Abstract
The paper reports first geological, chemical, mineralogical, Sr–Nd chemical–isotope, and geochronological data on the gabbroid massif discovered on the Hobbs coast in the Cape Burks area, West Antarctica. The area is made up of compositionally diverse gabbroids that are intersected by thin vein and dike bodies of mafic, intermediate, and fesic composition. The gabbroids are represented by olivine and olivinefree gabbros and gabbronorites, with sharply subordinate troctolites, gabbro–anorthosites, and anorthosites. The U–Pb SHRIMP–II zircon age of the gabbroids and vein rocks was estimated at 100 ± 1 Ma. The gabbroids were supposedly emplaced in the upper crust in tectonically active conditions. The thickness of the pluton is no less than 2.5–3 km. The rocks were crystallized from a highly fractionated melt. Their composition was mainly determined by accumulation and fractional crystallization. The origin of vein felsic rocks was likely related to an evolved residual liquid. The igneous complex was formed in a within–plate geodynamic setting, and its primary melts were derived from a weakly LILE enriched lithospheric mantle.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
T. B. Bayanova, Age of the Reference Geological Complexes of the Kola Region and Duration of Magmatic Processes (Nauka, St. Petersburg, 2004) [in Russian].
G. E. Grikurov, G. L. Leichenkov, and E. V. Mikhalsky, “Tectonic evolution of Antarctica in the light of the modern state of geodynamic ideas,” Contribution of Russia in the International Polar Year 2007/2008. Structure and Evolution of Lithosphere (Paulsen. Moscow, 2011), pp. 91–110 [in Russian].
B. G. Lopatin, and M. M. Polyakov, Geology of the Marie Byrd Land and Eights Coast (Nauka, Moscow, 1976) [in Russian].
A. A. Fedotova, and E. V. Bibikova, and S. G. Simakin, “Ion–microprobe zircon geochemistry as an indicator of mineral genesis during geochronological studies,” Geochem. Int. 46 (9), 912–927 (2008).
F. Barker and J. G. Arth, “Generation of trondhjemitictonalitic liquids and Archaean trondhjemite–basalt suites,” Geology 4, 596–600 (1976).
E. A. Belousova, W. L. Griffin, et al. “Igneous zircon: trace element composition as a n indicator of source rock type,” Contrib. Mineral Petrol. 143, 602–622 (2002).
L. P. Black, S. L. Kamo, C. M. Allen, J. N. Aleinikoff, D.W. Davis, R. J. Korsch, and C. Foudoulis, “TEMORA 1: a new zircon standard for U–Pb geochronology,” Chem. Geol. 200, 155–170 (2003).
A. Bouvier, J. D. Vervoort, and P. J. Patchett, “The Lu–Hf and Sm–Nd isotopic composition of CHUR: constraints from unequilibrated chondrites and implications for the bulk composition of terrestrial planets,” Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 273 (1–2), 48–57 (2008).
L. Coogan, R. N. Wilson, et al. “Near–solidus evolution of oceanic gabbros: Insights from amphibole geochemistry,” Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 65 (23), 4339–4357 (2001).
K. G. Cox and C. J. Hawkesworth, “Geochemical stratigraphy of the Deccan Traps at Mahabaleshwar, Western Ghats, India, with implications for open system magmatic process,” J. Petrol. 26, 355–377 (1985).
Geological Maps of Antarctica, Antarctic Map Folio Series, Ed. by C. Craddock, Am. Geograph. Soc., 12, XIX (1970).
V. DiVenere D. V. Kent, and I. W. D. Dalziel, “Early Cretaceous paleomagnetic results from Maries Byrd Land, West Antarctica: implications for the Weddellia collage of crustal blocks,” J. Geophys. Res. 100, 8133–8151 (1995).
M. S. Drummond, M. J. Defant, and P. K. Kepezhinskas, “Petrogenesis of slab–derived trondhjemite–tonalite–dacites/adakites magmas,” Trans. R. Soc. Edinb: Earth Sci. 87, 205–215 (1996).
R. A. Duncan, P. R. Hooper, et al., “The timing and duration of the Karoo igneous event, southern Gondwana,” J. Geophys. Res. 102 (B8), 8127–8138.(1997).
G. Faure and T. Mensing, Isotopes: Principles and Applications (John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2005).
V. A. Glebovitsky, I. S. Sedova, et al., “Geochemistry of zircons from ultrametamorphic granitoids in Junction Zone of Aldan Shield and Dzhugddzhur–Stanovoi Fold region,” Geol. Ore Deposits 54, 516–530 (2012).
S. J. Goldstein and S. B. Jacobsen, “Nd and Sr isotopic systematics of river water suspended material implications for crystal evolution,” Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 87, 249–265 (1988).
W.–L. Huang and P. J. Wyllie, “Phase relationships of gabbro–tonalite–granite–water at 15 kbar with applications to differentiation and anatexis,” Am. Mineral. 71, 301–316 (1986).
J. Koepke, S. T. Feig, J. Snow, and M. Freisel, “Petrogenesis of oceanic plagiogranites by partial melting of gabbros: an experimental study,” Contrib. Mineral Petrol. 146, 414–432 (2004).
