TY  - JOUR
A1  - Loebens, Stefan
A1  - Sobel, Edward
A1  - Bense, Frithjof A.
A1  - Wemmer, Klaus
A1  - Dunkl, Istvan
A1  - Siegesmund, Siegfried
T1  - Refined exhumation history of the northern Sierras Pampeanas, Argentina
JF  - Tectonics
N2  - The Sierra de Aconquija and Cumbres Calchaquies in the thick-skinned northern Sierras Pampeanas, NW Argentina present an ideal setting to investigate the tectonically and erosionally controlled exhumation and uplift history of mountain ranges using thermochronological methods. Although these ranges are located along strike of one another, their spatiotemporal evolution varies significantly. Integrating modeled cooling histories constrained by K-Ar ages of muscovite and biotite, apatite fission track data as well as (U-Th)/He measurement of zircon and apatite reveal the structural evolution of these ranges beginning in the late stage of the Paleozoic Famatinian Orogeny. Following localized rift-related exhumation in the central part of the study area and slow erosion elsewhere, growth of the modern topography commenced in the Cenozoic during Andean deformation. The main activity occurred during the late Miocene, with varying magnitudes of rock uplift, surface uplift, and exhumation in the two mountain ranges. The Cumbres Calchaquies is characterized by a total of 5-7km of vertical rock uplift, around 3km of crestal surface uplift, and a maximum exhumation of 2-4km since that time. The Sierra de Aconquija experienced 10-13km of vertical rock uplift, similar to 4-5km of peak surface uplift, and 6-8km of exhumation since around 9Ma. Much of this exhumation occurred along a previously poorly recognized fault. Miocene reactivation of Cretaceous rift structures may explain along-strike variations within these ranges. Dating of sedimentary samples from adjacent basins supports the evolutionary model developed for the mountain ranges.
KW  - Thermochronology
KW  - Sierras Pampeanas
KW  - thermal modeling
KW  - exhumation and uplift
Y1  - 2013
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1002/tect.20038
SN  - 0278-7407
VL  - 32
IS  - 3
SP  - 453
EP  - 472
PB  - American Geophysical Union
CY  - Washington
ER  -