Abstract
This chapter illustrates the structural architecture of the Colombian Andes, highlighting the geometric and temporal relationships between lithologic units, faulting, and folding, as derived from field transects across key areas of the complex Colombian Cordilleran system. The summary presented herein, permits a better understanding of the tectonic, physiographic evolution and temporal genetic linkages within the Northern Andes. It is primarily a visual tool, intended to aid in the interpretation of segments of the Colombian Andes where insufficent geological data is available and hence, in the construction of structural models. The chapter consists of selected cross-sections constructed from actual field data and supported whether in seismic interpretation or well data. The field data was acquired during structural and stratigraphic surveys produced for the petroleum, coal and mineral industry, as well as for academic purposes. Most of the sections are balanced or at least admissible. The quality of the presented sections is supported on the coherence among detailed lithologic mapping, lateral facies changes, thickness variations of the lithostratigraphic units, and strict biostratigraphic control.
Sections belonging to six regional transects are presented in the printed format. Whilst, an extended digital appendix includes 15 additional more specific structural case studies (Fig. 9.1).
The following regional transects are portrayed in printed format:
-
1.
Guajira Allochthon
-
2.
Maracaibo block
-
3.
Eastern Cordillera
-
4.
Central Cordillera
-
5.
Western Cordillera
-
6.
Chocó indenter
The following detailed sections are appended in digital format:
-
A1.
Northern Eastern Cordillera, Chinácota Graben.
-
A2.
Northern Eastern Cordillera, Tamá Strike-slip tectonics.
-
A3.
Middle Magdalena Valley, La Salina-Infantas.
-
A4.
Eastern Cordillera, Central Sector.
-
A5.
Central Cordillera, Ibagué-Calarcá.
-
A6.
Western Cordillera, Bolívar Ultramafic Zoned Complex.
-
A7.
Upper Magdalena Valley, Ortega.
-
A8.
Upper Magdalena Valley, Pechúi.
-
A9.
Upper Magdalena Valley, San Antonio.
-
A10.
Eastern Cordillera, Western Foothills (Colombia, Huila).
-
A11.
Upper Magdalena Valley, Upar.
-
A12.
Upper Magdalena Valley, El Pensil-La Plata.
-
A13.
Upper Magdalena Valley, Iskana.
-
A14.
Putumayo, San Juan Norte.
-
A15.
Northern Eastern Cordillera - Rio Nevado Canyon.
Keywords
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alvarez W (1967) Geology of the Simarua and Carpintero areas, Guajira peninsula, Colombia. Princeton University, Department of Geology
Bartok P (1993) Prebreakup geology of the Gulf of Mexico-Caribbean: its relation to Triassic and Jurassic rift systems of the region. Tectonics 12(2):441–459
Botero G (1963) Contribución al conocimiento de la Geología de la Zona Central de Antioquia. An Fac Minas 57:101
Bürlg H (1960) Geología de la Península de La Guajira: Serv. Geol. Nac. (Colombia). Bol Geol 6(1–3):129–168
Campbell CJ, Burgl H (1965) Section through the eastern cordillera of Colombia. Bull Geol Soc Am 76(5):567–589
Cardona A, Weber M, Valencia V, Bustamante C, Montes C, Cordani U, Muñoz CM (2014) Geochronology and geochemistry of the Parashi granitoid, NE Colombia: Tectonic implication of short-lived Early Eocene plutonism along the SE Caribbean margin. J S Am Earth Sci 50:75–92
Cediel F, Barrero D, Cáceres C (1998) Seismic atlas of Colombia. Seismic expression of structural styles in the basins of Colombia in six Vol. Robertson Research-Geotec-Ecopetrol SA, Bogotá
Cochrane R, Spikings R, Gerdes A, Ulianov A, Mora A, Villagómez D, Chiaradia M (2014) Permo-Triassic anatexis, continental rifting and the disassembly of western Pangaea. Lithos 190:383–402
Geosearch Ltda (2007) Geología de las planchas 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 33 y 34 Proyecto “Evolución Geohistórica de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta”. Invemar, Ecopetrol, Ingeominas, Bogotá
Gómez I (2001) Structural style and evolution of the Cuiza fault system. Guajira, Colombia: Master Thesis, University of Houston, Houston
Irving EM (1972) Mapa Geológico de la Península de La Guajira, Colombia (Compilación). Escala 1:100.000. Ingeominas
Irving EM (1975) Structural evolution of the northernmost Andes, Colombia (No. 846). US Govt. Print. Off
