Abstract: The ArLiTA (Architecture de la Lithosphère de Terre Adélie) project is supported by the French Polar Institute (IPEV) program and started in October 2009. The main goal of this project is to characterize the lithospheric structures and the deformation patterns of the Terre Adélie and George Vth Land basement (East Antarctica: 135 to 145° E). The ArLiTA project corresponds to a multidisciplinary approach and combines a set of various analysis and interpretation methods, in order to relate field observations to the geodynamic models. Lithospheric structures are characterised using a multi-scale approach from the study of the crystalline structures using electron microscopy to regional structures revealed by seismological data. At the field scale, the use of petrophysical tools such as the measurement of the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) allows a systematic mapping of the deformation patterns. All these various studies are performed on the different crustal blocks that build up the Terre Adélie Craton and which are considered as contrasted levels of the Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic continental crust. Moreover, the ArLiTA project also includes geochemical investigations in order to precise the relationships between the deformation structures and the transfers of geological fluids through a warm and buoyant crust.
Concerning the seismological section of the project, six temporary seismic stations are scheduled to be installed all along the Terre Adélie-George Vth Land coast, in addition to the permanent seismic station from the GEOSCOPE network located at the Dumont d’Urville French base. Four seismic stations have already been deployed since October 2009. This new network will improve the instrumental cover of the East Antarctica region that was recently deployed for the International Polar Year (IPY). The ArLiTA project would provide an essential contribution to the current knowledge of the Mawson Block, i.e. of piece of the Rodinia supercontinent.