Photomicrographs of Some Sedimentary and Volcaniclastic Permian and Triassic Beacon Rocks from the Beardmore Glacier Area, Antarctica

Abstract

The volcanic character of the Permian and Triassic Beacon rocks of the central Transantarctic Mountains has only recently been recognized, but no photomicrographs illustrating volcanic components of the sedimentary rocks or textures of the volcaniclastic rocks have been published. This set of photographs has been prepared mainly to document some of the volcanic features of what until recently was considered a purely clastic sedimentary sequence. The more important rock types found in the postglacial Permian and Triassic Beacon strata are briefly described and discussed to help place the photographic material in its proper perspective.