Cenozoic structural segmentation of the Transantarctic Mountains rift flank in southern Victoria Land

The Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) rift flank in southern Victoria Land is offset across the transverse Discovery accommodation zone. The Discovery accommodation zone is characterized by two discrete structural blocks bounded by west–northwest-trending lineaments interpreted to mark transfer faults. North–northeast-trending lineaments are interpreted to mark the main longitudinal normal fault zone of the TAM front, which steps progressively eastward from south to north across the transfer faults. Sinistral-shear displacement along the transfer faults accommodates changes in the magnitude of extensional transport in the offset rift-flank structural blocks. Correlation with offshore structures indicates that the Discovery accommodation zone is a regional feature of the Ross Embayment rift system as well as the TAM rift flank. Neogene volcanism in the Erebus Volcanic Province was focused regionally within the Discovery accommodation zone and was localized along transverse structures crossing the zone. Transverse structures of the accommodation zone channeled glacial drainage, and possibly older fluvial drainage, across the rift flank. There appears to have been a unique interplay between developing structural, volcanic, sedimentary and glacial features during the Cenozoic evolution of the TAM rift flank within the Discovery accommodation zone.