High magnetic susceptibility granodiorite as a source of surface magnetic anomalies in the King George Island, Antarctica
Abstract
Change in plate motion produces convergence of the two oceanic lithospheres and the formation of volcanic island arcs above the subducted older and thicker plate. The association of calc-alkaline diorites to tonalites and granodiorites (ACG) is typical plutonic rocks of the volcanic arcs. In the many island arcs that surround the Pacific Ocean, ACG generally forms shallow level plutons and is closely associated with volcanic rocks. The Japan Arc setting had occurred the emplacement of the highly magnetic granitoid along the fore-arc basin before back-arc spreading at middle Miocene, showing a linear positive magnetic anomaly. Similar magnetic anomalies have also been exhibited along the Circum-Pacific Belt. Along East Antarctica, it is well known that the South Shetland Islands have been formed by back-arc spreading related to the subduction along the South Shetland trench during the late Cretaceous and middle Miocene. Moreover, geology in the South Shetland Islands consists of lava flows with subordinate pyroclastic deposits, intrusive dykes-sills, granitic plutons, displaying a typical subduction-related calc-alkaline volcanic association. However, there is little report on the presence of fore-arc granitoid. Here we report the distribution and structure of the granitic plutons around Marian Cove in the King George Island, South Shetland, East Antarctica by surface geological survey and magnetic anisotropic studies. Then we compare the distribution of granitic plutons with surface magnetic anomalies through our ship-borne and foot-borne magnetic surveys. The granitic plutons are distributed only shallow around the Marian cove in the King George Island, and the plutons had been intruded in the Sejong formation with pyroclastic deposits and basaltic/rhyoritic lavas, suggesting the post back-arc spreading. We sampled 8 plutons, 12 basaltic lavas and 6 andestic dykes, all located within four kilometer radius from the Korean Antarctic research station (King Sejong station) in the western side of King George Island. The plutonic rocks of diorite and granodiorite show high values of bulk magnetic susceptibility of c.a. 0.01-0.4 SI, appearing to be the source of positive magnetic anomaly. We also revealed the preferred petrofabric lineation directions at the sites using anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS). The AMS showed the plutonic rocks represent the vertical intrusion from the deep seated magma. Our optical microscope observation verified the maximum AMS orientation is parallel to the preferred alignment of framework-forming plagioclase, suggesting the alignment of euhedral magnetite grains along the long-axes of plagioclases. Our ship-borne and foot-borne surveys of geomagnetic filed anomaly agree well with the distribution of the plutonic rocks, revealing the possible origin of surface magnetic anomaly. These suggests that the plutons in this area may be included ACG, and this magnetic surveys is proposed to infer the availability to find out the presence of granitoid.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFMGP13A1116K
- Keywords:
-
- 1500 GEOMAGNETISM AND PALEOMAGNETISM;
- 1517 GEOMAGNETISM AND PALEOMAGNETISM / Magnetic anomalies: modeling and interpretation;
- 1540 GEOMAGNETISM AND PALEOMAGNETISM / Rock and mineral magnetism