A review of geological constraints on the pre-break-up position of the Ellsworth Mountains within Gondwana: implications for Weddell Sea evolution

It has long since been recognised that the Ellsworth-Whitmore mountains (EWM) crustal block possesses an anomalous structural and stratigraphic history relative to its neighbouring West Antarctic crustal blocks, and the Transantarctic Mountains. This has led to uncertainties in the original pre-break-up position of the EWM within Gondwana. Positions vary from along the East Antarctic margin, west of the Pensacola Mountains, to within the Natal embayment region between Africa and Antarctica. The original position of the EWM within Gondwana has important implications, as its subsequent transposition has to be accounted for during the tectonic evolution of the Weddell Sea region.