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The effect of inherited paleotopography on exhumation

of the Central Andes of NW Argentina

Barbara Carrapa1,†, Sharon Reyes-Bywater 2,§, Roxana Safipour1, Edward R. Sobel3, Lindsay M. Schoenbohm4,
Peter G. DeCelles1, Peter W. Reiners1, and Daniel Stockli5
1
Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 1040 E. 4th Street, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
2
Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, Wyoming 82071-2000, USA
3
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Potsdam, Karl Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam-Golm,
Germany
4
Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, University of Toronto–Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga,
ON L5L 1C6, Ontario, Canada
5
Jackson School of Geosciences, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas, 2275 Speedway Stop C9000, Austin,
Texas 78712-1722, USA

ABSTRACT
Differential exhumation in the Puna Pla-
teau and Eastern Cordillera of NW Argen-
tina is controlled by inherited paleostructures
and resulting paleotopography related to
the Cretaceous Salta Rift paleomargins. The
Cenozoic deformation front related to the de-
velopment of the Andean retro-arc orogenic
system is generally associated with >4 km of
exhumation, which is recorded by Cenozoic
apatite fission-track (AFT) and (U-Th-[Sm])/
He ages (He ages) in the Eastern Cordillera
of NW Argentina. New AFT ages from the
top of the Nevado de Cachi document Oligo-
cene (ca. 28 Ma) cooling, which, combined
with existing data, indicates exhumation of
this range between ca. 28 Ma and ca. 14 Ma.
However, some of the highest ranges in the
Eastern Cordillera preserve Cretaceous ages
indicative of limited Cenozoic exhumation.
Samples collected from an ~3-km-elevation
transect along the northern part of the Sierra
de Quilmes paleorift flank (Laguna Brava)
show AFT ages between ca. 80 and ca. 50 Ma
and He ages between ca. 45 and ca. 10 Ma.
Another set of samples from an ~1-km-ele-
vation transect farther to the southwest (La
Quebrada) shows Cretaceous AFT ages be-
tween ca. 116 Ma and ca. 76 Ma, and mainly
Cretaceous He ages, in agreement with AFT
data. Analysis of existing AFT and He ages
from the area once occupied by the Salta Rift
†
E-mail: bcarrapa@email.arizona.edu.
§
Present address: Department of Geosciences, Uni-
versity of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812-1296,
USA
reveals a pattern characterized by Cretaceous
ages along paleorift highs and Cenozoic ages
within paleorift hanging-wall basins and later
foreland basin depocenters. This pattern is
interrupted by the Sierras Pampeanas at
~28°S, which record mid-Cenozoic ages. Our
data are consistent with a complex inherited
pattern of pre-Andean paleostructures, likely
associated with paleotopography, which was
beveled by the Cenozoic regional foreland
basin and reactivated during the late Neogene
(ca. <10 Ma), strongly controlling the magni-
tude of Cenozoic uplift and exhumation and
thus cooling age distribution. This, combined
with variable lithologic erodibility, resulted in
an irregular distribution of themochronologi-
cal ages.
INTRODUCTION
The Eastern Cordillera of NW Argentina
represents the topographic front of the Andean
orogenic system and is characterized today by
high-elevation, high-relief ranges and interven-
ing sedimentary basins (Fig. 1). The Eastern
Cordillera has been the site of deformation and
exhumation since at least the Miocene (Cou-
tand et al., 2001, 2006; Deeken et al., 2006;
Carrapa et al., 2011a). Eastward propagation
of the deformation through the region in the
late Cenozoic was responsible for disruption of
the regional foreland basin system. Cretaceous
extension associated with the Salta Rift (Salfity
and Marquillas, 1994) has affected Cenozoic
deformation, resulting in strong variability in
the orientation of contractional structures (Car-
rera et al., 2006; Carrera and Muñoz, 2008). A
regional foreland basin was pervasive through-
out the study area from the Paleogene to the
early Miocene, and it appears that the deep-
est depocenters during Cretaceous rifting (i.e.,
hanging-wall basins) (Carrera et al., 2006) were
later deeply incised in the late Miocene–Plio-
cene during propagation of deformation through
the region (Carrapa et al., 2011b) (Figs. 2 and 3).
Whether or not deformation propagates fore-
landward in a regular manner or if it is erratic
(Carrapa et al., 2011a; Iaffa et al., 2011; Hain
et al., 2011), possibly due to the effect of inher-
ited structures, is a topic of current debate. In
order to address these issues, it is important
to understand the timing and magnitude of
exhumation of different areas within the East-
ern Cordillera and their relations to different
mechanisms of deformation and tectonic set-
tings. Reactivation of Mesozoic normal faulting
during Cenozoic Andean deformation has been
shown to play an important role in the structural
and exhumation history, not only in the Eastern
Cordillera of NW Argentina (e.g., Löbens et al.,
2013), but in other parts of the Andes such as
Colombia (Mora et al., 2006).
The goal of this study is to constrain the tim-
ing and magnitude of exhumation in an area
affected by Cretaceous rifting and Cenozoic
reactivation in order to better understand the
effects of inherited rift structures, paleotopog-
raphy, and lithologic erodibility on exhuma-
tion. We here apply apatite fission-track (AFT)
and (U-Th-[Sm])/He (apatite He) thermochro-
nology to (1) Precambrian crystalline base-
ment rock samples from the ~5000 m Laguna
Brava range at the northern end of the Sierra
de Quilmes, (2) Precambrian–Early Cambrian
basement (Hongn and Seggiaro, 2001; Pear-
son et al., 2012) samples from the ~6200 m

GSA Bulletin; January/February 2014; v. 126; no. 1/2; p. 66–77; doi:10.1130/B30844.1; 5 figures; 2 tables.

For permission to copy, contact editing@geosociety.org

66
© 2013 Geological Society of America
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The effect of inherited paleotopography on exhumation of the Central Andes

68°W 67°W 66°W 65°W

70°W
75°W

65°W
A B C
15°S

23°S
Eas

23°S
Sub
n

ter
r
este

n Co

andean Ranges
noW
20°S

rdill
Altipla

era
Pu na
25°S

ra
ille
24°S

24°S
400 km
Sierras

ord
Pampeanas

D (5)

nC
con
Formation Depo-
Ma Period Epoch Group Lithology zone

ter
(1)

Ma
2.3
Plio.

Top Intermontane
Wedge Piggyback /

San Felipe Fm.

