Table of Contents

New tephra and lava samples were collected from volcanic centers in the northern part of the Antarctic Peninsula. Geochemical analyses of these samples provide a foundation for geochemical fingerprinting of volcanic products originated from these volcanoes. Melville Peak and Penguin Island appear to represent the most primitive magma source while Sail Rock and Bridgeman Island exhibit high Al content, and Paulet Island extremely high Sr levels. Volcanoes located along the Larsen Rift (Cape Purvis and Paulet Island) show Nb/Y ratios higher than 0.67 along with elevated Th/Yb and Ta/Yb ratios, and enriched LREE. The new geochemical data will provide a base for differentiation of tephra layers identified in ice and lake sediment cores drilled from the region and will help to establish time markers used in stratigraphy. This book reviews research for geochemical fingerprinting of volcanoes in the Antarctica peninsula area. (Imprint: Nova)