@article{WeberCardonaValenciaetal.2011,
  author    = {Weber, Marion and Cardona, A. and Valencia, V. and Altenberger, Uwe and Lopez-Martinez, M. and Tobon, M. and Zapata, Sebastian Henao and Zapata, G. and Concha, A. E.},
  title     = {Geochemistry and geochronology of the Guajira Eclogites, northern Colombia evidence of a metamorphosed primitive Cretaceous Caribbean Island-arc},
  series = {Geologica acta},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {Geologica acta},
  number    = {3-4},
  publisher = {Facultat de Geologia, Divisio III, Ci{\`e}ncies Experimentals i Matem{\`a}tiques, Universitat de Barcelona},
  address   = {Barcelona},
  issn      = {1695-6133},
  doi       = {10.1344/105.000001740},
  pages     = {425 -- 443},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {The chemical composition of eclogites, found as boulders in a Tertiary conglomerate from the Guajira Peninsula, Colombia suggests that these rocks are mainly metamorphosed basaltic andesites. They are depleted in LILE elements compared to MORB, have a negative Nb-anomaly and flat to enriched REE patterns, suggesting that their protoliths evolved in a subduction related tectonic setting. They show island-arc affinities and are similar to primitive island-arc rocks described in the Caribbean. The geochemical characteristics are comparable to low-grade greenschists from the nearby Etpana Terrane, which are interpreted as part of a Cretaceous intra-oceanic arc. These data support evidence that the eclogites and the Etpana terrane rocks formed from the same volcano-sedimentary sequence. Part of this sequence was accreted onto the margin and another was incorporated into the subduction channel and metamorphosed at eclogite facies conditions. Ar-40-Ar-39 ages of 79.2 +/- 1.1Ma and 82.2 +/- 2.5Ma determined on white micas, separated from two eclogite samples, are interpreted to be related to the cooling of the main metamorphic event. The formation of a common volcano-sedimentary protolith and subsequent metamorphism of these units record the ongoing Late Cretaceous continental subduction of the South American margin within the Caribbean intra-oceanic arc subduction zone. This gave way to an arc-continent collision between the Caribbean and the South American plates, where this sequence was exhumed after the Campanian.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ZapataCardonaJaramilloetal.2018,
  author    = {Zapata, Sebastian Henao and Cardona, A. and Jaramillo, J. S. and Patino, A. and Valencia, V. and Leon, S. and Mejia, D. and Pardo-Trujillo, A. and Castaneda, J. P.},
  title     = {Cretaceous extensional and compressional tectonics in the Northwestern Andes, prior to the collision with the Caribbean oceanic plateau},
  series = {Gondwana research : international geoscience journal ; official journal of the International Association for Gondwana Research},
  volume    = {66},
  journal   = {Gondwana research : international geoscience journal ; official journal of the International Association for Gondwana Research},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  issn      = {1342-937X},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.gr.2018.10.008},
  pages     = {207 -- 226},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {The Cretaceous units exposed in the northwestern segment of the Colombian Andes preserve the record of extensional and compressional tectonics prior to the collision with Caribbean oceanic terranes. We integrated field, stratigraphic, sedimentary provenance, whole rock geochemistry, Nd isotopes and U-Pb zircon data to understand the Cretaceous tectonostratigraphic and magmatic record of the Colombian Andes. The results suggest that several sedimentary successions including the Abejorral Fm. were deposited on top of the continental basement in an Early Cretaceous backarc basin (150-100 Ma). Between 120 and 100 Ma, the appearance of basaltic and andesitic magmatism (similar to 115-100 Ma), basin deepening, and seafloor spreading were the result of advanced stages of backarc extension. A change to compressional tectonics took place during the Late Cretaceous (100-80 Ma). During this compressional phase, the extended blocks were reincorporated into the margin, closing the former Early Cretaceous backarc basin. Subsequently, a Late Cretaceous volcanic arc was built on the continental margin: as a result, the volcanic rocks of the Quebradagrande Complex were unconformably deposited on top of the faulted and folded rocks of the Abejorral Fm. Between the Late Cretaceous and the Paleocene (80-60 Ma), an arc-continent collision between the Caribbean oceanic plateau and the South-American continental margin deformed the rocks of the Quebradagrande Complex and shut-down the active volcanic arc. Our results suggest an Early Cretaceous extensional event followed by compressional tectonics prior to the collision with the Caribbean oceanic plateau. (C) 2019 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{LeonCardonaMejiaVelezetal.2019,