5

Eas
da
Palo Pintado Fm.

r ra
10
Neogene

Nevado de Cachi
25°S
Miocene

Sie
CO
PAYOGASTILLA GROUP

25°S
15 Angastaco Fm.
(5)
Foredeep

VL Figure 2
20
Puna Plateau (5)
Angastaco
25 Basin
Quebrada COL
Oligocene
Paleogene

de los (2)
Colorados CD
30
Fm.
(5)
26°S

26°S
35

haqu e
ies
Laguna Brava

d
38
Early Foreland

br es
40
Santa Barbara Subgroup

mes
Eocene
Paleogene

Lumbrera

in
Bas
(6)

Cum
Quil

Calc
50
Maiz Gordo
(7)
aria
Paleocene

ra de

Mealla
60
Olmedo/Tunal
La Quebrada
Subgroup

ta M
Balbuena

Post
Rift

ija
Yacoraite
si n

qu

Lecho
Sier
San
Ba ajo

70
Los Blanquitos (3)
n

on

Cerro Negro
27°S
SALTA GROUP

Ac
C

27°S
Late

80
El

Las Curtiembres
de
Pirgua Subgroup

ra

(7) 6870 m

as
90
Cretaceous

er

Fiambala
Syn-Rift

ean
(4)
Si

6000 m
Basin
100
a mp 5000 m

110 La Yesera r ras P

ie
4000 m
Early

S 3000 m
120
28°S

28°S
2000 m
130
Metamorphic

Cambrian 1000 m
Basement

Puncoviscana Kilometers
Neoproterozoic
Fm. 0m
0 25 50 75 100
- Volcanic rocks - Conglomerate
LEGEND

- Limestone - Sandstone synrift-stage basin margin

- Metamorphic - Siltstone / Shale
new age-elevation transects recording Mio-Pliocene AFT/AHe ages
existing age-elevation transects recording Mio-Pliocene AFT/AHe ages

new age-elevation transects recording Cretaceous AFT/AHe ages

existing age-elevation transects recording Cretaceous AFT/AHe ages
existing Cenozoic AFT ages
existing Cretaceous AFT ages
existing Mesozoic-Cenozoic partial annealed AFT ages

Figure 1. (A) Map of South America with area in B indicated. (B) Simplified tectonic map of the Andes. (C) Digital elevation model of NW
Argentina with location of the ranges mentioned in the text and near the Salta Rift basin margin; appropriate references to ages are cited in
the text. The Salta Rift basin margin is modified after Marquillas et al. (2005). CO—Complejo Oire, VL—Valle de Luracatao, COL—Colome,
CD—Cerro Durazno; AFT—apatite fission track; AHe—apatite He. (1) Andriessen and Reutter (1994); (2) Carrapa et al. (2011a); (3) Coutand
et al. (2001); (4) Coughlin et al. (1998); (5) Deeken et al. (2006); (6) Mortimer et al. (2007); (7) Sobel and Strecker (2003); (8) Carrapa et al.
(2006). (D) Simplified stratigraphic column of the Eastern Cordillera modified after Marquillas et al. (2005) and Carrapa et al. (2011b).

Geological Society of America Bulletin, January/February 2014 67

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Carrapa et al.

A 66.5°W 66.25°W 66°W 65.75°W 65.5°W

25°S
Legend

Cumbres de Luracatao
Quaternary Alluvium

Luracatao Valley
CA Undifferentiated Miocene-Pliocene Orán

Fault
Group (includes Angastaco, Palo Pintado,
1TT18FT

in
Cachi San Felipe, and equivalent formations).

Tin T
Brealito
Olig. Qda. de los Colorados/Lumbrera Fms.

ult
TinTin Paleocene-Eocene Santa Barbara Subgroup
B

a Fa
K Pirgua and Balbuena Subgroups

Cumbres de

Payogast
25.25°S
Undifferentiated C–Pz Basement

25.25°S
QCTin250

í Valley
VL

lley

Peñas Blancas
-- Eastern Margin of Puna Plateau --

a Va
u

m
Calchaq
Fault
Molinos

Ler
dos

s
hipa
Figure 2. (A) Structural map of

Sierra de los Colora

egro
25.5°S

unno

Amblayo

c
the Angastaco Basin showing the

Gua

25.5°S
La Viña

N
A′

Cerro
details of the Salta Rift paleo- A Cerro
R
margin (modified after Carrera

ia
an
et al., 2006; Trimble, 2010).

em
La Viña Fault

Al
A-A′ indicates cross section in

Calc
04.29.08-01
Hualfin Valley

COL CD ALP
Figure 3. (B) Stratigraphic con-

haq
tact between the Puncoviscana

Sierra del Leon Muerto

QC1EB080 Angastaco

uí Fa
Ang2EB
no
25.75°S

DuCerro

basement rocks and the Creta-

raz

ult
04.14.08-01

25.75°S
ceous-early Cenozoic postrift to

de
nchas

ran
foreland basin deposits of the QCPucara1

a G
Santa Barbara Supergroup;
Sierra de Quilmes

AngPuc106

Las Co

ra
SantaSierra de

p
total relief ~ 300 m. (C) Thrust

Pam
Barba
rá

Rio de
ca

contact between the Puncovis- C

Calc
Pu

Zorrit o
cana basement rocks and the San
aquh

Carlos
Santa Barbara Supergroup de- Fa
í Riv

u lt
posits; the total relief is ~200 m.
26°S

er

LY

26°S
: Paleo–Salta Rift margin Kilometers
Laguna Brava
Cafayate 0 5 10 15 20 25
Footwall block uplift Hanging-wall depocenter

66.5°W 66.25°W 66°W 65.75°W 65.5°W

B C
Puncoviscana basement Puncoviscana basement

Yacoraite Fm. (postrift)

Santa Barbara Supergroup (foreland)

Santa Barbara Supergroup (foreland)

Nevado de Cachi within the Eastern Cordillera, Strecker et al., 2007; Carrapa et al., 2011a), Cumbres Calchaquies preserve Cretaceous and
and (3) the ~4100 m La Quebrada Range at the shows a complex picture of exhumation for the older AFT ages (Sobel and Strecker, 2003; Mor-
transition between the Sierras Pampeanas and Eastern Cordillera. AFT ages record a wide- timer et al., 2007; Löbens et al., 2013). Just to
the Eastern Cordillera (Fig. 1). In addition, apa- spread, large-magnitude Miocene cooling event the SE of these ranges, the Sierra de Aconquija
tite He thermochronology has been applied to between ~25°S and 27°S (e.g., Deeken et al., (Fig. 1) records a mix of late Miocene and Cre-
the Cerro Negro range at the southern end of 2006; Coutand et al., 2006) related to eastward taceous ages (Sobel and Strecker, 2003; Cough-
the Puna margin at the transition with the Sierra migration of the deformation front and foreland lin et al., 1998). Thermochronological ages
Pampeanas, for which AFT data already exist basin system (Carrapa et al., 2011a). However, from the Sierras Pampeanas farther to the south
(Carrapa et al., 2006) (Fig. 1). at the transition between the Eastern Cordillera are Miocene and older (Coughlin et al., 1998;
This study, together with existing data and Sierras Pampeanas, the Sierra de Quilmes, Carrapa et al., 2006). The presence of Ceno-
(Deeken et al., 2006; Sobel and Strecker, 2003; including the Laguna Brava, (Fig. 1B), and the zoic and Cretaceous ages at the surface today

