K-Ar geochronology of the South Shetland Islands, Lesser Antarctica: apparent lateral migration of Jurassic to Quaternary island arc volcanism

Approximately 70 K-Ar whole-rock ages for low-K tholeiitic and andesitic volcanic and intrusive rocks from the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, including about 50 not previously published, are reviewed. Activity mainly spanned the range 130 to 30 Ma (Jurassic/Cretaceous to Oligocene/Miocene) with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Main Authors: Pankhurst, R.J., Smellie, John L.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: Elsevier 1983
Subjects:
Earth Sciences
South Shetland Islands
Lesser Antarctica
Antarc*
Antarctica
Online Access:http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/524210/
https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821X(83)90137-1
Description
Summary:Approximately 70 K-Ar whole-rock ages for low-K tholeiitic and andesitic volcanic and intrusive rocks from the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, including about 50 not previously published, are reviewed. Activity mainly spanned the range 130 to 30 Ma (Jurassic/Cretaceous to Oligocene/Miocene) with a very recent (∼ 2 Ma), more alkaline, renewal. Throughout the main period of activity magmatism (or, perhaps, its cessation) migrated continuously northeastwards along the length of the island chain.

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