Abstract
We present PetroChron Antarctica, a new relational database including
petrological, geochemical and geochronological datasets along with
computed rock properties from geological samples across Antarctica. The
database contains whole-rock geochemistry with major/trace element and
isotope analyses, geochronology from multiple isotopic systems and
minerals for given samples, as well as an internally consistent rock
classification based on chemical analysis and derived rock properties
(i.e., chemical indices, density, p-velocity and heat production). A
broad range of meta-information such as geographic location, petrology,
mineralogy, age statistics and significance are also included and can be
used to filter and assess the quality of the data. Currently, the
database contains 11,559 entries representing 10,056 unique samples with
varying amounts of geochemical and geochronological data. The
distribution of rock types is dominated by mafic (36%) and felsic
(33%) compositions, followed by intermediate (22%) and ultramafic
(9%) compositions. Maps of age distribution and isotopic composition
highlight major episodes of tectonic and thermal activity that define
well known crustal heterogeneities across the continent, with the oldest
rocks preserved in East Antarctica and more juvenile lithosphere
characterising West Antarctica. PetroChron Antarctica allows spatial and
temporal variations in geology to be explored at the continental scale
and integrated with other Earth-cryosphere-biosphere-ocean datasets. As
such, it provides a powerful resource ready for diverse applications
including plate tectonic reconstructions, geological/geophysical maps,
geothermal heat flow models, lithospheric and glacial isostasy,
geomorphology, ice sheet reconstructions, biodiversity evolution, and
oceanography.