68 Geological Society of America Bulletin, January/February 2014

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The effect of inherited paleotopography on exhumation of the Central Andes

~80–65 Ma proto-Calchaqui Valley proto-Lerma Valley

Cerro Negro-Cerro Durazno (CD)
La Quebrada along strike
(Laguna Brava and
Valle de Luracatao Sierra de Quilmes along strike)
Range (VL) proto-Calchaqui fault
proto- Molinos/ proto-Angastaco Amblayo Alemania
Cachi Range Brealito basin
?
0

10
Cerro Negro
Present (Laguna Brava along strike)
Calchaqui Valley Lerma Valley
A Molinos/ Angastaco A′
Brealito basin

8
10 km
10

Payogastilla and Oran groups subgroups (Oligo-Pliocene)
Pirgua, Balbuena and Santa Barbara subgroups
undifferentiated basement
basement samples giving K ages from this study
basement samples giving Cenozoic ages from this study
basement samples giving Cenozoic ages (Coutand et al., 2006)
samples from K and Cenozoic basin fills
giving Mio-Pliocene ages (Carrapa et al., 2011a)

Figure 3. Schematic cross section of the study area (along the line A-A′ in Fig. 2) at time of Salta Group deposition
(ca. 80–65 Ma), based on data presented by Carrera and Muñoz (2008), and at present, modified after Carrera
and Muñoz (2008). K—Cretaceous.

in the Eastern Cordillera indicates differential
exhumation. Areas with Cretaceous ages gener-
ally indicate a lower magnitude of exhumation
with respect to adjacent areas of the Eastern
Cordillera, which mainly record Cenozoic AFT
ages (Deeken et al., 2006).
GEOLOGICAL SETTING
The Eastern Cordillera of the Central Andes
forms a >2000-km-long, high-elevation and
high-relief fold-and-thrust belt, which results
from Cenozoic Andean deformation. The region
experienced rifting during the formation of the
Cretaceous Salta Rift (Salfity and Marquillas,
1994; Kley and Monaldi, 2002; Kley et al., 2005;
Marquillas et al., 2005). Rift-related deposits of
the Salta Group (Fig. 1C) accumulated between
ca. 130 Ma and ca. 60 Ma within the study area
on top of Precambrian–Early Cambrian Punco-
viscana metamorphic basement (Figs. 2 and 3).
Synorogenic strata related to a regional foreland
basin system and later intermontane deposition
were deposited between ca. 60 Ma and 2.3 Ma
in the region (Figs. 1C, 2, and 3). Following rift-
ing, Cenozoic shortening related to the retro-arc
fold-and-thrust belt development was respon-
sible for reactivation of rift-related structures
(Carrera et al., 2006; Carrera and Muñoz, 2008).
The contact between rift-related strata and fore-
land basin strata is conformable in places (Fig.
2A). However, where paleotopographic highs
are present, such as at the northern end of the
Sierra de Quilmes, this contact is tectonic (Fig.
2C) and represented by a reverse fault (reacti-
vated normal fault) putting basement on top of
early foreland basin deposits (Laguna Brava;
Fig. 2). Evidence of growth strata at this local-
ity has been described in detail by Carrera and
Muñoz (2008).
The foreland basin system migrated eastward
from what is today the Puna Plateau interior at
ca. 38 Ma (Carrapa and DeCelles, 2008) to the
Eastern Cordillera by ca. 21 Ma as documented
by AFT and apatite He thermochronology, struc-
tural geology, and sedimentary basin analysis
(Deeken et al., 2006; Coutand et al., 2006; Car-
rapa et al., 2011a, 2011b; DeCelles et al., 2011).
In particular, high-elevation and high-relief
ranges such as the Nevado de Cachi and the
Valle de Luracatao (VL; Fig. 1) record Miocene
AFT ages (ca. 21–15 Ma; this study; Deeken
et al., 2006). A general eastward younging of
apatite He ages, between ca. 14 and ca. 3 Ma,
from exhumed rift and foreland basin depos-
its within the Calchaquíes and Lerma Valleys
(Fig. 2) is consistent with eastward propagation

Geological Society of America Bulletin, January/February 2014 69

70
METHODS

margin (Fig. 1).

rapa et al., 2006, 2008).

elevation transect at the southern Puna Plateau

morphic basement rocks from the Cerro Negro
conducted on four samples of Cambrian meta-
analyses. Additionally, apatite He analyses were
tion transect in the Nevado de Cachi for AFT
set of samples was also collected along an eleva-
and apatite He (Table 2) thermochronology. A
sects (Figs. 1 and 3) for apatite AFT (Table 1)
Laguna Brava and La Quebrada elevation tran-
Cambrian crystalline basement rocks along the
Samples were collected from Precambrian to
basin deformation (Coughlin et al., 1998; Car-
flat-slab subduction and thick-skinned foreland
has been associated with processes related to
to the north within the Eastern Cordillera and
appears to be lower than that observed for areas
nitude of exhumation in the Sierras Pampeanas
between ~28°S and ~30°S. In general, the mag-
early Cenozoic deposits has been documented
sional structures related to the Salta Rift nor
is interesting to note that no evidence of exten-
Cenozoic exhumation (Coughlin et al., 1998). It
Mesozoic and Paleozoic, indicating limited
between 29°S and 31°S, AFT ages are mainly
2006). Farther south, in the Sierra Pampeanas,
from the same source rocks (Carrapa et al.,
supported by in situ thermochronological ages
and Sierras Pampeanas ranges to the east, as
west, the southern Puna margin to the north,
to represent erosion of the Precordillera to the
strong mid-Miocene signal, which is interpreted
from the Fiambalá Basin fill at ~28°S record a
zoic and pre-Cenozoic ages. Detrital AFT ages
Pampeanas mainly preserves a variety of Ceno-
et al., 2007). Farther to the south, the Sierras
Basins (Sobel and Strecker, 2003; Mortimer
clastic material to the El Cajon and Santa Maria
exhumed in the Miocene–Pliocene, providing
basin development, and were subsequently
later buried during early Cenozoic foreland
flanks during the Cretaceous (ca. 75 Ma), were
basin fill suggest that these ranges were paleorift
of AFT ages, and basin analysis of the El Cajon
2003; Löbens et al., 2013). Thermal modeling
zoic and Mesozoic ages (Sobel and Strecker,
Cumbres de Calchaquíes (Fig. 1) record Paleo-
particular, at ~27°S, the Sierra de Quilmes and
tion within the plateau and along its margin. In
2007), documenting highly variable exhuma-
Cordillera (Deeken et al., 2006; Mortimer et al.,
de Macon; Deeken et al., 2006) and the Eastern
preserved within the plateau interior (e.g., Sierra
regional Cenozoic trend, pre-Cenozoic ages are
Ma at ~25°S (Carrapa et al., 2011a). Despite this
of the deformation front between ca. 21 and ca. 3

