The intrusive magmatism of the Ross Orogeny, Victoria Land, Antarctica

The Transantarctic Mountains are the uplifted roots of the Ross-Delamerian orogen, that was active on the East Antarctic-Australia craton margin during Cambrian-Ordovician time. Magmas of mantle, crustal and hybrid origin extensively intruded the Antarctic sector of the orogen, that results segmented in crustal sectors, by major discontinuities. The field work on intrusive rocks includes collection of rock samples (stored in Museo Nazionale dell’Antartide in Siena), along with structural and petrographic data. Laboratory studies on collected samples include petrographic investigation, mineral chemistry, major and trace element determinations and measurements of isotopic ratios, and Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, Ar-Ar and U-Pb isotopic geochronolgy on whole rocks and minerals.
The main objective of the research team is to collect data for a better understanding of the tectono-metamorphic evolution of the Ross Orogen basement. This can shed light on the relationships between magmatism and geodynamic evolution of this convergent margin during the early Paleozoic. Additionally it is possible to reach a better understanding of phenomena linked to plate convergence processes, such as the the lithospheric segmentation, the widespread invasion of the crust by granites , the mechanisms of magma eplacement, and the exploitation of fossil lithospheric architecture by the following tectonic events.