The Tectonic Structure of the Antarctic

Abstract—

This article includes a review of the structure and evolution of the Antarctic Earth crust (the Antarctic continent and the Southern Ocean) from the Archean to the Late Cenozoic, accompanied by the sketch of Antarctic tectonic provinces. It is based on the long-term research and preparation of the second edition of the Tectonic Map of the Antarctica at a scale of 1 : 10 000 000 with a detailed explanatory note in the International Commission for the Geological Map of the World. In the course of the work a large volume of geological and geophysical data of Russian Antarctic expeditions and expeditions of other countries were combined, analyzed, and interpreted, first of all, the data of geochemical and geochronological studies of rock specimens from outcropped regions and numerous geophysical surveys in the Southern Ocean. The structure and tectonic history of the Archean cratons and Proterozoic orogens of East Antarctica (with indication of the controversial issues of Precambrian evolution), the orogens of the Pacific margin, intraplate fold systems, continental margins, and the early sea floor spreading are considered.