Lower Permian Antarctic Marine Deltas of the Mackellar Formation: Turnabout Ridge, Beardmore Glacier

Region, Central Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica*

Peter Flaig1, Stephen Hasiotis2, Adam Jackson2, and John Isbell3

Search and Discovery Article #50916 (2014)**

Posted January 27, 2014

*Adapted from oral presentation given at AAPG 2013 Annual Convention and Exhibition, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 19-22, 2013
**AAPG©2013 Serial rights given by author. For all other rights contact author directly.

1
Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX (peter.flaig@beg.utexas.edu)
2
Department of Geology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
3
Department of Geosciences, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI

Abstract

Recent investigations into the facies and architecture of the Mackellar Formation (MF) in outcrops at Turnabout Ridge in the Beardmore
Glacier Region of the Central Transantarctic Mountains indicate that sediments were likely deposited by deltas that prograded into a marine
environment. The MF, deposited at 80-85° S paleolatitude, has previously been interpreted as deposits of a freshwater-dominated inland sea or
glaciolacustrine deposits. Our collaborative study combining sedimentology with detailed ichnology instead reveals facies, architectures, and
trace fossils indicative of marine submarine fan-channel complexes (lower MF) and prodelta and/or delta-front deposits (upper MF).

The MF overlies glacigenic deposits of the Lower Permian Pagoda Formation and is overlain by fluvial-deltaic environments of the Lower
Permian Fairchild Formation. Facies of the MF at Turnabout Ridge include shale, wave-to current-ripple cross-laminated and planar-laminated
siltstone to fine-grained sandstone, and trough cross-laminated fine-to medium-grained sandstone. Convolute bedding is pervasive. Siltstone
and sandstone commonly exhibit one or more of the following traces: Arenicolites, Bergaueria, Circulichnus, Cochlichnus, Conichnus,
Cruziana, Diplichnites, Gordia, Haplotichnus, Kouphichnium, Lockeia, Palaeophycus, Phycodes, Planolites, Rusophycus, Sagitichnus,
Scolicia, Skolithos, Taenidium, Teichichnus, and Undichna. Trace fossil morphologies in the MF reflect marine epi- and endobenthic worms,
arthropods, and echinoids. Most trace fossils are diminutive and exhibit a very shallow tiering depth, which is indicative of a stressed
environment.

Overall, the MF coarsens-upward, becoming sand dominated as it approaches the contact with the FF. Observed stratal geometries include
meter-thick heterolithic interbeds of sandstone-siltstone and mudstone, coarsening-upward successions of wave-to-current-ripple cross-
laminated siltstone and sandstone, and compensationally-stacked, erosionally-based lenticular sandstones capped by mudstone-siltstone
interbeds. Facies, architectures, and stratal stacking combined with an environmentally- stressed trace fossil assemblage indicate that sediments
at Turnabout Ridge were most likely related to progradation of marine deltas and not deposited in a freshwater-dominated inland sea or large
lake.

Selected References

Bhattacharya, J.P., and J.A. MacEachern, 2009, Hyperpycnal rivers and prodeltaic shelves in the Cretaceous seaway of North America: JSR, v.
79/4, p. 184-209.

Isbell, J.L., Z.J. Koch, G.M. Szablewski, and P.A. Lenaker, 2008, Permian glacigenic deposits in the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica, in
C.R. Fielding, T.D. Frank, and J.L. Isbell, eds., Resolving the late Paleozoic ice age in time and space: GSA Special Paper, v. 441, p. 59-70.

Isbell, J.L., L.C. Henry, E.L. Gulbranson, C.O. Limarino, M.L. Fraiser, Z.J. Koch, P.L. Ciccioli, and A.A. Dineen, 2012, Glacial paradoxes
during the late Paleozoic ice age; evaluating the equilibrium line altitude as a control on glaciation: Gondwana Research, v. 22/1, p. 1-19.

Miller, M.F., and R.S. Frisch, 1987, Early Permian paleogeography and tectonics of the central Transantarctic Mountains; inferences from the
Mackellar Formation: Antarctic Journal of the United States, v. 22/5, p. 24-25.

Miller, M.F., and J.L. Isbell, 2010, Reconstruction of a high-latitude, postglacial lake; Mackellar Formation (Permian), Transantarctic
Mountains, in O.R. Lopez-Gamundi, and L.A. Buatois, eds., Late Paleozoic glacial events and postglacial transgressions in Gondwana: GSA
Special Paper, v. 468, p. 193-207.

Veevers, J.J., and C.McA., Powell, 1994, Permian-Triassic Pangean basins and foldbelts along the Panthalassan margin of Gondwanaland:
GSA Memoir v. 184, 368 p.
 Lower Permian Antarctic marine deltas of the
Mackellar Formation: Turnabout Ridge, Beardmore Glacier
Region, Central Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica
Peter Flaig1, Stephen Hasiotis2, Adam Jackson2, and John Isbell3
1Bureauof Economic Geology, University of Texas at Austin- Austin, Texas.
2Department of Geology, University of Kansas- Lawrence, Kansas
3Department of Geosciences, University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Reason for this study:
• Sometimes in Antarctica you do science
just because you are dropped off by a
helicopter for the entire day…

