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The geochemistry of Jurassic dolerites from Portal Peak, Antarctica

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Abstract

Geochemical and isotopic analyses have been performed on a suite of samples from a Jurassic quartz tholeiite sill of the Ferrar Group at Portal Peak, Queen Alexandra Range, near the Beardmore Glacier in Antarctica. The data include major and trace element (XRF and INAA) concentrations, as well as Sr and Nd isotopic compositions, and are combined with the results of other studies on samples from Antarctica. It is demonstrated that despite differences in the pre-intrusion (or eruption) evolution of the Ferrar Group magmas, the similarity in isotopic and chemical compositions for these rocks supports the existence of a remarkably uniform mantle source with unusual signature over a distance of thousands of kilometres. The favoured origin of this source involves the subduction of terrestrial sedimentary material into a depleted mantle reservoir.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, GPO Box 4, 2601, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    Janet M. Hergt

  2. Department of Geology, The Australian National University, GPO Box 4, 2601, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    Bruce W. Chappell

  3. Department of Geology, The Ohio State University, 43210, Columbus, Ohio, USA

    Gunter Faure & Teresa M. Mensing

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  1. Janet M. Hergt
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  2. Bruce W. Chappell
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  3. Gunter Faure
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  4. Teresa M. Mensing
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Hergt, J.M., Chappell, B.W., Faure, G. et al. The geochemistry of Jurassic dolerites from Portal Peak, Antarctica. Contrib Mineral Petrol 102, 298–305 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00373722

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00373722

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