The Brattstrand Paragneiss, a highly deformed Neoproterozoic granulite-facies metasedimentary sequence, is cut by three generations of ~500 Ma pegmatite. The earliest recognizable pegmatite generation, synchronous with D2-3, forms irregular pods and veins up to a meter thick, which are either roughly concordant or crosscut S2 and S3 fabrics and are locally folded. Pegmatites of the second generation, D4, form planar, discordant veins up to 20-30 cm thick, whereas the youngest generation, post-D4, form discordant veins and pods. The D2-3 and D4 pegmatites are abyssal class (BBe subclass) characterized by tourmaline + quartz intergrowths and boralsilite (Al16B6Si2O37); the borosilicates prismatine, grandidierite, werdingite and dumortierite are locally present. In contrast, post-D4 pegmatites host tourmaline (no symplectite), beryl and primary muscovite and are assigned to the beryl subclass of the rare-element class. Spatial correlations between B-bearing pegmatites and B-rich units in the host Brattstrand Paragneiss are strongest for the D2-3 pegmatites and weakest for the post-D4 pegmatites, suggesting that D2-3 pegmatites may be closer to their source. Initial 87Sr/86Sr (at 500 Ma) is high and variable (0.7479-0.7870), while -Nd500 tends to be least evolved in the D2-3 pegmatites (-8.1 to -10.7) and most evolved in the post-D4 pegmatites (-11.8 to -13.0). Initial 206Pb/204Pb and 207Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb ratios, measured in acid-leached alkali feldspar separates with low U/Pb and Th/Pb ratios, vary considerably (17.71-19.97, 15.67-15.91, 38.63-42.84), forming broadly linear arrays well above global Pb growth curves. The D2-3 pegmatites contain the most radiogenic Pb while the post-D4 pegmatites have the least radiogenic Pb; data for D4 pegmatites overlap with both groups. Broad positive correlations for Pb and Nd isotope ratios could reflect source rock compositions controlled two components. Component 1 (206Pb/204Pb-20, 208Pb/204-43, Nd -8) most likely represents old upper crust with high U/Pb and very high Th/Pb. Component 2 (206Pb/204Pb -18, 208Pb/204Pb~38.5, -Nd500 -12 to -14) has a distinctive high-207Pb/206Pb signature which evolved through dramatic lowering of U/Pb in crustal protoliths during the Neoproterozoic granulite-facies metamorphism. Component 1, represented in the locally-derived D2-3 pegmatites, could reside within the Brattstrand Paragneiss, which contains detrital zircons up to 2.1 Ga old and has a wide range of U/Pb and Th/Pb ratios. The Pb isotope signature of component 2, represented in the 'far-from-source' post-D4 pegmatites, resembles feldspar Pb isotope ratios in Cambrian granites intrusive into the Brattstrand Paragneiss. However, given their much higher 87Sr/86Sr, the post-D4 pegmatite melts are unlikely to be direct magmatic differentiates of the granites, although they may have broadly similar crustal sources. Correlation of structural timing with isotopic signatures, with a general sense of deeper sources in the younger pegmatite generations, may reflect cooling of the crust after Cambrian metamorphism.

Data from surveys along the East Antarctic margin will be presented to provide insights into the diversity and distribution of benthic communities on the continental shelf and slope, and their relationship to physical processes. Seabed video and still imagery collected from the George V shelf and slope and the sub-ice shelf environment of the Amery Ice Shelf indicate that the benthic communities in these regions are highly diverse, and are strongly associated with the physical environment. Variations in seafloor morphology, depth, sediment type and bottom circulation create distinct seabed habitats, such as muddy basins, rugged slope canyons and scoured sandy shelf banks, which are, in turn, inhabited by discrete seabed communities. The infauna dominated muddy basins contrast sharply with the diverse range of filter-feeding communities that occur in productive canyons and rugged inner shelf banks and channels. In the sub-ice shelf environment, differences in organic supply, linked to the circulation patterns, cause distinct differences in the seabed communities. The strong association between benthic communities and seafloor characteristics allows physical parameters to be used to extend our knowledge of the nature of benthic habitats into areas with little or no biological data. Comprehensive biological surveys of benthic communities in the East Antarctic region are sparse, while physical datasets for bathymetry, morphology and sediment composition are considerably more extensive. Physical data compiled within the proposed network of East Antarctic Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is used to aid our understanding of the nature of the benthic communities. The diversity of physical environments within the proposed MPAs suggests that they likely support a diverse range of benthic communities.

