Evolución estructural de la dorsal de huincul en el área Agua del Cajón, Cuenca Neuquina

Abstract

To know the structural evolution of the -Agua del Cajon- block, a detailed analysis of the temporal relation between the structure and sedimentary sequences present in the region was performed. Several contractionall episodes were identified from the Toarcian to Valanginian time. The first contractional pulse (lower Early Toarcian) is located in the central and western region of the block and is characterized by inverse fault activity with S - SE vergence. Then, the presence of growth strata and progressive unconformities during the upper Early Toarcian indicate activity along the southern-vergent faults of the southermost sector of the study area. A tectonic quiescence period (Middle Toarcian ? Late Aalenian) occurred in the Agua del Cajón region. The reactivation of the southern and central structural system in the study area during the upper Aalenian and Bajocian is represented by the presence of growth strata that became thicker towards north.The regional dip to the N of the Bajocian ? Bathonian sequences show another deformation pulse of the Dorsal de Huincul structures. After the deposition of the Tithonian-Berrisian marine sequences of the Mendoza Group , the region became active and affected by other contractional deformation period associated to the southern and central structural system of Agua del Cajon . The structural evolution presented in this study is compared to regional evolution of the Huincul High.