K. Jochum, D. Dingwell et al., “The preparation and preliminary characterisation of eight geological MPIDING reference glasses for in–site microanalysis,” Geostand. Newslett. J. Geostand. Geoanal. 24, 87–133 (2000).
K. R. Ludwig, “SQUID 1 User’s manual,” Berkeley Geochronol. Center Sp. Publ., No. 2, (2000) 19 p.
M. Meschede, “A method of discriminating between different types of mid–ocean ridge basalts and continental tholeiites with the Nb–Zr–Y diagram,” Chem. Geol. 56, 207–218 (1986).
S. B. Mukasa and I. W. D. Dalziel, “Marie Byrd Land, West Antarctica: evolution of Gondwana’s Pacific margin constrained by zircon U–Pb geochronology and feldspar common–Pb isotopic compositions,” GSA Bull. 112 (4), 611–627 (2000).
S. B. Mukasa, I. W. D. Dalziel, and R. J. Pankhurst, “U–Pb and Ar/Ar age constraints on the development and subsequent fragmentation of Gondwanaland’s Pacific margin, Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica,” EOS Trans. Am. Geophys. Union 75, 692 (1994).
E. D. Mullen, “MnO/TiO2/P2O5: a minor element discriminant for basaltic rocks of oceanic environments and its implications for petrogenesis,” Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 62, 53–62 (1983).
D. G. Palais, S. B. Mukasa, and S. D. Weaver, “U–Pb and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology for plutons along the Ruppert and Hobbs Coasts, Marie Byrd Land, West Antarctica: Evidence for rapid transition from arc to rift–related magmatism,” EOS 74 (16), 123 (1993).
R. J. Pankhurst, S. D. Weaver, et al. “Geochronology and geochemistry of pre–Jurassic superterranes in Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica,” J. Geophys. Res. 103 (B2), 2529–2547.(1998).
J. A. Pearce and J. R. Cann, “Tectonic setting of basic volcanic rocks determined using trace element analyses,” Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 19, 290–300 (1973).
N. Rodionov, B. Belyatsky, A. V. Antonov, I. N. Kapitonov, and S. A. Sergeev, “Comparative in–situ U–Th–Pb geochronological and trace element composition of baddeleyite and low–U zircon from carbonatites of the Palaeozoic Kovdor alkaline–ultramafic complex, Kola Peninsula, Russia,” Gondwana Res. 21, 728–744 (2012).
P. L. Roeder and R. F. Emslie, “Olivine–liquid equilibrium,” Contrib. Mineral Petrol. 29, 275–289 (1970).
C. S. Siddoway “Tectonics of the West Antarctic rift system: new light on the history and dynamics of distributed intracontinental extension,” in Antarctica: A Keystone in a Changing World. Proceedings of the 10th International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences, Ed. by A. K. Cooper, P. J. Barrett, et al., (The National Academies Press, Washington, 2008), pp. 91–114.
A. V. Sobolev, A. W. Hofmann, et al., “The amount of recycled crust in sources of mantle–derived melts,” Science 316, 412–417 (2007).
B. C. Storey, P. T. Leat, et al., “Mantle plumes and Antarctica–New Zealand rifting: evidence from mid–Cretaceous mafic dykes,” J. Geol. Soc. 156, 659–671 (1999).
S.–S. Sun and W. F. McDonough, “Chemical and isotopic systematics of oceanic basalts: implications for mantle composition and processes,” Magmatism in the Ocean Basins, Ed. by A. D. Saunders and M. J. Norry, Geol. Soc. Sp. Publ. 42, 313–345 (1989).
E. B. Watson, D. A. Wark, and J. B. Thomas, “Crystallization thermometers for zircon and rutile,” Contrib. Mineral Petrol. 151, 413–433 (2006).
S. D. Weaver, B. C. Storey, et al., “Antarctica–New Zealand rifting and Marie Byrd Land lithospheric magmatism linked to ridge subduction and mantle plume activity,” Geology 22, 811–814 (1994).
D. Weis, F. A. Frey, et al., “Trace of the Kerguelen mantle plume: evidence from seamounts between the Kerguelen Archipelago and Heard Island, Indian Ocean,” Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 3 (6) (2002).
M. Wilson, Igneous Petrogenesis: a Global Tectonic Approach (Springer, 2007).
D. A. Wood, “The application of a Th–Hf–Ta diagram to problems of tectonomagmatic classification and to establishing the nature of crustal contamination of basaltic lavas of the British Tertiary volcanic province,” Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 50, 11–30 (1980).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Original Russian Text © D.A. Tkacheva, E.V. Mikhalsky, N.M. Sushchevskaya, E.L. Kunakkuzin, S.G. Skublov, S.A. Sergeev, 2018, published in Geokhimiya, 2018, No. 7.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tkacheva, D.A., Mikhalsky, E.V., Sushchevskaya, N.M. et al. Age and Geochemistry of the Cape Burks Gabbroids (Russkaya Station Area, West Antarctica). Geochem. Int. 56, 628–650 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1134/S001670291807011X
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S001670291807011X