  author    = {Le{\´o}n, Santiago and Cardona, Agust{\´i}n and Mejia Velez, Dany and Botello, G. E. and Villa, V{\´i}ctor and Collo, Gilda and Valencia, Victor A. and Zapata, Sebastian Henao and Avellaneda-Jimenez, D. S.},
  title     = {Source area evolution and thermal record of an Early Cretaceous back-arc basin along the northwesternmost Colombian Andes},
  series = {Journal of South American earth sciences},
  volume    = {94},
  journal   = {Journal of South American earth sciences},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Oxford},
  issn      = {0895-9811},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.jsames.2019.102229},
  pages     = {16},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Identifying the provenance signature and geodynamic setting on which sedimentary basins at convergent margins grow is challenging since they result from coupled erosional and tectonic processes, which shape the evolution of source areas and the stress regime. The Early Cretaceous evolution of the northern Andes of Colombia is characterized by extensional tectonics and the subsequent formation of a marginal basin. The Abejorral Formation and coeval volcano-sedimentary rocks are exposed along the western flank and axis of the Central Cordillera. They comprise an Early Cretaceous transgressive sequence initially accumulated in fluvial deltaic environments, which switched towards a deep-marine setting, and are interpreted as the infilling record of a marginal back-arc basin. Available provenance data suggest that Permian-Triassic metamorphic and less abundant Jurassic magmatic rocks forming the basement of the Central Cordillera sourced the Abejorral Formation. New detailed volcanic and metamorphic lithics analyses, conventional and varietal study of heavy minerals, detrital rutile mineral chemistry, allowed us to document changes in the source areas defined by the progressive appearance of both higher-grade and more distal low-grade metamorphic sources, which switched from pelitic to dominantly mafic in composition. Crystallochemical indexes of clay minerals of fine-grained rocks of the Abejorral Formation suggest that samples located close to the Romeral Fault System show characteristics of low-medium P-T low-grade metamorphism, whereas rocks located farther to the northeast preserve primary diagenetic features, which suggest a high heat-flow accumulation setting. We interpret that the Abejorral Formation records the progressive unroofing of the Central Cordillera basement that was being rapidly exhumed, as well as the incorporation of distal subduction-related metamorphic complexes to the west in response either to the widening of extensional front or the reactivation of fault structures on the oceanward margin of the basin. Although the deformational record of the Abejorral Formation would have resulted from over-imposed episodes, our new geochronological constraints suggest that this sedimentary sequence must have been deformed before the Paleocene due to the presence of arc-related intrusive non-deformed magmatic rocks with a crystallization age of ca. 60 Ma.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Zapata2019,
  author    = {Zapata, Sebastian Henao},
  title     = {Paleozoic to Pliocene evolution of the Andean retroarc between 26 and 28°S: interactions between tectonics, climate, and upper plate architecture},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-43903},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-439036},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {139},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Interactions and feedbacks between tectonics, climate, and upper plate architecture control basin geometry, relief, and depositional systems. The Andes is part of a longlived continental margin characterized by multiple tectonic cycles which have strongly modified the Andean upper plate architecture. In the Andean retroarc, spatiotemporal variations in the structure of the upper plate and tectonic regimes have resulted in marked along-strike variations in basin geometry, stratigraphy, deformational style, and mountain belt morphology. These along-strike variations include high-elevation plateaus (Altiplano and Puna) associated with a thin-skin fold-and-thrust-belt and thick-skin deformation in broken foreland basins such as the Santa Barbara system and the Sierras Pampeanas. At the confluence of the Puna Plateau, the Santa Barbara system and the Sierras Pampeanas, major along-strike changes in upper plate architecture, mountain belt morphology, basement exhumation, and deformation style can be recognized. I have used a source to sink approach