Antarctica: Development of a Continent (U01766)

? Credit Points : 10 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : GEO-4-ANT

(a) Overview of East and West Antarctica: geography, features and geology.
(b) The East Antarctic Shield 1: Archaean terranes, Proterozoic terranes and the constext of Antarctica at 1000-900 Ma.
(c) Neoproterozoic East Antarctic Shield and Ross Orogen: The significance and extent of 550-500 Ma Pan-African orogenesis. Amalgamation of Gondwana.
(d) The Trans-Antarctic Mountains: Palaeozoic-Mesozoic evolution. Recent volcanism and uplift and their relation to Ross Sea rifting.
(e) West Antarctica: Mesozoic/Cenozoic history; the sedmentary and magmatic record of an active fore-arc, arc and back-arc system.
(f) Breakup of Gondwana: The Antarctic marine record; microplate rotations and other effects in the Pacific - Atlantic sector.
(g) Glaciation and recent climate change: Eocene and post-Eocene glaciation and its longer-term record; the shorter-term record (LGM and Holocene).

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : Dynamic Stratigraphy, Structural Geology

? Costs : None.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Earth Science, (School of GeoSciences, Schedule N)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

To develop an understanding of the geological evolution of Antarctica, from the Archaean to the present, emphasising its Gondwanan and Rodinian contexts and including its Cenozoic glacial record.