Microfabric Analysis Research Articles

Elastic anisotropy and pore space geometry of schlieren granite: direct 3-D measurements at high confining pressure combined with microfabric analysis

Pore space geometry of granitic rocks and its evolution with depth are key factors in large-scale seismics or in projects of enhanced geothermal systems or of deep hazardous waste repositories. In this study, we studied macroscopically anisotropic schlieren-bearing granite by experimental P-wave velocity (V-P) measurements on spherical sample in 132 directions at seven different confining pressures in the range 0.1-400 MPa. In order to discriminate the phenomena affecting the rock elastic properties we analysed the orientation of microcracks and of grain boundaries and we measured the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility of the rock. Three sets of microcracks were defined, with two of them linked to the massif exfoliation process and one to cooling contraction of the massif. During pressurization the measured mean V-P and V-P anisotropy degree at ambient pressure and at highest confinement (400 MPa) yielded 3.3 km s(-1) and 24 per cent, and 6.2 km s(-1) and 3 per cent, respectively. The associated V-P anisotropy pattern was transversely isotropic and governed by the schlieren, with a minimum V-P direction perpendicular to them and a girdle of high V-P directions parallel to them. The highest change in V-P was observed between 0.1 and 10 MPa, suggesting a significant closure of porosity below depths of 500 m. Change of the V-P anisotropy pattern to orthorhombic together with increase of mean V-P and V-P anisotropy degree during depressurization was attributed to inelastic response of one of the sets of microcracks to the loading-unloading cycle.

A new method for the recognition, description and analysis of clast microfabrics in glacial sediments

A new method for the recognition, description and analysis of clast microfabrics in glacial sediments

Petrotectonic framework of granulites from northern part of Chilka Lake area, Eastern Ghats Belt, India: Compressional vis-à-vis transpressional tectonics

Granulite-facies rocks occurring north-east of the Chilka Lake anothosite (Balugan Massif) show a complex metamorphic and deformation history. The M1–D1 stage is identified only through microscopic study by the presence of S1 internal foliation shown by the M1 assemblage sillimanite–quartz–plagioclase–biotite within garnet porphyroblasts of the aluminous granulites and this fabric is obliterated in outcrop to map-scale by subsequent deformations. S2 fabric was developed at peak metamorphic condition (M2–D2) and is shown by gneissic banding present in all lithological units. S3 fabric was developed due to D3 deformation and it is tectonically transposed parallel to S2 regionally except at the hinge zone of the F3 folds. The transposed S2/S3 fabric is the regional characteristic structure of the area. The D4 event produced open upright F4 folds, but was weak enough to develop any penetrative foliation in the rocks except few spaced cleavages that developed in the quartzite/garnet–sillimanite gneiss. Petrological data suggest that the M4–D4 stage actually witnessed reactivation of the lower crust by late distinct tectonothermal event. Presence of transposed S2/S3 fabric within the anorthosite arguably suggests that the pluton was emplaced before or during the M3–D3 event. Field-based large-scale structural analyses and microfabric analyses of the granulites reveal that this terrain has been evolved through superposed folding events with two broadly perpendicular compression directions without any conclusive evidence for transpressional tectonics as argued by earlier workers. Tectonothermal history of these granulites spanning in Neoproterozoic time period is dominated by compressional tectonics with associated metamorphism at deep crust.

