Thursday, 30 August 2007
4.PS-106
Geology of the Terre Adélie Craton (135 - 146°E)
René-Pierre Ménot1, Guillaume Duclaux2, Jean Jacques Peucat3, Yann Rolland4, Stéphane Guillot5, C.M. Fanning6, Jérôme Bascou1, Denis Gapais3, and Arnaud Pécher5. (1) UMR CNRS 6524 "Magmas et Volcans", University Jean Monnet, Saint Etienne, 23 rue Dr Paul Michelon, F-42023 - Saint Etienne, France, (2) UMR CNRS 6524 and EarthByte Group (Sydney), University Jean Monnet, Saint Etienne, France, (3) UMR CNRS 6118, Geoscience Rennes, University of Rennes 1, France, (4) UMR CNRS 6526, Geosciences Azur, University of Nice, Sophia-Antipolis, France, (5) UMR CNRS 5025, Laboratoire de Géodynamique des Chaînes Alpines, University Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France, (6) Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
The present paper states the actual knowledge of the Terre Adélie Craton (TAC) geology. Three geological maps review some 15 years of field investigations in Terre Adélie and George Vth Land. A general map illustrates large-scale features of the TAC including the main lithotectonic domains described after their structuration ages and the major tectonic boundaries. A second map focuses on the easternmost domain of the craton, i.e. the Neoarchaean polycyclic basement and the overlying Cape Hunter phyllites basin. Finally the third map concerns the western domain of the TAC, i.e. the highly strained and metamorphosed Paleoproterozoic Dumont D’Urville basin. Furthermore, the western boundary of the TAC is discussed. The TAC represents a key piece for Rodinia and Circum Polar Ocean reconstructions between Australia and Antarctica. Detailed investigations would help a better understanding of the Neoarchaean and Paleoproterozoic continents behaviour during orogenic s.l. processes.