TABLE 1. APATITE FISSION-TRACK ANALYTICAL DATA

Pooled age U Elevation
Location No xls Rho-S (e5) NS Rho-I (e5) NI χ2 (%) Rho-D (e5) ND (Ma) ±1σ Mean length Error Dpar (ppm) Lat. (°S), Long. (°W) (m)
Laguna Brava
LB1 19 4.347 462 9.381 997 90.98 6.3661 3686 54.0 3.4 1.3 18.77 26.125020, 66.17492 5009
LB3 10 17.129 391 25.321 578 85.72 6.2219 3686 78.6 5.5 1.6 49.92 26.13698, 66.140390 4401
LB5* 23 5.397 318 7.23 426 61.16 6.0778 3686 84.0 6.6 13.07 (n = 58) 0.7 1.3 14.91 26.13863, 66.10316 3782
LB7 26 8.543 722 13.039 1102 86.11 5.9336 3686 72.0 3.9 1.4 27.54 26.12495, 66.06728 3178
LB8 26 6.465 611 8.348 789 48.77 5.8615 3686 84.0 5.0 1.3 17.24 26.11307, 66.05669 2861
LB9* 24 6.239 534 11.509 985 62.64 5.8239 3686 58.6 3.5 13.03 (n = 112) 0.7 1.3 23.86 26.11409, 66.04571 2569
Carrapa et al.

LB10 20 4.554 299 9.048 594 86.02 5.7173 3686 52.7 4.0 1.5 20.45 26.11426, 66.03753 2237
Downloaded from gsabulletin.gsapubs.org on January 19, 2014

Nevado de Cachi
Oll6150 8 2.411 74 16.228 498 26 10.327 3813 28.2 3.6 1.6 23.31 24.932883, 66.391066 6150
La Quebrada
42709A 20 3.86 1375 10.3 3656 13 1.729 3320 115.8 5.8 1.7 89.1 26.69442, 66.502160 4100
42709B 20 2.28 876 8.79 3377 59.1 1.703 3269 78.9 4.3 1.6 77.5 26.69442, 66.502160 3740
42709C 20 2.31 777 9.1 3058 44 1.676 3218 76.1 4.2 1.8 81.5 26.69309, 66.481510 3400
42709D 20 3.13 1002 9.84 3148 32.4 1.649 3167 93.6 4.9 1.7 89.5 26.68758, 66.466750 3035
Cerro Negro§
041B 25 3.2 493 27.409 4222 90.15 10.771 4444 23.1 1.2 1.8 30.33 27.070167, 67.541567 4072

Geological Society of America Bulletin, January/February 2014

042B 10 1.04 22 9.265 196 92.46 10.688 4444 22 5.0 2.1 10.69 27.08025, 67.559367 3785
042A 20 1.193 141 12.356 1460 96.05 10.647 4444 18.9 1.7 1.9 14.02 27.076633, 67.568067 3463
042B 22 0.418 45 5.356 576 84.04 13.232 5168 19 3.0 1.8 4.83 27.080033, 67.591333 3190
045A 20 4.172 724 54.501 9458 17.96† 13.1444 5168 18.4 0.8 14.0 1.0 2.1 52.0 27.078067, 67.605283 2889
046A 20 2.88 547 46.752 8879 98.72 13.057 5168 14.8 0.7 2.1 44.29 27.10135, 67.628133 2584
048 20 1.679 201 23.312 2791 60.8 12.97 5168 17.1 1.3 1.9 20.73 27.129217, 67.662900 2291
Note: Samples were etched in 5.5 M nitric acid at 21 °C for 20 s. Samples were irradiated at Oregon State University. Following irradiation, the mica external detectors were etched with 21 °C in 40% hydrofluoric acid
for 45 min. The pooled age is reported for all samples because they pass the χ2 test, suggesting that they represent a single population. Error is 1σ, calculated using the zeta calibration method with zeta of 372.6 ± 7.2
(UW) (B. Carrapa_ and 366.44 ± 17.31 (University of Arizona) (R. Safipour). Samples were analyzed using a Leica digital microscope (University of Wyoming) at 1250 magnification and an Olympus microscope (UA)
at 1600 magnification. No. xls—number of individual crystals dated; Rho-S and Rho-I—spontaneous and induced track density measured, respectively (tracks/cm2); NS and NI—number of spontaneous and induced
tracks counted, respectively; (χ)2 (%)—chi-square probability, where values greater than 5% are considered to pass this test and represent a single population of ages. Rho-D—induced track density in external detector
adjacent to CN5 dosimetry glass (tracks/cm2); ND—number of tracks counted in determining Rho-D; Dpar—fission track etch pit measurements, where standard deviation for Dpar is 0.1 μm. Mean track length is c-axis
corrected, and corresponding standard deviation is given in Error column.
*Samples modeled in Figure 5.
†
Note the correct χ2 here, which was erroneously reported in Carrapa et al. (2006).
§
Apatite fission-track (AFT) ages after Carrapa et al. (2006).
 TABLE 2. APATITE He DATA
No. of U eU Th Sm He AHe age ±1σ AHe weighted AFT age ±1σ Elevation
Laguna Brava grains (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) Th/U (nmol/g) (Ma) (Ma) arithmetic mean Error (Ma) (Ma) Lat. (°S), Long. (°W) (m)
LB01-1 1.00 5.19 5.33 0.62 57.53 0.12 0.42 17.50 1.05 19.91 1.48 5009
LB01-2 2.00 13.50 14.38 3.76 82.73 0.28 1.39 24.70 1.48 54.00 3.40 26.12502, 66.17492 5009
LB05-1 1.00 7.85 8.23 1.62 43.85 0.21 2.03 70.08 4.20 77.24 1.41 84.00 6.60 26.13863, 66.10316 3782
LB05-2 1.00 17.64 25.27 32.46 120.53 1.84 2.23 27.40 1.65 3782
LB05-3 1.00 13.37 14.24 3.71 39.64 0.28 2.47 52.74 3.16 3782
LB5_A 1.00 11.77 12.08 1.32 141.38 0.11 7.58 132.42 1.86 3782
LB5_B 1.00 12.98 13.03 0.21 247.64 0.02 4.27 72.21 1.03 3782
LB5_C 1.00 12.06 12.19 0.55 183.12 0.05 3.81 74.62 1.16 3782
LB5_D 1.00 21.23 21.38 0.63 207.31 0.03 9.95 101.04 1.45 3782
LB5_E 1.00 11.27 11.30 0.12 179.08 0.01 3.66 68.23 0.98 3782
LB5_F 1.00 19.91 20.02 0.49 271.74 0.02 8.60 97.12 1.41 3782
LB07-1 2.00 19.47 19.95 2.06 36.03 0.11 10.59 144.40 8.66 28.34 1.57 72.00 3.90 26.12495, 66.06728 3178
LB07-2 2.00 10.20 10.45 1.06 41.99 0.10 0.58 15.32 0.92 3178
LB07-3 2.00 13.61 13.82 0.87 45.59 0.06 2.28 44.23 2.65 3178
LB7_A 1.00 31.36 31.58 0.96 184.02 0.03 8.99 62.59 0.93 3178
LB7_B 1.00 17.35 17.53 0.76 139.42 0.04 16.05 207.90 3.04 3178
LB7_C 1.00 15.31 15.41 0.40 119.36 0.03 3.10 45.39 0.67 3178
LB7_D 1.00 15.39 15.50 0.48 143.15 0.03 1.15 16.89 0.27 3178
LB7_E 1.00 7.98 8.06 0.35 69.76 0.04 1.53 43.56 0.65 3178
LB7_F 1.00 13.82 13.92 0.41 97.51 0.03 6.59 108.57 1.57 3178
LB08-1 2.00 15.77 15.94 0.70 59.29 0.04 3.38 51.90 3.11 44.97 2.95 84.00 5.00 26.11307, 66.05669 2861
LB08-2 2.00 10.47 10.65 0.79 61.47 0.08 1.70 38.60 2.32 2861
LB08-3 2.00 12.62 12.71 0.38 53.79 0.03 2.70 49.09 2.95 2861
LB09-1 2.00 12.26 12.46 0.83 38.63 0.07 1.92 40.85 2.45 21.34 0.14 58.20 3.50 26.11409, 66.04571 2569
LB09-2 1.00 20.53 20.73 0.82 54.94 0.04 2.77 32.34 1.94 2569
LB09-3 1.00 14.26 14.47 0.89 43.62 0.06 0.90 15.35 0.92 2569
LB9_A 1.00 16.50 16.59 0.36 123.50 0.02 1.87 24.68 0.38 2569
LB9_B 1.00 17.35 17.53 0.78 145.67 0.04 1.42 19.19 0.34 2569
LB9_C 1.00 14.01 14.23 0.91 147.76 0.06 1.05 16.40 0.26 2569
LB9_D 1.00 12.99 13.07 0.35 100.84 0.03 1.63 27.19 0.41 2569
Downloaded from gsabulletin.gsapubs.org on January 19, 2014