Multi-stage emplacement of the Götemar Pluton, SE Sweden: new evidence inferred from field observations and microfabric analysis, including cathodoluminescence microscopy

The emplacement of the Mesoproterozoic Gotemar Pluton into Paleoproterozoic granitoid host rocks of the Transscandinavian Igneous Belt is re-examined by microfabric analysis, including cathodoluminescence microscopy. Field data on the pluton-host rock system are used to strengthen the model. The Gotemar Pluton, situated on the Baltic Shield of SE Sweden, is a horizontally zoned tabular structure that was constructed by the intrusion of successive pulses of magma with different crystal/melt ratios, at an estimated crustal depth of 4–8 km. Initial pluton formation involved magma ascent along a vertical dike, which was arrested at a mechanical discontinuity within the granitoid host rocks; this led to the formation of an initial sill. Subsequent sill stacking and their constant inflation resulted in deformation and reheating of existing magma bodies, which also raised the pluton roof. This multi-stage emplacement scenario is indicated by complex dike relationships and the occurrence of several generations of quartz (Si-metasomatism). The sills were charged by different domains of a heterogeneous magma chamber with varying crystal/melt ratios. Ascent or emplacement of magma with a high crystal/melt ratio is indicated by syn-magmatic deformation of phenocrysts. Complex crystallization fabrics (e.g. oscillatory growth zoning caused by high crystal defect density, overgrowth and replacement features, resorbed and corroded crystal cores, rapakivi structure) are mostly related to processes within the main chamber, that is repeated magma mixing or water influx.

Linking temperature estimates and microstructures in deformed polymineralic mantle rocks

To constrain deformation temperatures of mantle shear zones, we studied a strike-slip shear zone (Hilti massif, Semail ophiolite, Oman) and focused on the interaction between microstructural mechanisms and chemical equilibration processes. Quantitative microfabric analysis on harzburgites with different deformation intensity (porphyroclastic tectonite, mylonite, and ultramylonite) was combined with orthopyroxene geothermometry. The average grain size of all phases decreases with decreasing shear zone thickness. Dynamic recrystallization of porphyroclasts in combination with dissolution-precipitation and nucleation result in small-sized, chemically equilibrated pyroxenes. The composition of orthopyroxene was used to calculate deformation temperatures. In the case of the porphyroclastic tectonites, the chemical composition of orthopyroxene has been reset by diffusion yielding temperature estimates of 880–900°C. The mylonites were deformed by dislocation creep of olivine and show a broad range of calculated temperatures, which result from a combination of grain size reduction and inheritance of equilibrium compositions from earlier high-temperature events and diffusion. In mylonites, diffusion profiles combined with geothermometry and grain size analysis indicate a mylonitic deformation temperature of 800–900°C possibly followed by diffusion. In ultramylonites, the smallest grains (<30 μm) reveal equilibration at temperatures of ∼700°C during the last stages of ductile deformation, which was dominated by diffusion creep of olivine. Our results provide a crucial link between temperature and evolution of microstructures from dislocation creep to diffusion creep in mantle shear zones.

A new ‘microstructural mapping’ methodology for the identification, analysis and interpretation of polyphase deformation within subglacial sediments

Although integrated clast macro and microfabric studies have been used to provide evidence of palaeo-ice flow directions, to discriminate between diamictons deposited in differing sedimentary environments, and to model the response of tills to subglacial deformation, such studies have typically only examined the ‘bulk’ fabric developed within the diamicton, largely ignoring the potential for several phases of fabric development within these typically polydeformed deposits. We present a new graphical method for the identification, description and analysis of clast microfabrics in polydeformed tills. This method utilises high resolution digital scans of orientated thin sections imported into a standard computer graphics package to measure the orientation of long axes of detrital (skeleton) grains included within the till. These data are then used to identify the main clast microfabrics present within the till, allowing the delineation of clast microfabric domains in which elongate grains share a similar preferred orientation. This process leads to the identification, characterisation and, most importantly, the interrelationships between the various generations of microfabrics. The relationships between these clast microfabrics and other microstructures (e.g. plasmic fabrics, turbate structures, shears, folds, faults…etc) can also be examined, providing a detailed microfabric-microstructural map of the thin section. Clast long axis orientation data collected for different parts of a thin section are plotted on a series of rose diagrams allowing the variation in clast microfabric orientation to be displayed graphically. A new set of terminology for the description of clast microfabrics in tills, which is based upon the system used by metamorphic petrologists, is also presented. Three case studies of the fabrics present within subglacial sediments of Pleistocene age as well as the present are used as examples of how to apply this methodology.

