Ancient cratonic nuclei in East Antarctica: Research status, problems and prospects

The Archean cratonic nuclei in the East Antarctic Shield (Craton) occur mainly in the Napier Mountains, southern Prince Charles Mountains, Rauer Group and Vestfold Hills in the Indian Ocean sector, and are sporadically exposed in the Australian, African and Pacific sectors. These ancient nuclei with diverse earlier crustal histories and later reworking processes are separated by the Paleoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic (Pan-African-aged) orogens. The nuclei in different sectors have a close affinity with the adjacent Gondwana continental blocks. Integrated bedrock and subglacial geological investigations and petrological and chemical studies will ascertain the temporal and spatial distributions, petrogenesis, source regions, tectonic affinities and multiple metamorphic records of the Archean rocks (materials) in East Antarctica.This can help to reveal the major history from nucleation to assembly of the East Antarctica continent, and thus to contribute to a better understanding of the early history of the Earth from an Antarctic perspective.