Integrating petrologic records and geodynamics: Quantifying the effects of glaciation on crustal stress and eruptive patterns at Mt. Waesche, Executive Committee Range, Antarctica

However, the physical mechanisms through which changes in the surface loading affect volcanic magmatic plumbing systems remain unconstrained. Recently generated 40Ar/39Ar eruption ages indicate that 86% of the dated samples from Mt.

Waesche, a late Quaternary volcano in Marie Byrd land, correlate with interglacial periods, suggesting this volcano uniquely responds to changes in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. We propose to combine the petrology of Mount Waesche’s volcanic record, constraints on changing ice loads through time, and geodynamic modelling to: (1) Determine how pre-eruptive storage conditions change during glacial and interglacial periods using whole rock and mineral compositions of volcanic rocks; (2) Conduct geodynamic modeling to elucidate the relationship between lithospheric structure, temporal variations in ice sheet thickness, and subsequent changes in crustal stresses and magmatic transport and, therefore, the mechanism(s) by which deglaciation impacts magmatic plumbing systems; (3) Use the outcomes of objectives (1) and (2) to provide new constraints on the changes in ice sheet thickness through time that could plausibly trigger future volcanic and magmatic activity in West Antarctica.