Field Trip Guide: Ridge-Trench Collision - the Southern Patagonian Cordillera East of the Chile Triple Junction
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
1-1-2008
Abstract
The southern Patagonian Cordillera south of the present location of the Chile Triple Junction (46.5°S) preserves distinctive deformational and backarc magmatic features that are a consequence of a series of northward-propagating ridge collision events that started at ca. 14 Ma. An abrupt increase of ∼2000 m of topographic elevation and the exhumation and uplift of mid-Miocene to Pliocene plutons within the cordillera south of the Chile Triple Junction is accomplished by horizontal compressive deformation (both thin- and thick-skinned) within the Patagonian fold-thrust belt. Ridge-trench collisions have formed asthenospheric slab windows beneath the southern Patagonian Cordillera. Backarc magmatism associated with slab window formation includes a distinctive suite of adakites and extensive outpourings of oceanic island basalt (OIB)-like plateau basalts. The adakites formed from the partial melting of the young, hot trailing edge of the Nazca plate that preceded slab window opening, whereas the OIB-like plateau basalts formed from dynamic asthenospheric flow as the slab windows opened up beneath the backarc.
DOI
10.1130/2008.0013(01)
MSU Digital Commons Citation
Gorring, Matthew, "Field Trip Guide: Ridge-Trench Collision - the Southern Patagonian Cordillera East of the Chile Triple Junction" (2008). Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 298.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/earth-environ-studies-facpubs/298