Abstract
Mt. Melbourne (2,732 m a.s.l.) is a large quiescent stratovolcano located in Northern Victoria Land (Antarctica) and is one of a handful of volcanoes on the Antarctic plate with the potential for large-scale explosive eruptions. During the XVIII Italian Expedition in 2002–2003, the Mt. Melbourne volcanic succession was studied in terms of stratigraphy and sampled for 40Ar/39Ar age determinations and geochemistry. The early, Lower Pleistocene, volcanism was largely alkali basaltic to hawaiitic in composition and monogenetic in style, producing tens of small scoria cones and lava flows scattered over a wide area across the Transantarctic Mountains (Random Hills Period). During the Middle Pleistocene, volcanic activity focused to the area of the Mt. Melbourne stratovolcano, where several monogenetic centres show the transition from early sub-glacial/subaqueous conditions to emergent subaerial conditions (Shield Nunatak Period). The oldest exposed deposit associated with the early activity of the Mt. Melbourne stratovolcano (Mt. Melbourne Period) is a trachytic subaerial ignimbrite dated at 123.6 ± 6.0 ka, which reflects the establishment of a crustal magma chamber. Above the ignimbrite a succession of alkali basaltic, hawaiitic, and subordinate benmoreitic lavas and scoria cones is exposed, dated at 90.7 ± 19.0 ka. The Holocene deposits are exposed at the top of Mt. Melbourne, where the crater rim is composed of trachytic to rhyolitic pumice fall deposits, which are also extensively dispersed around the volcano, likely originated from Plinian-scale eruptions. The most recent explosive deposit proved difficult to date accurately because very low quantities of radiogenic 40Ar were released, resulting in imprecise plateau ages of 50 ± 70 and 35 ± 22 ka.
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Acknowledgements
This work was funded by PNRA 2002–2003 Project 4.4 (coordinator R. Funiciello). The work benefited of comments by J. Gamble and L. Viereck-Gotte on an earlier version and of anonymous reviewers. We also acknowledge J. White and E. Calder for the editorial responsibility. GG thanks P. Pertusati, the alpine guides Palla and Igor and the helicopter pilots Nigel and Steve for the unvaluable and precious help in the field.
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Appendix 1
GPS coordinates of analysed samples (W.R. whole rock] (DOC 88 kb)
Appendix 2
Analytical methods (DOC 30 kb)
Appendix 3
40Ar/39Ar furnace step-heating analytical results for feldspar samples (XLS 857 kb)
Appendix 4
40Ar/39Ar furnace step-heating analytical results for whole-rock samples (XLS 1559 kb)
Appendix 5
Age determinations from literature of deposits surrounding Mt. Melbourne (DOC 37 kb)
Appendix 6
Chemical analyses of major elements for analysed samples. (DOC 283 kb)
Appendix 7
Mineral chemistry of representative phenocrysts, expressed for lithotypes (Bas basanite, Alk-B alkali basalt, Hw hawaiite, Bnm benmoreite, Tr-Rh trachyte–rhyolite). FeOt total iron always expressed as FeO. Cation formula recalculation through CALCMIN (Pl, Afs, Ol, and Cpx) and WINAMPHCAL (Am); a representative plagioclase analyses; b representative alkali-feldspar analyses; c representative olivine analyses; d representative clinopyroxene analyses; e representative amphibole analyses. (DOC 717 kb)
Appendix 8
Selected trace elements data (PDF 407 kb)
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Giordano, G., Lucci, F., Phillips, D. et al. Stratigraphy, geochronology and evolution of the Mt. Melbourne volcanic field (North Victoria Land, Antarctica). Bull Volcanol 74, 1985–2005 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-012-0643-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-012-0643-8