Evolution of a polymineralic mantle shear zone and the role of second phases in the localization of deformation

[1] The influence of second phases (e.g., pyroxenes) on olivine grain size was studied by quantitative microfabric analyses of samples of the Hilti massif mantle shear zone (Semail ophiolite, Oman). The microstructures range from porphyroclastic tectonites to ultramylonites, from outside to the center of the shear zone. Starting at conditions of ridge-related flow, they formed under continuous cooling leading to progressive strain localization. The dependence of the average olivine grain size on the second-phase content can be split into a second-phase controlled and a dynamic recrystallization–controlled field. In the former, the olivine grain size is related to the ratio between the second-phase grain size and volume fraction (Zener parameter). In the latter, dynamic recrystallization manifested by a balance between grain growth and grain size reduction processes yields a stable olivine grain size. In both fields the average olivine and second-phase grain size decreases with decreasing temperature. Combining the microstructural information with deformation mechanism maps suggests that the porphyroclastic tectonites (∼1100°C) and mylonites (∼800°C) formed under the predominance of dislocation creep. Since olivine-rich layers are intercalated with layer parallel, polymineralic bands in the mylonites, nearly equiviscous conditions can be assumed. In the ultramylonites, diffusion creep represents the major deformation mechanism in the polymineralic layers. It is this switch in deformation mechanism from dislocation creep to diffusion creep that forces strain to localize in the fine-grained polymineralic domains at low temperatures (<∼700°C), underlining the role of the second phases on strain localization in cooling mantle rocks.

Influence of hydrocarbon contamination on clay soil microstructure

AbstractMicrostructural (fabric, forces and composition) changes due to hydrocarbon contamination in a clayey soil (glacial till) were studied using scanning electron microscopy (microfabric analysis), atomic force microscopy (force measurement) and a sedimentation bench test (particle size measurements). Non-polluted and polluted glacial till from NE Poland (in the area of a fuel terminal) were used for the study. Electrostatic repulsive forces in the polluted samples were much lower than in non-polluted samples. In comparison with non-polluted samples, the polluted samples exhibited lower electric charge, attractive forces on approach and strong adhesion on withdrawal. The results of the sedimentation tests indicate that clay particles form larger aggregates and settle out of the suspension rapidly in diesel oil. In non-polluted soil, the fabric is strongly aggregated – dense packing, dominating face-to-face and edge-to-edge types of contacts, clay film tightly adhering to the surface of larger grains and interparticle pores are more common. In polluted soil the clay matrix is less aggregated – loose packing, dominating edge-to-face types of contacts and inter-micro-aggregate pores are more frequent. Substantial differences were observed in the morphometric and geometrical parameters of the pore space. The polluted soil micro-fabric proved to be more isotropic and less oriented than in non-polluted soil. The polluted soil, in which electrostatic forces were suppressed by hydrocarbon interaction, displays more open porosity and larger voids than non-polluted soil, which is characterized by the occurrence of strong electrostatic interaction between the clay particles.

Time-dependent changes in the strength of repair mortar used in the loss compensation of stone

Repair mortar and mixture of repair mortar with porous limestone sand aggregate were tested under laboratory conditions. Water absorption properties and micro-fabric analyses with a combination of strength tests were applied to assess the durability and compatibility of repair mortar with porous limestone. Uniaxial compressive strength and flexural strength were measured after 3, 7, 14, 28 and 90 days of casting. Durability was tested by comparing strength test results of samples kept air dry, water saturated, dried in drying chamber, freeze–thaw and non-standardized freeze–thaw cycles. The results indicate that with time various trends in strength were observed. In general, limestone aggregate content decreases more the compressive strength more than the flexural strength of the mortar. Standardized freeze–thaw tests of saturated samples caused a rapid material loss after 25 cycles, while freeze–thaw tests of undersaturated samples demonstrated that even after 100 cycles the test specimens still have a significant strength. Water-saturated samples that contain 50% of limestone aggregate have a 50% loss of strength in comparison with saturated repair mortar, while air-dry and water-saturated repair mortar has a minor strength difference after 90 days. The use of smaller amounts of porous limestone aggregate in repair mortar allow the preparation of repairs that are compatible with the monuments of Central Europe that were constructed from porous limestone.