LB9_E 1.00 20.72 20.88 0.66 245.39 0.03 1.72 19.66 0.32 2569
LB9_F 1.00 21.23 21.34 0.50 178.65 0.02 3.46 37.13 0.54 2569
LB10-1 2.00 6.15 6.84 2.94 40.16 0.48 0.30 12.01 0.72 10.21 0.08 52.70 4.00 26.11426, 66.03753 2237
LB10-2 2.00 15.65 16.33 2.89 54.43 0.18 1.30 23.40 1.40 2237
LB10-3 2.00 9.77 10.12 1.50 31.44 0.15 0.30 7.34 0.44 2237
LB10_A 1.00 18.31 18.60 1.23 74.70 0.07 0.62 7.37 0.13 2237
LB10_B 1.00 7.38 7.68 1.31 94.51 0.18 0.31 8.87 0.15 2237
LB10_C 1.00 6.19 6.81 2.61 112.29 0.42 1.32 43.60 0.62 2237
LB10_D 1.00 19.34 19.50 0.68 130.97 0.04 0.83 10.04 0.18 2237
LB10_E 1.00 12.53 14.25 7.34 94.70 0.59 0.98 14.86 0.22 2237
LB10_F 1.00 8.42 10.05 6.90 83.72 0.82 1.23 29.63 0.56 2237

Geological Society of America Bulletin, January/February 2014

LB11-1 1.00 175.55 175.99 1.90 69.53 0.01 63.12 96.13 5.77 84.42 2.93 NA NA 26.09330, 66.01325 1889
LB11-2 1.00 152.72 153.64 3.89 49.67 0.03 41.66 78.76 4.73 1889
LB11-3 1.00 129.31 129.69 1.64 51.16 0.01 42.86 82.04 4.92 1889
The effect of inherited paleotopography on exhumation of the Central Andes

Cerro Negro
040-1 2.00 10.09 10.21 0.51 29.44 0.05 0.73 17.52 1.05 21.09 0.64 NA 27.038867, 67.556950 4368
040-2 2.00 13.89 14.05 0.69 38.56 0.05 1.28 21.65 1.30 4368
040-3 1.00 2.25 2.30 0.19 44.32 0.08 0.34 29.03 1.74 4368
040-4 1.00 15.41 15.77 1.51 44.59 0.10 1.38 21.56 1.29 4368
044-1 1.00 2.76 3.21 1.90 51.42 0.69 0.18 13.44 0.81 14.93 0.64 NA 27.080033, 67.591333 3190
044-2 1.00 3.21 3.63 1.81 42.61 0.56 0.24 17.43 1.05 3190
045-1 1.00 70.27 74.67 18.73 52.64 0.27 5.58 16.71 1.00 15.54 0.54 18.40 0.80 27.078067, 67.605283 2889
045-2 1.00 30.65 32.06 6.02 18.30 0.20 2.14 15.28 0.92 2889
045-3 2.00 58.89 61.02 9.03 60.62 0.15 3.63 14.86 0.89 2889
046-1 2.00 11.03 12.27 5.28 41.07 0.48 1.51 30.69 1.84 18.07 0.65 14.80 0.70 27.10135, 67.628133 2584
046-2 2.00 12.46 13.97 6.44 33.38 0.52 0.87 14.90 0.89 2584
046-3 2.00 8.37 9.17 3.44 35.78 0.41 0.69 18.38 1.10 2584
(continued)

71
 Downloaded from gsabulletin.gsapubs.org on January 19, 2014
Carrapa et al.

Note: In gray: samples modeled in Figure 5. Flowers et al. (2009) annealing model and Ketcham et al. (2007) alpha correction model were used. Letters: a—samples analyzed at the University of Kansas; b—samples
Apatite Fission-Track and (U-Th-[Sm])/He

