New insights on regional tectonics and basement composition beneath the eastern Sierras Pampeanas (Argentine back-arc region) from seismological and gravity data

Abstract

The eastern Sierras Pampeanas (ESP) are the easternmost expression of a series of foreland uplifts in the Argentine back arc region (~30–34°S) and show spatial and temporal connections with the subduction of the Juan Fernández Ridge (JFR) under the South American plate. In order to get new insights on the mechanisms that control crustal regional tectonics, we computed teleseismic receiver functions (RF) and jointly invert them with Rayleigh-wave phase velocity dispersion curves. RFs allow resolving crustal thickness and intra crustal velocity variations with a good vertical resolution whereas surface wave information helps to constrain absolute seismic wave velocities. Our seismic images have been combined with crustal density modeling in order to further investigate if the shear wave velocity structure obtained from the RF-SW joint inversion could explain the observed gravity variations. Our results show a crustal thickness varying from 35–40 km (east) to 45–50 km (west) with a Moho step at ~66°W. This step regionally presents a NW-SE orientation and is parallel to the trace at the surface of the Valle Fértil–La Huerta (VFLH) lineament (Cuyania-Pampia boundary). Our images also reveal the presence of a high wave velocity (high density) lower crust west of this Moho step, beneath the eastern Sierras Pampeanas (at 66–67°W). This observation suggests the east-dipping extension at depth of the VFLH structure and the underthrusting of the Cuyania lower crust under the Pampia terrane along this structure. Finally, we evidenced localized low velocity zones located at about 10 km beneath late Cenozoic volcanic fields (Pocho, Morro). We believe that these low velocity zones correspond to old magma chambers associated to the recent, slab flattening-related volcanism in the ESP.