.1996.108.01.02 |
container_title |
Geological Society, London, Special Publications |
container_volume |
108 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
11 |
op_container_end_page |
30 |
_version_ |
1766251582607851520 |