Elevation
Thermochronology

4100

3400
3740

3035
4100
4100
4100
4100

3740
3740
3740
3740

3400
3400
3400
3400

3035
3035
3035
3035
(m)
AFT thermochronology provides information
on the timing and rates of cooling occurring at
26.69442, 66.502160

26.69309, 66.481510
26.69442, 66.502160

26.68758, 66.466750
temperatures (T ) between ~60 °C and 120 °C,
Lat. (°S), Long. (°W)

defined as the partial annealing zone (PAZ)

(Wagner, 1979). The exact T of the upper (hotter)
boundary depends on the kinetic characteristics
of the apatites and the cooling rate; the former
can be quantified by measuring the diameter of
track etch pits, known as Dpar (Donelick et al.,
1999; Gallagher et al., 1998; Ketcham et al.,
1999). Apatite grains with relatively low Dpar
(Ma)

5.80

4.30

4.20

4.90
±1σ

(≤1.75 µm) anneal more rapidly and can be asso-

ciated with calcian-fluorapatite composition,
AFT age

whereas apatite grains with relatively high Dpar

115.80

78.90

76.10

93.60
(Ma)

(>1.75 µm) tend to anneal more slowly (Donelick

et al., 2005; Carlson et al., 1999). Fission track
lengths provide information on the proportion
Error

0.68

0.41

0.64

0.70

of the cooling history that the sample experi-

enced within the PAZ. Samples were prepared
using standard procedures; analytical details are
arithmetic mean
AHe weighted

provided in Table 1. An average of 20 grains for

93.85

53.92

88.64

92.47
TABLE 2. APATITE He DATA (continued)

each sample was analyzed (Table 1). Confined

track lengths, angle between the confined track
and the c-crystallographic axis (c-axis projected
data), and Dpar were measured when available
(Table 1). Use of the angular data mitigates track-
(Ma)

7.59

1.63
1.53

0.52
1.36

1.42
1.12

1.71
2.72

1.43

1.95

1.41
1.26
1.48

1.16

1.34

1.73

1.61
1.37
1.50
±1σ

measurement bias (Barbarand et al., 2003) and

improves annealing model results, because con-
fined tracks anneal anisotropically as a function
AHe age

83.46
85.43

105.91
34.40
84.22

79.85

103.64
179.71

74.15
92.09

92.74
86.65

95.70
87.06
96.81

77.34

88.26

89.17
94.20
87.85
(Ma)

of orientation (Donelick et al., 1999; Ketcham

et al., 1999). All samples passed the χ2 test (Gal-
braith, 2005), indicating that the distribution of
(nmol/g)

fission-track counts is consistent with purely

69.02
29.13

29.34
10.56
15.69

20.55
73.10

33.15

32.13

21.54
27.72

36.84
14.39

31.76

24.42

28.67

25.28
30.53
21.50
30.11
He

Poissonian variation; in this case, pooled ages,

calculated using the Trackkey program (Dunkl,
2002), are reported in Table 1. AFT analyses and
Th/U

0.02
0.03

0.08
0.04
0.02

0.01
0.05

0.05

0.01

0.03
0.01

0.02
0.12

0.05
0.08

0.01

0.01
0.01
0.01

0.01

data reduction were carried out at the University

of Wyoming and University of Arizona follow-
ing procedures described in Tables 1 and 2.
307.25
158.61

227.49
167.15
85.60

6.27
356.81

381.83

2.08

252.30
155.45

212.54

13.03

4.95
376.09

209.56

201.67
185.99

219.25
3.11
(ppm)
Sm

Inclusion-free apatite grains were selected

analyzed at the University of Arizona. AFT—apatite fission track.

from the same samples analyzed for AFT as

for He analyses. Apatite He thermochronol-
(ppm)

2.72
2.09

4.83

0.58
2.40
0.73

1.47
0.73
5.35

5.41

1.05

1.40
5.32

4.04

0.76
7.95

0.72
0.66
0.70
0.93
Th

ogy provides information on the timing and

rates of cooling occurring at T between ~40 °C
and 80 °C, roughly corresponding to the par-
(ppm)

168.52

54.01
77.21

63.03
68.66
39.22
107.24

99.91

60.69
77.58

52.14
70.12

75.33
44.48

77.40
98.75

68.87
50.53
61.31
67.02
eU

tial retention zone (Farley, 2002). U and Th

concentrations can affect He diffusion kinetics
and therefore apatite He dates, through radia-
167.88
76.72

61.90
68.10
39.05

53.87
105.98
43.23

98.64

60.51
77.33

51.80
69.95

75.00
76.45
96.89

68.70
50.38
61.15
66.80
(ppm)
U

tion damage effects (e.g., Shuster et al., 2006;

Shuster and Farley, 2009; Flowers et al., 2009;
grains
No. of

Gautheron et al., 2009). Analyses and data

1.00
1.00

1.00
1.00
1.00

1.00
1.00
1.00

1.00
1.00
1.00

1.00
1.00

1.00
1.00

1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00

reduction (Table 2) were carried out at the

University of Kansas using laboratory proce-
Laguna Brava

dures described in Stockli et al. (2000) and

La Quebrada

42709C_16a
42709C_20a

42709D_12a
42709D_18a
42709D_20a
42709B_17a
42709A_16a
42709A_19a

42709B_13a
42709B_11a
42709A_Ca
42709A_Aa
42709A_Ba

42709B_Aa
42709B_Ba

42709C_8a
42709C_1a
42709C_5a

42709D_1a
42709D_5a

House et al. (2000) and at the University of Ari-

zona using laboratory procedures described in
Reiners et al. (2004) and (2007).

72 Geological Society of America Bulletin, January/February 2014

 Downloaded from gsabulletin.gsapubs.org on January 19, 2014
The effect of inherited paleotopography on exhumation of the Central Andes

Age-Elevation Transects 5500

Laguna Brava
5000
Age-elevation relationships have long been
used to constrain timing and rates of exhumation 4500
(Fitzgerald et al., 1993). In this paper, we used
a linear regression between AFT ages to calcu- 4000 0.04 mm/yr
late average exhumation rates. We are aware of LB 5

Density (%)
the fact that topography (relief and wavelength) 3500

Elevation (m)
can affect the isotherms and exhumation rates,
3000
especially for apatite He thermochronology
(Manktelow and Grasemann, 1997; Reiners 2500 LB 9
et al., 2003). Upward deflection of the isotherms
is especially a problem in tectonic settings char- 2000
LB 11

