Cosmogenic dating ranging from 20 to 700 ka of a series of alluvial fan surfaces affected by the El Tigre fault, Argentina

Abstract

It is crucial to date continental landforms to quantify processes involved in terrestrial surface evolution, especially in regions affected by active tectonics. Andean quaternary alluvial fan surfaces affected by the El Tigre strike-slip fault have been studied using combined geomorphic and 10 Be exposure age approaches. Field observations and SPOT (French acronym for “Satellite for Observation of the Earth”) image analysis enable the identification of six alluvial fan units. Measurements of in situ–produced cosmogenic 10 Be concentrations in quartzite boulders exposed on the top of fan surfaces show that the depositional periods ended during successive major interglacial stages. The calculated minimum exposure ages date the abandonments of the alluvial fan surface from 41 000 ± 8500 yr for the youngest to 670 000 ± 140 000 yr for the oldest unit. When linked to the measured maximum cumulative right-lateral displacement of stream channels, the exposure ages yield a horizontal slip rate of about 1 mm/yr on the El Tigre fault. This study shows that for arid regions, where fan surface erosion is minimal, in situ–produced 10 Be can be used to constrain the age of stratigraphically separate alluvial fan surfaces. These fan surface exposure ages can be further used to calculate slip rates on active faults and infer depositional periods correlative with climatic events.