MAGMATISM OF THE KAROO-MAUD SUPERPLUME IN THE SCHIRMACHER OASIS, EAST ANTARCTICA

Abstract

The origination of large plateau basalt provinces in the Earth’s geological history has traditionally been referred to the deep thermal convection caused by plume geodynamics. The emplacement of a large plume into the lithosphere of central Gondwana in the Early–Middle Jurassic (180–173 Ma ago) resulted in the formation of a vast igneous province 2000 km across [2, 3] and probably predetermined the subsequent breakup of the supercontinent and opening of the Southern Ocean.