Pg. Quilty et al., Stratigraphy of the Pliocene Sorsdal Formation, Marine Plain, Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica, ANTARCT SCI, 12(2), 2000, pp. 205-216
The Sorsdal Formation and one member, Graveyard Sandstone Member constitute
a sedimentary sequence covering approximately 10 km(2) of Marine Plain, Ve
stfold Hills, East Antarctica. The new Formation consists dominantly of fri
able diatomaceous siltstone and sandstone with dark limestone lenses. It is
in situ, essentially horizontal, 7.2 m thick in its type section and lies
less than 25 m a.s.l. Graveyard Sandstone Member occurs near the top of the
formation, is highly lithified sandy diamictite, 30-50 cm thick and widesp
read through the Marine Plain region. Using diatoms, the Formation is Early
Pliocene in age (Fragilariopsis barronii; 4.5-4.1 Ma). The Graveyard Sands
tone Member probably was deposited during the Gilbert Chron interval (lower
Chron 2Ar or C3n.1r) of reversed magnetic polarity. The Sorsdal Formation
contains fossil cetaceans and a diverse and well-preserved invertebrate fau
na. Foraminifera are rare partly because of diagenesis, but include Ammoelp
hidiella antarctica. No evidence of coeval terrestrial vegetation has been
recovered. The deposit accumulated in a series of small bays probably in an
environment warmer than exists in the region today. There is no lithologic
al evidence of glacial influence except in Graveyard Sandstone Member that
may represent local glacial influence in a shallow marine to intertidal env
ironment.