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Anders Scherstén

Anders Scherstén

Senior lecturer

Anders Scherstén

Magmatism during Gondwana break-up: new geochronological data from Westland, New Zealand

Author

  • Q. H. A. Van der Meer
  • J. M. Scott
  • T. E. Waight
  • M. Sudo
  • Anders Scherstén
  • A. F. Cooper
  • T. L. Spell

Summary, in English

Newly determined Late Cretaceous Ar-40/Ar-39 ages on megacrystic kaersutite from four lamprophyre dikes, and a U-Pb zircon age on a trachyte, from central and north Westland (New Zealand) are presented. These ages suggest that the intrusion of mafic dikes (88-86 and 69 Ma) was not necessarily restricted to the previously established narrow age range of 80-92 Ma. The younger lamprophyre and trachyte dikes (c. 68-70 Ma) imply that tensional stresses in the Western Province were either renewed at this time, or that extension and related magmatism continued during opening of the Tasman Sea. Extension-related magmatism in the region not only preceded Tasman seafloor spreading initiation (starting at c. 83 Ma, lasting to c. 53 Ma), but may have sporadically continued for up to 15 Ma after continental break-up.

Department/s

  • Lithosphere and Biosphere Science

Publishing year

2013

Language

English

Pages

229-242

Publication/Series

New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics

Volume

56

Issue

4

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Royal Society of New Zealand

Topic

  • Geology

Keywords

  • Gondwana break-up
  • geochronology
  • lamprophyre
  • central Westland
  • Fraser
  • Complex

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0028-8306