Cretaceous to neogene linked crustal deformation and exhumation at the latitude of the Chile triple junction as derived from low-temperature thermochronology

Abstract

At the latitude of the Chile Triple Junction (46°30´S), upper crustal exhumation and erosion of the Southern Patagonian Andes (SPA) has been diversely attributed to: (1) rock uplift due to tectonic crustal shortening and thickening since the Aptian-Albian (Ronda et al., 2019); (2) dynamic topography caused by Neogene slab window opening during the last 14 Ma (Guillaume et al., 2013) and (3) glacial erosion driven by Patagonian glaciations over the last 7-5 Ma (Thomson et al., 2010). Previous works suggest, as well, that upper crustal heating related to slab window opening, was registered in low temperature thermochronometers. Our integrated approach involving structural and thermochronological data suggests that contractional deformation has significantly contributed to Cretaceous-Neogene crustal exhumation of this part of the SPA.