Neoproterozoic basement history of Wrangel Island and Arctic Chukotka: integrated insights from zircon U–Pb, O and Hf isotopic studies

New zircon geochronology and isotope geochemistry from Wrangel Island and western Chukotka reveal the Neoproterozoic basement history of the Arctic Alaska-Chukotka (AAC) terrane, shedding light on its long-standing geological mysteries. The study identifies a range of zircon U–Pb ages between 612±7 Ma to 711±4 Ma in granitic and volcanic samples, indicating significant Cryogenian–Ediacaran magmatism in a peripheral orogenic setting, likely a fringing arc on rifted continental margin crust. Detrital zircon spectra from metasedimentary strata suggest a Grenville–Sveconorwegian provenance, correlating with strata from Arctic Alaska and Pearya. This research provides critical insights into the AAC terrane's pre-Cenozoic kinematic and tectonic history, previously obscured by Mesozoic crustal processes.

Gottlieb, E. S., Pease, V., Miller, E. L., & Akinin, V. V. (2017). Neoproterozoic basement history of Wrangel Island and Arctic Chukotka: integrated insights from zircon U–Pb, O and Hf isotopic studies. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 460(1), 183–206. https://doi.org/10.1144/sp460.11