Within the general trend of post-Eocene cooling, the largest and oldest outlet of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet underwent a change from ice-cliff to ice-stream and/or ice-shelf dynamics, with an associated switch from line-source to fan sedimentation. Available geological data reveal little about the causes of these changes in ice dynamics during the Miocene Epoch, or the subsequent effects on Pliocene-Pleistocene ice-sheet history. Ice-sheet numerical modeling reveals that bed morphology was probably responsible for driving changes in both ice-sheet extent and dynamics in the Lambert-Amery system at Prydz Bay. The modeling shows how the topography and bathymetry of the Lambert graben and Prydz Bay control ice-sheet extent and flow. The changes in bathymetric volume required for shelf-edge glaciation correlate well with the Prydz Channel fan sedimentation history. This suggests a negative feedback between erosion and glaciation, whereby the current graben is overdeepened to such an extent that shelf-edge glaciation is now not possible, even if a Last Glacial Maximum environment recurs. We conclude that the erosional history of the Lambert graben and Prydz Bay in combination with the uplift histories of the surrounding mountains are responsible for the evolution of this section of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, once the necessary initial climatic conditions for glaciation were achieved at the start of the Oligocene Epoch.

Geoscience Australia distributes a range of Antarctica maps and images at various scales and currency, on behalf of Australian Antarctic Division. These products are very diverse and include topographic maps and satellite images, ranging from landscape specific (1:1,000 scale) to regional (1:20,000,000) scale.

With improving accessibility to Antarctica, the need for proactive intervention, protection and management of sites of intrinsic scientific, historic, aesthetic or wilderness value is becoming increasingly important. Environmental protection and management in Antarctic is unique globally and is managed by provisions contained within the Antarctic Treaty. Whilst these provisions have been primarily utilised to protect sites of biological or cultural significance, sites of geological or geomorphological significance may also be considered. However, in general, sites of geological and geomorphological significance are underrepresented in conservation globally, and, particularly, in Antarctica. Wider recognition of sites of Antarctic geological significance can be achieved by development of a geo-conservation register, similar to geological themed inventories developed elsewhere globally, to promote and recognise intrinsically valuable geological and geomorphological sites. Features on the register that are especially fragile, or otherwise likely to be disturbed, threatened or become vulnerable by human activity, can be identified as such and area management protocols for conservation, under the Antarctic Treaty, can be more readily invoked, developed and substantiated. Area management should mitigate casual souveniring, oversampling and accidental or deliberate damage caused by ill-advised construction or other human activity.

Geoscience Australia distributes a range of Antarctica maps and images at various scales and currency, on behalf of Australian Antarctic Division. These products are very diverse and include topographic maps and satellite images, ranging from landscape specific (1:1,000 scale) to regional (1:20,000,000) scale.

The Antarctic field notebooks contain the geological observations recorded by Bureau of Mineral Resources geologists during their trips to Antarctica between 1948 – 1980s. Files include a scanned copy of the original handwritten field notebook, transcription of the notebook’s contents transcribed by volunteers and validated by an experienced geologist, and a csv file of the transcription with Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) tags. The original Antarctic field notebooks are held at the N.H. (Doc) Fisher Geoscience Library at Geoscience Australia, Canberra.

The Antarctic field notebooks contain the geological observations recorded by Bureau of Mineral Resources geologists during their trips to Antarctica between 1948 – 1980s. Files include a scanned copy of the original handwritten field notebook, transcription of the notebook’s contents transcribed by volunteers and validated by an experienced geologist, and a csv file of the transcription with Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) tags. The original Antarctic field notebooks are held at the N.H. (Doc) Fisher Geoscience Library at Geoscience Australia, Canberra.

The Antarctic field notebooks contain the geological observations recorded by Bureau of Mineral Resources geologists during their trips to Antarctica between 1948 – 1980s. Files include a scanned copy of the original handwritten field notebook, transcription of the notebook’s contents transcribed by volunteers and validated by an experienced geologist, and a csv file of the transcription with Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) tags. The original Antarctic field notebooks are held at the N.H. (Doc) Fisher Geoscience Library at Geoscience Australia, Canberra.

Two sediment cores collected from beneath the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica describe the physical sedimentation patterns beneath an existing major embayed ice shelf. Core AM01b was collected from a site of basal freezing, contrasting with core AM02, collected from a site of basal melting. Both cores comprise Holocene siliceous muddy ooze (SMO), however, AM01b also recovered interbedded siliciclastic mud, sand and gravel with inclined bedding in its lower 27 cm. This interval indicates an episode of variable but strong current activity before SMO sedimentation became dominant. 14C ages corrected for old surface ages are consistent with previous dating of marine sediments in Prydz Bay. However, the basal age of AM01b of 28250 ± 230 14C yr bp probably results from greater contamination by recycled organic matter. Lithology, 14C surface ages, absolute diatom abundance, and the diatom assemblage are used as indicators of sediment transport pathways beneath the ice shelf. The transport pathways suggested from these indicators do not correspond to previous models of the basal melt/freeze pattern. This indicates that the overturning baroclinic circulation beneath the Amery Ice Shelf (near-bed inflow-surface outflow) is a more important influence on basal melt/freeze and sediment distributions than the barotropic circulation that produces inflow in the east and outflow in the west of the ice front. Localized topographic (ice draft and bed elevation) variations are likely to play a dominant role in the resulting sub-ice shelf melt and sediment distribution.