Jurassic–Tertiary stratigraphy and palynology of the James Ross Basin: review and introduction

Abstract

A sedimentary sequence, c. 5–6 km thick, extending from the Kimmeridgian–Upper Eocene crops out in the James Ross Island area, northern Antarctic Peninsula. This succession is the most important onshore Late Cretaceous–Tertiary sequence in Antarctica and is probably one of the most significant Cretaceous sequences in the Southern Hemisphere. However, the understanding of the geological and palaeontological evolution of the area has been limited by an incomplete knowledge of the biostratigraphy of this region. Palynological studies are providing a finer resolution biostratigraphical zonation scheme than previously possible. This paper reviews the stratigraphy of the basin fill succession and provides a framework for the papers published in this Special Issue.

A (tidal-marine) boulder pavement in the late Cenozoic of Seymour Island, West Antarctica: contribution to the palaeogeographical and palaeoclimatic evolution of West Antarctica

“…Smith & Anderson 2010, Little et al 2015. In a broader approach, this basin has been considered as the northern portion (or subbasin) of the Larsen basin, which encompasses the whole area west of the Antarctic Peninsula (Pirrie et al 1992, Smith & Anderson 2010.…”

“…The infill of the James Ross basin is traditionally divided in three main units (e.g. Pirrie et al 1992): Gustav Group (Lower to Upper Cretaceous), Marambio Group (Upper Cretaceous-Palaeocene) and Seymour Island Group (Palaeocene-early Oligocene). In Seymour Island, the eastward dipping formations of the Marambio Group are unconformably overlain by the Palaeogene formations of the Seymour Island Group, which occupies the northern half of the island.…”

How likely was a green Antarctic Peninsula during warm Pliocene interglacials? A critical reassessment based on new palynofloras from James Ross Island

“…Upper Eocene back-arc basin sediments (e.g. Pirrie et al, 1992). Neogene glaciomarine 119 sediments unconformably overlie Cretaceous sediments, or are interbedded within extensive 120 basaltic lavas of the James Ross Island Volcanic Group (JRIVG).…”

“…Palynomorphs were 163 identified using literature (e.g. Duane et al, 1992;Williams et al, 2004;Raine et al, 2008 van Gijzel, 1967;Waterhouse, 1998;Yeloff and Hunt, 174 2005). For this study, grains were examined with 100x and 400x magnification under UV- …”

Latest Cretaceous–Earliest Oligocene and Quaternary Dinoflagellate Cysts, ODP Site 1172, East Tasman Plateau

“…In contrast, Late Cretaceous and Paleogene dinocysts from the broad Antarctic Realm or Southern Ocean are comparatively well known, notably from southern South America and from the James Ross and Seymour Islands, but also from southeastern Australia, New Zealand, from erratics along the Antarctic margin, the Ross Sea continental shelf (CRP), besides from several ocean drill sites (see overviews in, e.g., Haskell and Wilson, 1975;Askin, 1988aAskin, , 1988bWilson, 1985Wilson, , 1988Wrenn and Hart, 1988;papers in Duane et al, 1992;Pirrie et al, 1992;Mao and Mohr, 1995;Truswell, 1997;Hannah, 1997, Hannah et …”