Late Alpine brittle faulting in the Rotondo granite (Switzerland): deformation mechanisms and fault evolution

The unlined Bedretto tunnel in the Central Swiss Alps has been used to investigate in detail the fault architecture and late Alpine brittle faulting processes in the Rotondo granite on macroscopic and microscopic scales. Brittle faults in the late Variscan Rotondo granite preferentially are situated within the extent of preexisting ductile shear zones. Only in relatively few cases the damage zone extends into or develops in the previously undeformed granite. Slickensides suggest a predominant (dextral) strike-slip movement along these steeply dipping and NE–SW-striking faults. Microstructures of these fault rocks illustrate a multi-stage retrograde deformation history from ductile to brittle conditions up to the cessation of fault activity. In addition these fabrics allow identifying cataclastic flow, fluid-assisted brecciation and chemical corrosive wear as important deformation mechanisms during this retrogressive deformation path. Based on the analysis of zeolite microfabrics (laumontite and stilbite; hydrated Ca–Al- and Na–Ca–Al–silicate, respectively) in fault breccias, cataclasites and open fractures we conclude, that the main phase of active brittle faulting started below 280°C and ceased ca. 14 Ma ago at temperatures slightly above 200°C. This corresponds to a depth of approx. 7 km.

Tectonic implications of garnet-bearing mantle xenoliths exhumed by Quaternary magmatism in the Hangay dome, central Mongolia

Garnet-bearing mantle xenoliths have been recovered from Quaternary alkali basalts, both within and peripheral to the Hangay dome of central Mongolia. Microfabric analysis and thermobaromery, combining empirical thermobarometers and the self-consistent dataset of THERMOCALC, indicate that garnet websterites from the Shavaryn-Tsaram volcanic centre at the dome core were formed in the spinel-lherzolite upper mantle at pressures of 17–18 kbars and temperatures of 1,070–1,090°C, whereas garnet lherzolites were derived from greater depths (18–20 kbars). Garnet lherzolites from the Baga Togo Uul vents near the dome edge were formed at 18–22 kbars under significantly cooler conditions (960–1,000°C). These xenoliths reveal reaction coronas of (1) orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, plagioclase and spinel mantling garnets; (2) spongy rims of olivine replacing orthopyroxene and (3) low-Na, low-Al clinopyroxene replacing primary clinopyroxene. Trace-element abundances indicate that clinopyroxene from these coronas is in chemical equilibrium with the host magma. The thermobarometric and textural data suggest that lherzolite xenoliths from both sites were derived from depths of 60–70 km and entrained in magma at 1,200–1,300°C. The average rate of ascent, as determined by olivine zoning, lies in the range 0.2–0.3 m s−1. The contrast in thermal profiles of the upper mantle between the two sites is consistent with a mantle plume beneath the Hangay dome with elevated thermal conditions beneath the core of the dome being comparable to estimates of the Pleistocene geotherm beneath the Baikal rift.

