Antarctic Marine Heat Flow

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Major progress has been made with respect to our understanding of the tectonic evolution of the Antarctic Plate. Paleomagnetic data, marine magnetic anomaly identifications, Geosat-derived tectonic lineations, heat flow derived seafloor ages and mathematical solutions for plate motions around triple junctions have all contributed to a better model for the tectonic evolution of the circum- Antarctic region. Even so, major problems still exist with respect to the Mesozoic to Recent tectonic evolution of the Antarctic continental margin which can be tackled using heat flow measurements. This award supports the study of a tectonic problem that heat flow can address, the determination of the age of the Powell Basin at the end of the West Antarctic Peninsula and its relationship to the opening of Drake's Passage. Specifically, heat flow measurement will be used to study the age and mode of crustal extension of the Powell Basin, where standard age determination fails and heat flow is the only method that can be used to date its opening.