Mawson Formation
| Mawson Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Toarcian ~ | |
South Victoria Land, including the main outcrop of the Formation, the Carapace Nunantak, that is located at the NW in the land | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Ferrar Large Igneous Province |
| Sub-units | Carapace Sandstone Member |
| Underlies | Kirkpatrick Basalt (In part) |
| Overlies | Lashly Formation |
| Area | 28.5 km² |
| Thickness | Up to 400 m |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Volcaniclastic mudstone |
| Other | Volcaniclastic gray & blue mudstone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 76°54′S 159°24′E / 76.9°S 159.4°E |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 60°06′S 46°30′E / 60.1°S 46.5°E |
| Region | South Victoria Land |
| Country | Ross Dependency |
| Extent | Unknown |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Mawson Peak |
| Named by | Ballance and Watters, 1971 |
The Mawson Formation is a geological formation in Antarctica, dating to roughly between 182 and 177 million years ago and covering the Toarcian stages of the Jurassic Period in the Mesozoic Era. Vertebrate remains are known from the formation. The Mawson Formation is the South Victoria Land in the Ross Dependency equivalent of the Karoo Large Igneous Province in South Africa (including the upper Clarens Formation desertic interbeds), as well the Lonco Trapial Formation and the Cañadón Asfalto Formation of Argentina. The Volcanic material was likely sourced from the Antarctic Peninsula´s Ellsworth Land Volcanic Group.