Quartz vein fabrics coupled to elevated fluid pressures in the Stawell gold deposit, south-eastern Australia

Shear and extensional veins formed during the reactivation of the Magdala shear system at Stawell in western Victoria, Australia, contribute to the formation of the auriferous Central and Basalt Contact lodes. Within this shear system is a range of fault rocks accompanied by steep-dipping (>65°) quartz-rich laminated shear veins and relatively flat-lying extensional veins. Both vein sets appear to have been a primary source for the host rock permeability during fluid flow in a regime of significant deviatoric stresses. The macro- and microstructures suggest that the dilatancy, that produced mineralized veins, formed under conditions of overpressure generated by fluid infiltration late in a tectonic regime. A new microfabric analysis technique is used to investigate the quartz-rich veins, which allows rapid integration of the microstructure with the crystallographic preferred orientations (CPOs). Both the shear and extensional quartz veins have a random CPO with ∼120° dihedral angles between the quartz–quartz grains, which is typical of a metamorphic equilibrium microfabric. The microstructures indicate that the quartz has undergone extensive grain adjustment in the solid-state, with grain shape and size affected by interfacial solution (pressure solution) effects. These features are consistent with inferences from experimental rock deformation studies, where grain boundary migration is enhanced in a water-rich environment. The onset of solution-transfer processes (pressure solution) developed as the quartz microfabric stabilized and continued to modify the CPO and microstructure significantly. It is concluded that grain growth and pressure solution are coupled diffusive mass transfer processes, related to fluctuations in pore fluid pressures in a region undergoing deformation at near lithostatic pressures.

Microfabric analysis of the surficial layer of deep-sea sediments by micro X-ray CT: an example from the Nansei-shoto (Ryukyu) Trench

Microfabric analysis of the surficial layer of deep-sea sediments by micro X-ray CT: an example from the Nansei-shoto (Ryukyu) Trench

Microtextural analysis of a glacially ‘deformed’ bedrock: implications for inheritance of preferred clast orientations in diamictons

AbstractAlthough analysis of clast macrofabrics has been used to differentiate between different types of glacial diamictons and to determine palaeo‐ice flow directions, no account appears to have been made of preferred clast orientations inherited from the parental source material. Clast macrofabrics in tills are typically interpreted as having developed in response to an imposed subglacial deformation and as such provide a link between the sedimentary record and glacier dynamics. They rely on the assumption that any preferred clast orientation is a result of deformation/flow. The results of the micromorphological study of the Langholm Till exposed at North Corbelly near Dumfries (southwestern Scotland) clearly demonstrate that bedrock structure can influence clast orientation (macrofabric) within diamictons. In the lower part of the till, the orientation of elongate clasts preserves the geometry of the tectonic cleavage present within the underlying bedrock. The intensity of this steeply inclined, ‘inherited’ clast fabric decreases upward through the till, to be replaced by a more complex pattern of successive generations of clast microfabrics developed in response to deformation/flow. These results indicate potential limitations of applying clast macrofabric or microfabric analysis in isolation to establish till genesis or palaeo ice‐flow directions. Consequently, due account should be made of other glacial palaeo‐environmental and ice flow indicators, as well as rockhead depth and morphology in relation to the selection of fabric measurements sites. © British Geological Survey/Natural Environment Research Council copyright 2007. Reproduced with the permission of BGS/NERC. Published by John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Structure and shearing conditions in the Day Nui Con Voi massif: Implications for the evolution of the Red River shear zone in northern Vietnam

The Day Nui Con Voi massif bears a record of the Red River shear zone (RRSZ) activity in North Vietnam. It forms a large‐scale antiformal “core complex”‐type structure, bounded by the Song Hong and Song Chay faults. The kinematics of both faults are identical and reflect transtensional shear initiated under upper amphibolite facies conditions and propagated into greenschist facies. Microfabric analysis establishes that both extensional and strike‐slip shearing initiated between 700 and 500°C. The RRSZ evolved from a single, subvertical fault, which, due to strike‐perpendicular extension, underwent progressive dilation. The created space was “intruded” by already metamorphosed and deformed ductile middle crust in the form of a gneissic “dome.” Both strike‐slip and extensional shearing were accommodated in the limbs of the antiform, while its core was uplifted from midcrustal level bearing only a minor record of sinistral shear.

