The Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) are an extreme example of rift flank uplift, extending over 3500 km across Antarctica and reaching elevations up to 4500 m. Geological and geophysical work has shown that the TAM developed along the long-lived lithospheric boundary between East and West Antarctica reactivated by a complex history of extensional and translational microplate motions.
The motivation for studying the TAM is to try to understand the geodynamics of this extreme elevation rift flank. Are the geodynamics of the area unique or does the history of the area and related erosion contribute to the extreme uplift?

The Transantarctic Mountains Corridor showing the locations of surveys
completed by UTIG during the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 field seasons..

The goals of this project include:
*map and understand the distribution and structure of sedimentary basins, glacial erosion, and mafics surrounding the rift flank

*quantify the contribution of various geodynamic mechanisms to parameterize the conditions which can lead to extreme rift flank uplift

*use geophysical data to test geodynamic models.

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