Composition and Provenance of Victoria Group Sandstones in Southern North Victoria Land, Antarctica

Three distinct source areas contributed to sandstones of the Victoria Group within the Transantarctic Basin in southern North Victoria Land. During the Permian, quartzose sandstones were derived from erosion of the local Ross Orogen, likely from an uplifted swell in the area of today's Ross Sea, the Ross High. This source was still active during the sedimentation of lower parts of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Section Peak Formation. However, at that time the detritus derived from it was mixed with material from a then‐active volcanic arc located in Zealandia at the Gondwana margin adjacent to North Victoria Land, indicating that the Ross High was no longer a significant morphological feature. The resulting lithic sandstones interfinger with quartzose sandstones that derive from a high‐grade basement source. Within these quartzose sandstones, arc‐derived material is a small, but up‐section increasing contribution. Most of it is likely to originate from crustal blocks of Zealandia and West Antarctica. As the basin enlarged during its development, the quartzose material became increasingly more widespread in the upper part of the Section Peak Formation.