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Thermal metamorphism of volcanic rocks on Barton Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica

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Abstract

Barton Peninsula is mainly composed of Tertiary metavolcanic rocks and granodiorite. The metavolcanic rocks underwent thermal metamorphism up to upper greenschist facies, producing calcic-amphibole (Amp), epidote, chlorite (Chl), calcite (Cc), plagioclase, prehnite and laumontite. Two metamorphic zones, Cc-Chl and Amp-Chl, are defined on the basis of mineral assemblages (+plagioclase, quartz, opaque minerals), characterized by epidote+chlorite±calcite and actinolite±hornblende+epidote+chlorite ±calcite, respectively. The distribution coefficient of Mg−Fe* (total Fe) between actinolite and chlorite, defined by KD=(Mg/Fe*)Act/(Mg/Fe*)Chl, ranges from 0.56 to 1.03, suggesting low-pressure metamorphism. The coexistence of actinolite and oligoclase also supports low-pressure metamorphism. Clorite geothermometry and T−XCO 2 analysis suggest that metamorphic temperatures reached ca. 300°C at fluid pressures less than 1 kbar. Thermal metamorphism in Barton Peninsula probably was associated with magmatic-arc plutons emplaced during the Tertiary subduction of the southeast Pacific plate under Antarctic Peninsula.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University, 151-747, Seoul, South Korea

    Hyeoncheol Kim & Moonsup Cho

  2. Polar Research Laboratory, Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute, 1270 Sa-dong, 425-170, Ansan, South Korea

    Jong-Ik Lee

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  1. Hyeoncheol Kim
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Correspondence to Moonsup Cho.

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Kim, H., Cho, M. & Lee, JI. Thermal metamorphism of volcanic rocks on Barton Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica. Geosci J 6, 303–317 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03020615

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