to unravel the spatiotemporal tectonic evolution of the Andean retroarc between 26 and 28°S. I obtained a large low-temperature thermochronology data set from basement units which includes apatite fission track, apatite U-Th-Sm/He, and zircon U-Th/He (ZHe) cooling ages. Stratigraphic descriptions of Miocene units were temporally constrained by U-Pb LA-ICP-MS zircon ages from interbedded pyroclastic material. Modeled ZHe ages suggest that the basement of the study area was exhumed during the Famatinian orogeny (550-450 Ma), followed by a period of relative tectonic quiescence during the Paleozoic and the Triassic. The basement experienced horst exhumation during the Cretaceous development of the Salta rift. After initial exhumation, deposition of thick Cretaceous syn-rift strata caused reheating of several basement blocks within the Santa Barbara system. During the Eocene-Oligocene, the Andean compressional setting was responsible for the exhumation of several disconnected basement blocks. These exhumed blocks were separated by areas of low relief, in which humid climate and low erosion rates facilitated the development of etchplains on the crystalline basement. The exhumed basement blocks formed an Eocene to Oligocene broken foreland basin in the back-bulge depozone of the Andean foreland. During the Early Miocene, foreland basin strata filled up the preexisting Paleogene topography. The basement blocks in lower relief positions were reheated; associated geothermal gradients were higher than 25°C/km. Miocene volcanism was responsible for lateral variations on the amount of reheating along the Campo-Arenal basin. Around 12 Ma, a new deformational phase modified the drainage network and fragmented the lacustrine system. As deformation and rock uplift continued, the easily eroded sedimentary cover was efficiently removed and reworked by an ephemeral fluvial system, preventing the development of significant relief. After ~6 Ma, the low erodibility of the basement blocks which began to be exposed caused relief increase, leading to the development of stable fluvial systems. Progressive relief development modified atmospheric circulation, creating a rainfall gradient. After 3 Ma, orographic rainfall and high relief lead to the development of proximal fluvial-gravitational depositional systems in the surrounding basins.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ZapataSobelPapaetal.2019,
  author    = {Zapata, Sebastian Henao and Sobel, Edward and Papa, Cecilia Eugenia del and Muruaga, Claudia and Zhou, R.},
  title     = {Miocene fragmentation of the Central Andean foreland basins between 26 and 28 degrees S},
  series = {Journal of South American earth sciences},
  volume    = {94},
  journal   = {Journal of South American earth sciences},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Oxford},
  issn      = {0895-9811},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.jsames.2019.102238},
  pages     = {18},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {We present new U-Pb LA-ICP-MS data from the Central Andean foreland basins combined with new and published stratigraphic information in order to reconstruct the Miocene fragmentation of the Andean foreland between 26 and 28 degrees S. The disruption of this foreland basin and the subsequent development of elevated intermountain basins have been the focus of several studies. However, the absence of temporal constraints in the Miocene to Pliocene sedimentary record of the low elevation Choromoro and Tucuman foreland basins has presented an obstacle for precise paleogeographic reconstructions. We describe 11 discontinuous stratigraphic sections and use the U-Pb LA-ICP-MS method to date 10 pyroclastic-bearing sediments in order to reconstruct the stratigraphic evolution of the Choromoro and Tucuman basins. We combine our results with published strati graphic and thermochronologic data from adjacent basins to present a refined Miocene paleogeographic model. In a first stage, a continuous Early Miocene foreland lacustrine basin developed, filling up the preexisting Paleogene topography. The second stage is characterized by basin unroofing around similar to 12 Ma; the easily eroded sedimentary cover was removed, leading to the uplift of the underlying basement rocks and the segmentation of the lacustrine system. In the third stage, relief increase took place after similar to 6 Ma due to the low erodibility of the basement blocks; as a result, stable fluvial systems developed. Progressive relief development caused pronounced unconformities in the basins and the development of proximal fluvial-gravitational depositional systems after 3 Ma. This model emphasizes on the relations between tectonics, climate, and erodibility, and their control on the evolution of the depositional systems and relief.},
  language  = {en}
}