Geological investigation of the Priestly Formation and Snowy Point Gneiss Complex in the Berg Mountains from Terra Nova Bay to Campbell Glacier, Oates Coast, North Victoria Land: GANOVEX VII

As part of the GANOVEX VII Expedition (German Antarctic North Victoria Land Expedition) two research topics were investigated; a) the passage of metasedimentary Priestley Formation into gneisses of Snowy Point Gneiss Complex and the extent and character of the contact between them and b) the occurrence of granulite facies rocks in the gneiss sequence and their relationships to metamorphism and the tectonic history of the gneiss lithodeme. Field work was concentrated on the Deep Freeze Range between Mt Levick on the Priestley Glacier, Mt Dickason on the Campbell Glacier and Terra Nova Bay. A reconnaissance flight enabled all Priestly Formation outcrops on the east side of the Campbell Glacier to be sampled and to compare with Priestley Formation rocks from west of the Snowy Point Gneiss Complex belt along the eastern Deep Freeze Range. 315 rock samples were collected for dating, petrological and structural analysis and geochemistry. Traverses were also completed through the Mt Dickason massif gneiss and granulite sequence and the Wishbone Ridge (Boomerang Glacier) Preistley Formation, gneiss and granulite succession. These traverses served to fix the tectonic contact between polymetamorphic gneiss (Snowy Point Gneiss Complex) and metasedimentary rocks of Priestley Formation - The Boomerang Thrust. Geological mapping in detail (structurally and petrographically) was completed of the passage from granulite facies to amphibolite facies gneiss in the Mt Emison area and the entire Wishbone ridge from low grade Priestley Formation through the contact zone and the adjacent schistose gneisses NE of the contact zone into the less or unaffected gneiss overlooking the Campbell Glacier.