The effects of wetting and drying, and marine salt crystallization on calcarenite rocks used as building material in historic monuments

Abstract The results of a study of the effect of marine salt crystallization on the physical and mechanical properties of Plio-Pleistocene calcarenites cropping out in southern Italy are presented here. Owing to their workability, aesthetic appeal and availability, the calcarenites have been widely used as building stones in many historic monuments. Samples of medium-grained packstones and fine-grained packstones-wackestones were prepared for the salt crystallization test defined by EN 12370, using sea water instead of a 14% solution of Na 2 SO 4 · 10H 2 O. To determine the effect of imbibition alone on the performance of the calcarenites, the same procedure was followed with distilled water without soluble salts. Microfabric analysis, evaluation of index parameters and grain-size distribution were carried out as well. Particular attention was given to pore-size distribution by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), loss of weight and uniaxial compressive strength determined before and after the tests, and after every five cycles of complete immersion in sea water and distilled water. The results suggest that detailed information on fabric and pore network are indispensable to predicting the weatherability of rocks. Crystallization tests that involve the complete immersion of the samples in a saline solution are not effective for an understanding of the real importance of salt damage on soft and porous calcarenites owing to a significant incidence of imbibition in accelerating deterioration rates and in influencing patterns and intensity of weathering.

Origin and orientation of microporosity in eclogites of different microstructure studied by ultrasound and microfabric analysis

This work contributes to the experimental investigations of the origin and 3-D orientation of micropores in low porosity crystalline rocks. The origin and spatial orientation of microporosity in two eclogites with different microstructures were studied by 1) quantitative and qualitative microstructural analysis of grains and grain boundaries, 2) measurement of lattice preferred orientation using the SEM-EBSD method and 3) experimental measurement of velocity of elastic P-waves in spherical samples in 132 directions under confining pressures up to 400 MPa. Results show good correlation between the elastic properties and the orientation of grain boundaries and cleavage planes in clinopyroxene. The magnitude and anisotropy of velocity change with pressure shows that microporosity in the fine-grained sample is relatively large and strongly preferentially oriented, whereas it is significantly lower and less preferentially oriented in the coarse-grained sample. Seeing that the lattice preferred orientation of clinopyroxene is similar in both samples we can deduce from velocity changes that the grain size of the rock forming minerals controls the amount of microporosity. Also, the orientation of microporosity depends mostly on preferred orientation of grain boundaries and somewhat less on the orientation of cleavage planes. Grain boundaries are therefore the most important contributors to the bulk microporosity in the studied rocks.

Sand–Attapulgite Clay Mixtures as a Landfill Liner

This paper investigates the potential use of sand–attapulgite (palygorskite) mixtures as a landfill liner. The sand and attapulgite clay used in this study were brought from Wahiba (eastern Oman) and Al-Shuwamiyah (southern Oman), respectively. Initially the basic properties of the sand and clay were determined. Then the attapulgite clay was added to the sand at 5, 10, 20 and 30% by dry weight of the sand. The sand–attapulgite clay mixtures were subjected to mineralogical, chemical, microfabric and geotechnical analyses. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) qualitative analysis showed that attapulgite is the major clay mineral. The chemical compounds, exchangeable cations and cation exchange capacity (CEC) for the␣samples were determined. The CEC for the sand–clay mixtures is low but increases with the increase in clay content. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) examination showed that the addition of clay developed coating between and around the sand grains which results in filling the voids and reducing the hydraulic conductivity of the sand–clay mixtures. The hydraulic conductivity values for the pure clay and sand + 30% clay mixture prepared at 2% above optimum water content are slightly higher than hydraulic conductivity requirements for landfill liners but can be acceptable. The geotechnical study which included grain size distribution, Atterberg limits, specific gravity, compaction, hydraulic conductivity and shear strength tests showed that the sand+30% clay mixture prepared at 2% above optimum water content can be considered to satisfy the requirements for landfill liners. For all sand–clay mixtures no swelling was recorded and the addition of clay to the sand improved the shear strength.