Paleo–Salta Rift flanks

acterized by fast exhumation and therefore is
less likely to be an issue in the study area, which 1500
is characterized instead by relatively slow ero-
1000
sion and semiarid climate (Strecker et al., 2007).
The new results from this study are described 500
next from north to south. A set of samples was
collected along an ~3 km transect in the Nevado 0
de Cachi (Fig. 1); unfortunately, only one sam- 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240
ple from 6180 m produced acceptable results
(Table 1), whereas the other samples had poor
La Quebrada
4500
apatite yield and quality. An ~3-km-elevation
transect was collected from the Laguna Brava
range, west of the town of Cafayate and south- 4000
west of the Angastaco basin (Figs. 1 and 2). This
0.047 mm/yr
range is the northern continuation of the Sierra
de Quilmes paleorift flank (Sobel and Strecker, 3500
2003; Mortimer et al., 2007). AFT and apatite
He thermochronologic data have been obtained
3000
from 11 samples, spatially distributed between
1889 m and 5009 m. Four samples were col-
lected west of the El Cajon Basin at elevations
2500
between 4100 m and 3035 m (La Quebrada 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
transect) (Fig. 1). Additionally, apatite He dat-
ing was applied to four samples from the Cerro
Cerro Negro
Negro elevation transect in the Sierras Pam- 5000
peanas at the southern Puna margin (Fig. 1), for
which AFT ages were already available (Car- 4500
rapa et al., 2006) (Table 1). Results from age-
N Sierras Pampeanas

elevation transects are presented in Figure 4. 4000

Elevation (m)

Thermal Modeling of AFT and Apatite 3500

He Data 0.2 mm/yr
3000
He data were modeled together with AFT data
using He diffusion kinetics from Shuster et al.
2500
(2006) and the Farley et al. (1996) method for
alpha correction. Thermal modeling was per-
2000
formed using HeFTy (Ketcham et al., 2007). Input Apatite (U-Th)/He age
parameters include age, error, length, and Dpar Weighted arithmetic mean of AHe ages and errors
1500
data. Most samples from La Quebrada, Laguna Apatite Fission Track age and error
Brava, and Nevado de Cachi have an average Dpar
1000
<1.75 μm, suggesting relatively rapid annealing. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Samples from Cerro Negro have an average Dpar Age (Ma)
>1.75 μm, suggesting relatively slow annealing.
The Laguna Brava samples are the only ones Figure 4. Age-elevation transects of the Laguna Brava, La Quebrada, and Cerro Negro; see
modeled, and all have relatively low Dpar, sug- Figure 1 for location. See text and Tables 1 and 2 for analytical details. Note that errors for
gesting relatively uniform compositions. the La Quebrada age-elevation transect are below resolution of the figure.

Geological Society of America Bulletin, January/February 2014 73

 Downloaded from gsabulletin.gsapubs.org on January 19, 2014
For all Laguna Brava samples, the model was
initiated at a time (t) corresponding to at least
double the fission-track pooled age of the con-
sidered sample to allow for maximum freedom
in modeling random search. A T between 5 °C
and 20 °C was considered for the present-day
surface; cooling was considered monotonic, and
no additional t-T constraints were initially used.
Confined lengths, necessary to perform thermal
modeling, were only available for samples LB5
and LB9. Initial modeling was performed using
AFT data only. After at least one best fit was
obtained (Fig. 5), apatite He single-grain ages
were added to the model (see Table 1 for more
details). The best solutions out of several itera-
tions are presented in Figure 5. Only when the
selected apatite He ages (Table 2) were com-
bined with AFT data were acceptable results
obtained (Table 1). No fits were obtained when
other apatite He ages or more than one apa-
tite He age were modeled together with AFT
data. In order to obtain acceptable and good
fits for both samples LB5 and LB9, the follow-
ing inputs were applied based on independent
geological constraints: (1) the sample was at
near-surface T or within the PAZ between ca. 90
and ca. 70 Ma following the Salta Rift cooling
(e.g., Sobel and Strecker, 2003; Mortimer et al.,
2007); and (2) heating was imposed between ca.
25 and 0 Ma, which is supported by foreland
basin deposition in the area during the Cenozoic
(e.g., Deeken et al., 2006; Carrapa et al., 2011b;
DeCelles et al., 2011). We note that no accept-
able solutions were obtained if the model did
not incorporate this burial-related heating event.
RESULTS
AFT and Apatite He Results from
Elevation Transects and Estimates of
Exhumation Rates
The sample collected at 6150 m from the top
of the Nevado de Cachi yields an AFT age of
28.2 ± 3.6 Ma (Table 1). This age is consistent
with data from a sample collected at 3700 m that
yielded an AFT age of 15.0 ± 1.7 Ma (Deeken
et al., 2006) (Table 1). The slope of the line con-
necting the two samples from the Nevado de
Cachi indicates a minimum exhumation rate of
~0.2 mm/yr. Note that if exhumation was not
steady in time (corresponding to a nonlinear
age-elevation relationship resulting in a kink in
the slope), this rate would only represent a time-
averaged exhumation rate.
The Laguna Brava age-elevation tran-
sect shows AFT ages between 52.9 ± 4.0 Ma
and 84.6 ± 6.6 Ma and mean apatite He ages
between ca. 9.6 Ma and ca. 45 Ma (Fig. 4).
Although apatite He ages are scattered and gen-
74 Geological Society of America Bulletin, January/February 2014
Carrapa et al.
erally display >10 m.y. age gaps within single
samples (Fig. 4), their weighted mean gener-
ally follows AFT ages. Also, the anomalously
old apatite He age (LB11; 1889 m) correlates
with anomalously high eU content (Table 1). The
anomalously young age of the highest-elevation
sample and the anomalously old age of the
lowest-elevation samples suggest the presence
of unidentified structures (e.g., reverse faults)
disrupting the upper and lower parts of the range
(Fig. 4). Unfortunately, no obvious structures
were detected during field work; the fact that
such structures would displace low- to medium-
grade metasedimentary rocks makes it difficult
to identify such structures in the field. The slope
of the line connecting the ages of samples from
the Laguna Brava range gives an average exhu-
mation rate of 0.04 mm/yr; this rate is lower
than that observed in the Nevado de Cachi.
Thermal modeling of samples LB5 and LB9
shows coherent results, indicating main cooling
in the Cretaceous (ca. 105–75 Ma), followed by
a slight heating in the Cenozoic. Four samples
collected over a >1-km-elevation change from
the La Quebrada age-elevation transect (Fig. 1)
give ages ranging between 116 ± 6.1 Ma and
76.1 ± 4.2 Ma (Table 1) and are in good agree-
ment with ages from the Laguna Brava age-
elevation transect (Fig. 4). An average exhuma-
tion rate of 0.05 mm/yr results from the linear
regression of the highest sample and the lowest
sample AFT ages (Fig. 4); this rate is compara-
ble to the average exhumation rate obtained for
the Laguna Brava age-elevation transect.
Apatite He ages from the Cerro Negro range
in the Sierras Pampeanas at the southern Puna
Plateau margin (Fig. 1) are between ca. 14 and
ca. 21 Ma (Fig. 3) and are consistent with pub-
lished AFT ages for the same samples (Carrapa
et al., 2006). An average exhumation rate at 0.2
mm/yr results from the linear regression of AFT
ages (Fig. 4).
DISCUSSION
AFT ages from the Laguna Brava and La
Quebrada transects are generally Cretaceous
and older than ages recorded from other loca-
tions within the Eastern Cordillera, such as the
Valle de Luracatao (VL), Complejo Oire (CO),
and Nevado de Cachi (this study; Pearson et al.,
2012) ranges (Figs. 1 and 2), which instead
show Miocene AFT ages.
The large span of apatite He ages (weighted
mean of two or more analyses; Table 1) in the
samples from the Laguna Brava range is con-
sistent with a complex thermal history and par-
tial annealing (e.g., Flowers et al., 2007). The
overall older than 50 Ma AFT ages from this
range, together with thermal modeling, suggest
that these ranges were exhumed in the Creta-
ceous and experienced relatively low-magnitude
cooling and exhumation between ca. 70 and
ca. 20 Ma. Possible reheating between ca. 20
and ca. <10 Ma and subsequent late Cenozoic
cooling are supported by our modeling results
(Fig. 5) and are consistent with previous studies
from the southern part of the same range (Sobel
and Strecker, 2003; Mortimer et al., 2007).
Modeling results from the Complejo Oire
(CO) and Cerro Durazno (CD) ranges (Fig. 1),
which were in a comparable paleostructural
position during the Cretaceous (Fig. 3), simi-
larly show exhumation in the Cretaceous, fol-
lowed by relatively slow cooling until ca. 20 Ma,
followed by heating and subsequent cooling
at ca. >10 Ma (Deeken et al., 2006). Overall,
these data sets are consistent with a temperature
of up to ~80 °C of the basement rocks in these
ranges (Cerro Durazno, Cerro Negro, Sierra
de Quilmes; Figs. 1 and 2) owing to burial by
foreland basin deposits in the early Miocene,
followed by subsequent exhumation related to
propagation of the Andean deformation front
(e.g., Carrapa et al., 2011a).
Cenozoic ages from the Nevado de Cachi
document high-magnitude exhumation and uplift
between ca. 28 Ma (this study) and ca. 15 Ma
(Deeken et al., 2006; Pearson et al., 2012) con-
sistent with other ranges in the Eastern Cordi-
llera such as the Valle de Luracatao (VL; Fig. 1).
These data suggest that the Nevado de Cachi
range might have been covered by Cretaceous
and early Cenozoic strata and thus resided in
a hanging-wall position during rifting (Fig. 3).
Additional support for this interpretation comes
from the fact that Cretaceous Pirgua Subgroup
deposits are preserved on the western flank of
the Nevado de Cachi (Hongn and Seggiaro,
2001), documenting that this area was indeed
the site of rift and foreland basin deposition.
We note that the Valle de Luracatao samples
had been interpreted previously (Deeken et al.,
2006) to fall outside the paleorift margin and yet
show Cenozoic ages (Fig. 2). The fact that these
samples, despite being located at the paleorift
margin (footwall position), record Cenozoic
ages and not Cretaceous ages like the Sierra de
Quilmes (including the Laguna Brava range)
could be explained by a lower magnitude of rift
flank uplift and thus a greater amount of foreland
basin deposition, and subsequent removal, at this
location. An alternative explanation is that the
Valle de Luracatao (VL) samples did reside in
a hanging-wall position during rifting, in which
case the original basin-bounding normal fault is
not the one just east of the Valle de Luracatao
(reactivated as a west-verging reverse fault), but,
instead, it lies to the west (dashed green line in
Fig. 2 ).
 LB 9-AFT LB 9-AFT + AHe
0 0
T-t input constraints
(see text for explanation)
20 20

