Detrital constraints on the southern Amadeus Basin –new analysis of zircon and apatite samples for detrital provenance and thermal evolution

Abstract

The Amadeus Basin is a Late Proterozoic to early Phanerozoic basin in central Australia, which records a complex sedimentation and thermal history throughout the basin. This study presents new analysis of zircon and apatite samples for detrital provenance and thermal evolution, focused in the southern Amadeus Basin (KULGERA). While the thermal history and provenance are well constrained for the north, such data for the southern region of the basin are lacking. Nineteen outcrop samples are analysed for detrital zircon U-Pb and provenance and one BR05DD01 drill-core sample is analysed for the AUPb and AFT ages. All sampled zircons share a similar prominent peak at ca. 1086 – 1163 Ma and a second prominent peak at ca. 1554 – 1791 Ma. However, all formations do not share a similar provenance due to the major tectonic events from the Musgrave Province and Arunta Region influencing sedimentation and architecture in the Amadeus Basin. Two age peaks derived in the AFT plot at114 +/- 11 Ma and 223 +/- 13 Ma suggest an extensive thermal history in the apatite partial annealing zone. Due to the insufficient number of analysed apatite grains, this hinders the identification of age populations and more detailed age calculations. More data would be required for the apatite analysis in order to conclude a specified age population and age calculation.