Lockwood JP (1965) Geology of the Serranía de Jarara Area. Guajira Peninsula, Colombia. Ph.D. Thesis, Princeton University, New Jersey, p 167
MacDonald WD (1964) Geology of the Serranía de Macuira Area. Guajira Peninsula, Colombia. Ph.D Thesis, Princeton Univ. New Jersey, p 237
Maya M (1992) Catálogo de dataciones isotópicas en Colombia. Ingeominas, Bol Geol 32(1–3):127–187
Mesa AM, Rengifo S (2011) Petroleum geology of Colombia, Cesar-Rancheria Basin, vol 6. ANH- Fondo Editorial Universidad Eafit, Medellín
Mora A, Parra M (2008) The structural style of footwall shortcuts along the eastern foothills of the Colombian eastern cordillera: differences with other inversion related structures. Revista Ciencia Tecnologia & Futuro 3:7–21
Quintero CA (2017) Tectónica transpresiva en el margen septentrional de la Serranía de Cosinas en la Alta Guajira (Colombia). Master Thesis. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Geociencias
Renz O (1960) Geología de la parte Sureste de la Península de La Guajira (República de Colombia). Bol Geol (Venezuela). Spec Pub (3), 1:317–349
Restrepo-Pace PA, Ruiz J, Gehrels G, Cosca M (1997) Geochronology and Nd isotopic data for Grenville-age rocks in the Colombian Andes: new constraints for late Proterozoic–early Paleozoic paleocontinental reconstructions of the Americas. Earth Planet Sci Lett 150:427–441
Rollins JF (1960) Stratigraphy and structure of the Goajira unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Dept. Geol., Univ. Of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska (Revised version in press, Univ. of Nebraska)
Rollins JF (1965) Stratigraphy and structure of the Guajira Peninsula, northwestern Venezuela and northeastern Colombia. Univ. Nebraska Studies, New Ser., 30:1–1102
Sánchez JMS, Kammer A (2017) Marco Geológico y rasgos estructurales del Batolito de Santa Marta y sus rocas encajantes, flanco Noroccidental de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. In: XVI Congreso Colombiano de Geología, III Simposio de Exploradores, Santa Marta
Sarmiento-Rojas L (2001) Mesozoic rifting and Cenozoic Basin inversion history of the eastern cordillera Colombian Andes-inferences from tectonic models. Netherlands Research School of Sedimentary Geology (NSG) Publication number 2002.01.01, p 295
Sarmiento-Rojas LF, Van Wess JD, Cloetingh S (2006) Mesozoic transtensional basin history of the eastern cordillera, Colombian Andes: inferences from tectonic models. J S Am Earth Sci 21(4):383–411
Taboada A, Rivera LA, Fuenzalida A, Cisternas A, Philip H, Bijwaard H, Rivera C (2000) Geodynamics of the northern Andes: subductions and intracontinental deformation (Colombia). Tectonics 19(5):787–813
Trumpy D (1943) Pre-cretaceous of Colombia. Geol Soc Am Bull 54:1281–1304
Tschanz Ch M, Jimeno A, Vesga C (1969) Geology of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Area (Colombia). Informe 1829. Ingeominas. Bogotá
Weber M, Cardona A, Valencia V, García-Casco A, Tobón M, Zapata S (2010) U/Pb detrital zircon provenance from late cretaceous metamorphic units of the Guajira peninsula, Colombia: tectonic implications on the collision between the Caribbean arc and the south American margin. J S Am Earth Sci 29(4):805–816
Zuluaga C, Ochoa A, Muñoz C, Guerrero N, Martinez A M, Medina P, Pinilla A, Ríos P, Rodríguez P, Salazar E, Zapata E (2007) Proyecto de Investigación: Cartografía e historia geológica de la Alta Guajira, implicaciones en la búsqueda de recursos minerales. Memoria de las planchas 2, 3,5 y 6 (con parte de las planchas 4, 10 y 10BIS). Informe Interno Ingeominas, p 535
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
1 Electronic Supplementary Material
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Colmenares, F., Román García, L., Sánchez, J.M., Ramirez, J.C. (2019). Diagnostic Structural Features of NW South America: Structural Cross Sections Based Upon Detailed Field Transects. In: Cediel, F., Shaw, R.P. (eds) Geology and Tectonics of Northwestern South America. Frontiers in Earth Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76132-9_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76132-9_9
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-76131-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-76132-9
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)