Thursday, 30 August 2007 - 1:30 PM
4.P1.B-1
Tectonic History of Mid-Miocene to Present Southern Victoria Land Basin, inferred from Seismic Stratigraphy, in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica
Stuart A. Henrys1, Terry J. Wilson2, Joanne Whittaker3, Christopher R. Fielding4, Jerome Hall2, and Timothy R. Naish1. (1) GNS Science, 1 Fairway Drive, Avalon, Lower Hutt, New Zealand, (2) School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, 125 S. Oval Mall, Columbus, OH 43210-1522, (3) School of Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand, (4) Department of Geosciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 214 Bessey Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0340
New and existing seismic reflection data in southern McMurdo Sound have been used to investigate Neogene tectonic history of the Terror Rift adjacent to the Transantarctic Mountains and the western margin of the West Antarctic Rift System. Seismic data image a young rifting episode that is largely unsampled by CRP and CIROS drill holes. Data reveal up to 3.5 km of post middle Miocene strata deposited in this part of the NNW-SSE trending Terror Rift basin. Mapped fault trends in the Terror Rift parallel the axis of the basin and are prominent in a 40 km zone north of Ross Island. Displacement on individual faults in this zone can exceed 100 m and faults collectively accommodate approximately 10-15 km of middle Miocene to Recent extension.