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Geodynamic and climatic forcing on late-Cenozoic exhumation of the Southern Patagonian Andes (Fitz Roy and Torres del Paine massifs)
  • +14
  • Veleda A. Paiva Muller,
  • Christian Sue,
  • Pierre G Valla,
  • Pietro Sternai,
  • Thibaud Simon- Labric,
  • Cécile Gautheron,
  • Kurt M Cuffey,
  • Djordje Grujic,
  • Matthias Bernet,
  • Joseph Martinod,
  • Matias C Ghiglione,
  • Peter Reiners,
  • Chelsea Willett,
  • David Shuster,
  • Frédéric Herman,
  • Lukas Baumgartner,
  • Jean Braun
Veleda A. Paiva Muller
Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, DISAT, University of Milano-Bicocca

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Christian Sue
Institute des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IFSTTAR, Université Gustave Eiffel, Université de Franche-Comté
Pierre G Valla
Institute des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IFSTTAR, Université Gustave Eiffel
Pietro Sternai
Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e della Terra (DISAT), Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca
Thibaud Simon- Labric
Centre de Géologie Oisans Alpes
Cécile Gautheron
Institute des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IFSTTAR, Université Gustave Eiffel, Centre de Géologie Oisans Alpes, Université Paris Saclay, CNRS, GEOPS
Kurt M Cuffey
Institute des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IFSTTAR, Université Gustave Eiffel, Department of Geography, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California -Berkeley
Djordje Grujic
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Dalhousie University
Matthias Bernet
Institute des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IFSTTAR, Université Gustave Eiffel
Joseph Martinod
Institute des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IFSTTAR, Université Gustave Eiffel
Matias C Ghiglione
Instituto de Estudios Andinos "Don Pablo Groeber", Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET
Peter Reiners
Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona
Chelsea Willett
Department of Geography, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California -Berkeley
David Shuster
Department of Geography, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California -Berkeley
Frédéric Herman
Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics (IDYST), Université de Lausanne
Lukas Baumgartner
Institut des Sciences de la Terre (ISTE), Université de Lausanne
Jean Braun
Institute des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IFSTTAR, Université Gustave Eiffel, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Potsdam

Abstract

High-relief glacial valleys shape the modern topography of the Southern Patagonian Andes, but their formation remains poorly understood. Two Miocene plutonic complexes in the Andean retroarc, the Fitz Roy (49°S) and Torres del Paine (51°S) massifs, were emplaced between 16.9–16.4 Ma and 12.6–12.4 Ma, respectively. Subduction of oceanic ridge segments initiated ca. 16 Ma at 54°S, leading to northward opening of a slab window with associated mantle upwelling. The onset of major glaciations caused drastic topographic changes since ca. 7 Ma. To constrain the respective contributions of tectonic-mantle dynamics and fluvio-glacial erosion to rock exhumation and landscape evolution, we perform inverse thermal modeling of a new dataset of zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He from the two massifs, complemented by apatite 4He/3He data for Torres del Paine. Our results show rapid rock exhumation recorded only in the Fitz Roy massif between 10 and 8 Ma, which we ascribe to local mantle upwelling forcing surface uplift and intensified erosion around 49°S. Both massifs record a pulse of rock exhumation between 7 and 4 Ma, which we interpret as enhanced erosion during the beginning of Patagonian glaciations. After a period of erosional and tectonic quiescence in the Pliocene, increased rock exhumation since 3-2 Ma is interpreted as the result of alpine glacial valley carving promoted by reinforced glacial-interglacial cycles. This study highlights that glacial erosion was the main driver to rock exhumation in the Patagonian retroarc since 7 Ma, but that mantle upwelling might be a driving force to rock exhumation as well.
03 Jul 2024Submitted to ESS Open Archive
04 Jul 2024Published in ESS Open Archive