This book presents a summary of the geology of the Transantarctic Mountains for Earth scientists who may want to work there or who need an overview of the geologic history of this region. In addition, the properties of the East Antarctic ice sheet and of the meteorites that accumulate on its surface are treated in separate chapters. The presentation ends with the Cenozoic glaciation of the Transantarctic Mountains including the limnology and geochemical evolution of the saline lakes in the ice-free valleys. The subject matter in this book is presented in chronological order starting about 750 million years ago and continuing to the present time. The chapters can be read selectively because the introduction to each chapter identifies the context that gives relevance to the subject matter to be discussed. The text is richly illustrated with 330 original line drawings as well as with 182 color maps and photographs. The book contains indexes of both subject matter and of authors' names that allow it to be used as an encyclopedia of the Transantarctic Mountains and of the East Antarctic ice sheet. Most of the chapters are supplemented by Appendices containing data tables, additional explanations of certain phenomena (e.g., the formation and seasonal destruction of stratospheric ozone), and illustrative calculations (e.g., 38Cl dates of meteorites). The authors have spent a combined total of fourteen field seasons between 1964 and 1995 doing geological research in the Transantarctic Mountains with logistical support by the US Antarctic Program. Although Antarctica is remote and inaccessible, tens of thousands of scientists of many nationalities and their assistants have worked there and even larger numbers of investigators will work there in the future.

Prolog Preface Acknowledgements Part I: EXPLORATION AND CHARACTERIZATION 1. The Exploration of Antarctica 2. Antarctica: The Continent Part II: THE BASEMENT ROCKS 3. Southern Victoria Land; Basement Rocks 4. Northern Victoria Land 5. Central Transantarctic Mountains 6. The Queen Maud Mountains 7. Horlick Mountains 8. The Far-Eastern Mountains 9. From Rodinia to Gondwana Part III: GONDWANA: GROWTH AND DISINTEGRATION 10. The Beacon Supergroup 11. Beacon Supergroup:  Special topics 12. The Ferrar Group:  Kirkpatrick Basalt 13. Ferrar Group:  Dolerite sills and the Dufek intrusion 14. Kirwan Volcanics, Queen Maud Land 15. Break-up of Gondwana and Assembly of Antarctica Part IV: FIRE AND ICE 16. Cenozoic Volcanoes 17. The East Antarctic Ece Sheet 18. Meteorites on Ice 19. Glaciation of Southern Victoria Land 20. Antarctica in Retrospect Author Index Subject Index Geologic Time Scale

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