Determination of a polar wander path for Beacon Supergroup at Mount Bastion, West Beacon and Table Mountain

The Beacon Supergroup in the McMurdo Sound region is a flat lying continental sequence about 2000m thick and ranging in age from Early Devonian to Late Triassic (400 to 180 my BP). A polar wander curve for Antarctica for this 200 my period was attempted and oriented rock samples were collected for analysis. Oriented samples were collected at time intervals of no longer than 0.5 my, roughly every 3m. Samples were collected from Mount Bastion, West Beacon and Table Mountain. Contact zones and surrounding sediments associated with a Jurassic dolerite intrusion were sampled for detailed laboratory analysis at Mount Bastion to determine i) the mineralogy of the contact zone to see if any new minerals have been formed as a result of the intrusion and the reactions leading to the formation of these minerals, ii) the distance the underlying sediment has been affected to try and distinguish between sill effects and diagenetic effects and iii) the original temperature of the contact zone. Sedimentary strata of the Beacon Supergroup and the intruding dolerite were mapped at Mount Bastion to aid the paleomagnetic and metamorphism studies. Two detailed sections were measured from the Weller Coal Measures at Mount Bastion, and the Beacon Supergroup and the intruding Ferrar Dolerite were also mapped at Mt Fleming and Horseshoe Mountain including three laterally related sections of the Wellar Coal Measures.