Magmatism in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

The mechanisms of magma movement, chemical differentiation and physical development, are derived from the geochemistry of igneous rocks, and from studying exposures of deep magmatic systems that have since solidified and been uplifted and exposed at the Earth's surface. The Ferrar Magmatic System of the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica provides an unparalleled example of a complete magmatic-volcanic system exposed in unprecedented detail. This book provides a unique and usual three-dimensional detailed examination of this system, providing insight into many magmatic processes normally unobservable, in particular how basaltic magma moves upwards through the crust, how it entrains, carries and deposits loads of crystals from great depths, and how this all contributes to Earth's evolution. Providing an explanation of how magmatic systems operate and how igneous rocks form, this is an invaluable resource ideal for researchers and graduate students in magma physics, igneous petrology, volcanology, and geochemistry.

• Reveals a highly integrated magmatic-volcanic system not seen anywhere else on Earth
• Rresents in intimate detail the full field relations, rock types, textures, and compositions of a magma system in true spatial context
• Presents a series of physical experiments demonstrating how the system may have operated on all scales, allowing researchers to gain insight into other magmatic and volcanic systems