Quaternary volcanic–sedimentary sequences and evolution of the Llancanelo Lake region (Southern Mendoza, Western Argentina) evidenced from geoelectric methods

Abstract

Llancanelo Lake region (Southern Mendoza Province, Western Argentina) is a key area for investigating the regional evolution of a tectonic basin affected by intense arc- and back-arc volcanism. However, the lack of enough outcrops makes it difficult to perform such reconstructions. In order to solve this problem, and with the aim of depicting the subsurface stratigraphy, 22 geoelectric surveys reaching more than 100 m depth were performed. The applied methodology, that combined geoelectrical measurements and field observations, is a continuation of previous works carried out in the region, and allowed for the first time to establish a near-surface stratigraphy that records the last evolutive stages of the lake. The studied region is mainly composed of Quaternary volcanic and sedimentary sequences. Four units were recognized on the basis of the geoelectrical differences (resistivity signal) supported by field observations where they crop out. Two of them have very high resistivity and are composed of basaltic lava flows, hence indicating the volcanic influence in the region. The other two have very low resistivity and correspond to sedimentary deposits, being the uppermost one composed of lacustrine sediments. The units were named according to the well-known stratigraphic scheme valid for the region. The studied stratigraphic sequence encompasses the time-span from the Pliocene to the present, and its interpretation allowed to establish the main evolutive stages, characterized by a complex interaction among tectonic, volcanic and climatic factors. The damming of the lake by basaltic flows and the consequent reduction of the lake’s extension at times of intensive volcanic activity is one of the most significant events in its evolution.