--> ABSTRACT: Provenance of Jurassic-Cretaceous Strata from the Argentinian Sector of the Magallanes-Austral Basin, Southern Patagonia, by Malkowski, Matthew; Schwartz, Theresa ; Fosdick, Julie C.; Graham, Stephan; #90142 (2012)

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Provenance of Jurassic-Cretaceous Strata from the Argentinian Sector of the Magallanes-Austral Basin, Southern Patagonia

Malkowski, Matthew *1; Schwartz, Theresa 1; Fosdick, Julie C.1; Graham, Stephan 1
(1) Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

The Magallanes-Austral retroarc foreland basin of southern Patagonia is preserved along a >1000 km outcrop belt east of the Andean Cordillera in Chile and Argentina. Several recent studies have focused on characterizing the tectonic evolution and basin fill history of the Magallanes Basin sector in Chile. However, a number of key differences occur in the Argentinian (Austral) sector of the basin such as the amount of initial backarc extension, degree of crustal shortening, and overall stratigraphic architecture and depositional facies. Comparatively little work has been done to examine the northern extent of this basin system, as well as the relationship between basin fill history and tectonic evolution in this region. This study investigates provenance trends in the northern sector of the Magallanes-Austral foreland basin as a means of highlighting Jurassic-Cretaceous transitions in tectonic setting, sediment dispersal patterns, and early thrust-belt evolution of the sub-Andean region in southern Patergonia. New U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology, as well as major and trace element geochemistry of shale, provide insight into source areas and sediment dispersal patterns during the transitional stages of backarc extension to contractile foreland basin fill in this part of the basin. Future work will supplement these data with the characterization of depositional facies and stratigraphic architectural elements.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90142 © 2012 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, April 22-25, 2012, Long Beach, California