• Initially we thought this was going to be a Devonian

outcrop (shoreface?), but were confused by the regional
geologic map and landed on younger stratigraphy.
• So we asked ourselves “what is this succession?”
• When we realized it was the Permian Mackellar/Fairchild
fms. we asked “what type of delta is this?”
• Did this delta prograde into a marine or lacustrine
environment? (combine sedimentology and ichnology).
• How does our interpretation fit-in with other outcrops
and interpretations of the Mackellar and Fairchild fms. in
Antarctica (extensive work by Miller, Isbell, Collinson,
Barrett, and others).
Study Area
Early PLATES/UTIG
Permian
(Sakmarian)

Study Area

Study area at
75° S to 85° S
in early Permian
Location and
Geologic Map

• Devonian to Jurassic succession

• Icehouse to greenhouse transition
• Mackellar is postglacial Permian
Long et al., 2008
 Icehouse Antarctica, ~290 MA

Isbell et al., 2008

Isbell et al., 2012
E
Regional Paleogeography
Miller & Frisch, 1987

W E

Mackellar Formation
1) High-latitude, postglacial lake similar in
size and depth to glacial lake Agassiz,
350,000 km2, 200 m deep
(Miller and Isbell 2010)?
2) Vast inland sea with salinities reduced by
Veevers & Powell, 1994
steady influx of freshwater (melting
W
glaciers)?
 Turnabout Ridge

Study Location
Turnabout Ridge:
Central Transantarctic
Mountains Geology

150m
Greenhouse
Fairchild (braidplain)

Mackellar (this study)

Icehouse

Pagoda (glacial-glaciomarine)

Devonian
Paleoenvironments (conclusions)
• Basinal shales and basin floor fans
• Submarine channels, levees, floor fans
• Distal delta front and prodelta
• Proximal delta front
• Lower delta plain & braidplain
Marine basin
Generalized Stratigraphy
Basinal Shales and Basin Floor Fans

• Bioturbated mudstones
• Rare thin (<5 cm) sandstones
Mackellar Formation at Mount Bowers (50 km away)
Interbedded Basinal Shales, Fan-Sands, & Submarine Channels and Levees
Mount Bowers (50 km away)
Submarine Channels/Levees
Submarine Channels and Levees
- Compensationally stacked
Submarine Channels and Levees

• Climbing ripples- high sedimentation rate (levees)

• Convolute bedding- sediment loading onto wet substrate, high sed. rate
Submarine Channels and Levees
Prodelta to Distal Delta Front
Prodelta to Distal Delta Front

- Erosionally based traction deposits

- Wave reworked
Proximal Delta Front
Proximal Delta Front
Proximal Delta Front
Proximal Delta Front

- Channels
- Climbing ripples
- Wave modified current ripples
Proximal Delta Front
- Subaqueous terminal distributaries
Floodback (transgression) or delta lobe switching?
Proximal Delta
Front (again)

- Climbing ripples
- Wave modified current ripples
Proximal Delta Front
Proximal Delta Front

- Hummocky cross-stratification?
Lower Delta Plain - Braidplain
Lower Delta Plain - Braidplain
Miller and Isbell, 2010
Ichnology
Lacustrine Trace Fossils – we expect…
• Relatively low ichnodiversity and high abundance
• Dominantly horizontal feeding and grazing traces
• Dominantly epifaunal (less burrowers)
• Typically fine-grained, well oxygenated, lower energy systems so no
need for deep burrowing for food... also lower oxygen in bottom
sediments
• Low diversity of morphotypes
(gradational morphologies between ichnogenera)
• Normal sizes
In the Mackellar Formation
• Overall high ichnodiversity, low bed diversity
• Marine ichnofaunal assemblages - impoverished Cruziana and
Skolithos ichnofacies
• Burrowers - Arenicolites, Diplocraterion, Lingulichnus, Phycodes,
and Teichichnus. Planolites and Palaeophycus are facies breakers
and occur in any environment so they are not diagnostic. Lockeia are
found in both marine and freshwater settings, but these forms are
typical of marine. Margaritichnus is also marine.
• Teichichnus is a key marine indicator
Summary of Ichnology
Trace fossil suite = stressed marine
• Pronounced size reduction of traces compared to those expected for
fully marine
• Traces are marine-type (Arenicolites, Teichichnus and others), and
facies breakers (e.g., Planolites, Palaeophycus)
• High overall ichnodiversity
• Low individual bed ichnodiversity, with high mono specific
abundances
• Adam Jackson et al. poster, Monday afternoon booth 1D
Overall Progradational Succession
• Basinal shales and basin floor fans
• Submarine channels, levees, fans
• Distal delta front and prodelta
• Proximal delta front
• Lower delta plain & braidplain
Conclusions
Stages to the basin-fill at Turnabout Ridge:
1. Initial transition from glacial-glaciomarine deposits to basinal
shale

2. Deposition of interbedded fan-sands and basinal shales

3. Submarine channels and levees interfinger with those deposits

4. Prodelta deposits and advancement of delta front with deposition

of distal delta front deposits (traction dominated deposits)

5. Proximal delta front deposits and terminal distributaries

6. Flooding or delta switching event, distal delta front deposition?

7. Proximal delta front deposits and terminal distributaries

8. Lower delta plain and overlying braidplain

Conclusions
• Deltas are river-dominated and wave-influenced marine-deltas

• Climbing ripple cross-lamination is common, some are reworked

by waves
• Soft sediment deformation is abundant
• Sediment loading, high sedimentation rate
• Mostly traction-dominated, hyperpycnal flows
• Trace fossils dominated by marine morphotypes