IEDA
Project Information
Geochemistry and Petrologic Evolution of Felsic Volcanoes in Western Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica
Description/Abstract
This project uses geochemical studies to determine the origin of volcanic rocks from Marie Byrd Land (MBL), Antarctica. Surprisingly, adjacent volcanoes in the MBL have dramatically different compositions, ranging from phonolite to trachyte to rhyolite. This diversity offers an opportunity to constrain the processes responsible for generating silica oversaturated and undersaturated magmas in a single geologic setting. Previous work suggests that the most obvious and simplest explanation--crustal contamination--is not a significant factor, and that polybaric fractional crystallization is the major cause. This study evaluates these factors through analyses and interpretation of trace and rare earth element abundances, as well as Sr and Nd isotopic ratios.

The broader impacts include outreach programs to the Girl Scouts of America, and dissemination of results through publications and meetings.
Personnel
Person Role
Le Masurier, Wesley Investigator
Funding
Antarctic Earth Sciences Award # 0536526
AMD - DIF Record(s)
Data Management Plan
None in the Database
Product Level:
1 (processed data)
Datasets
Publications
  1. LeMasurier, W., Choi, S. H., Kawachi, Y., Mukasa, S., & Rogers, N. (2018). Dual origins for pantellerites, and other puzzles, at Mount Takahe volcano, Marie Byrd Land, West Antarctica. Lithos, 296-299, 142–162. (doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2017.10.014)
  2. LeMasurier, W. E., Choi, S. H., Hart, S. R., Mukasa, S., & Rogers, N. (2016). Reconciling the shadow of a subduction signature with rift geochemistry and tectonic environment in Eastern Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica. Lithos, 260, 134–153. (doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2016.05.018)
  3. Andrews, J. T., & LeMasurier, W. (2021). Resolving the argument about volcanic bedrock under the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and implications for ice sheet stability and sea level change. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 568, 117035. (doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2021.117035)
Platforms and Instruments

This project has been viewed 16 times since May 2019 (based on unique date-IP combinations)