Further evidence of fracture-zone induced tectonic segmentation of the Antarctic Peninsula from detailed aeromagnetic anomalies

Aeromagnetic anomaly data collected between 67°S and 70°S crossing the Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent offshore areas show a prominent NW-SE trend in the magnetic fabric. Apparent lateral offsets, previously recognized in the Pacific Margin Anomaly, have been mapped in detail and are shown to be much smaller than previously suggested. A 35 km wide zone of subdued magnetic anomalies at the Western edge of the Pacific Margin Anomaly, bounded by these apparent offsets, is interpreted as a downfaulted block of the mafic-intermediate batholith thought to be responsible for the Pacific Margin Anomaly. The trends of both fracture zones and magnetic lineaments strongly support the link between faulting in the Antarctic Peninsula magmatic arc and offshore tectonics.