Glacial-Marine or Subglacial Origin of Diamicton Units from the Southwest and North Iceland Shelf: Implications for the Glacial History of Iceland

Abstract The extent and timing of ice advances onto the north and southwest Iceland shelf is reconstructed by identifying the depositional environment of four diamicton units present in two marine cores from shelf troughs. We analyze a combination of properties, including sedimentological parameters, microfabric analyses, radiocarbon dates, and foraminiferal assemblage data. This multi-proxy approach for understanding depositional environments of diamicton units is critical in areas where ice sheets extended into the marine environment. The two cores studied contain a lower diamicton unit that is interpreted as subglacial till and an overlying diamicton unit that is interpreted as glacial-marine sediment. Our analysis showed that in general, till is classified by lower water content, lower total organic carbon, and coarser grain size than glacial-marine sediment. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility shows that the till has a sheared fabric, low inclination of the short (K3) axis, whereas the glacial-marine sediment has a high inclination of the short (K3) axis and a more random, unsheared fabric. Grain counts on the 106–1000 μm fraction in till contain a higher percentage of basalt, whereas the glacial-marine sediments contain a higher percentage of quartz, volcanic glass, and foraminifera. Foraminiferal assemblage data support the interpretations from the sedimentology and microfabric data. Radiocarbon dates on shells and/or foraminifera in sediments directly above the diamicton units show that the ice retreated from these shelf areas by approximately 13 ka.

Deglacial ocean and climate seasonality in laminated diatom sediments, Mac.Robertson Shelf, Antarctica

The palaeoceanography and climate history of the East Antarctic Margin (EAM) are less well understood than those of West Antarctica. Yet, the EAM plays an important role in deep ocean circulation and the global ocean system and has likely done so in the past. Deglacial-age marine sediments from the EAM provide clues about its past role during this critical period of rapid climate change. Several deep basins across the EAM such as Iceberg Alley (∼67°S, 63°E) on the Mac.Robertson Shelf (MRS) accommodate thick marine sequences that archive the deglaciation in the form of diatom-rich, continuously laminated (varved) sediments. These laminated sediments are pristinely preserved and contain seasonal and long-term information on the cryospheric and palaeoceanographic changes associated with the rapid retreat of the glacial ice sheet across the MRS. We present results of microfabric analysis of the lower ∼2 m of deglacial varves from jumbo piston core JPC43B (Iceberg Alley). Backscattered electron imagery (BSEI) of polished thin sections and scanning electron microscope secondary electron imagery (SEI) of lamina-parallel fracture surfaces are used to analyze the varves. One hundred and ninety-two laminations are investigated and their nature and temporal significance are discussed in terms of seasonal deposition and cyclicity of diatom species. Our high-resolution palaeodata record exceptionally high diatom production and silica flux associated with the retreat of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, and seasonal sea-ice changes along the EAM. This information is invaluable for assessing cryospheric-oceanographic variation and, therefore, the local and regional response to this period of rapid climate change. Varves are made up of lamina couplets comprising (i) thickly laminated to thinly bedded orange/orange-brown very pure diatom ooze dominated by Hyalochaete Chaetoceros spp. vegetative cells and resting spores, and (ii) brown/blue-grey terrigenous angular quartz sand, silt and clay with an abundant mixed diatom flora. The colour variation between these two types of lamination is striking. Using floristic and textural information we interpret the diatom oozes as spring flux and the terrigenous laminae as summer flux. Each couplet pair represents one annual cycle and reflects seasonal changes in nutrient availability and stratification associated with the cyclical advance and retreat of seasonal sea-ice. The diatom oozes can reach up to ∼7.5 cm in thickness indicating enormous silica flux to the sea floor associated with ice sheet retreat.