40 40
best fit
60 60
good fits
80 heating (basin burial)

g
acceptable fits 80
AFT: Track Length Distribution
100 0.6 100

coolin
0.5
120 120
0.4

main

Temperature (C)
140 0.3 140

Frequency
0.2
160 160
0.1
180 0 180
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
200 Length (μm)
200
120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 5 0 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 5 0
Time (Ma) Time (Ma)

LB 5-AFT LB 5-AFT + AHe

Downloaded from gsabulletin.gsapubs.org on January 19, 2014

0 0

20 20

40 40

60 60
heating (basin burial)
80 80

g
100 0.6 100

Geological Society of America Bulletin, January/February 2014

coolin
0.5
120 120
0.4

Temperature (C)
The effect of inherited paleotopography on exhumation of the Central Andes

main
140 0.3 140

0.2
160 160
0.1
180 0 180
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
200 200
120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 5 0 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 5 0
Time (Ma) Time (Ma)

Figure 5. Thermal modeling results for the Laguna Brava samples LB5 and LB9 (refer to Fig. 4 and text for more details).

75
 Downloaded from gsabulletin.gsapubs.org on January 19, 2014
AFT and apatite He ages from the Cerro
Negro range in the southern Puna (Carrapa
et al., 2006) show a different cooling history
characterized by rapid cooling and a higher
magnitude and younger exhumation at this
location compared to surrounding ranges to the
east and northeast (Fig. 1). This is consistent
with previously published data suggesting that
the southern Puna Plateau margin acquired its
present day-topography by ca. 8 Ma, based on
the presence of a ca. 14 Ma detrital population
in late Miocene sedimentary rocks, interpreted
to be derived from the lower part of the Cerro
Negro age-elevation transect (ca. 14 Ma). As
the lower part of this range was exposed by
ca. 8 Ma, shedding material into the basin, the
overlying crustal column was also exposed by
then, resulting in ~2 km of paleorelief, similar
to the present-day relief (Carrapa et al., 2006). It
is important to note that the area near the Cerro
Negro range and Fiambalá Basin (Fig. 1) does
not show evidence of Cretaceous Salta Rift
deposits, suggesting that the rift margin was
located north of ~28°S at that time, in agree-
ment with the paleorift reconstruction presented
by Starck (2011). This also suggests that the
Cenozoic ages from the Cerro Negro are not
related to differential exhumation related to
rift paleostructures but rather are related to the
attainment of high relief at the southern Puna
Plateau margin (Carrapa et al., 2006) coupled
with Sierras Pampeanas deformation associated
with flat-slab subduction (Dávila and Astini,
2007; Carrapa et al., 2008).
CONCLUSIONS
Our data show that Cretaceous cooling ages
are confined to paleorift footwall positions,
which were likely topographic highs during the
Cretaceous (e.g., Sierra de Quilmes, La Que-
brada, Laguna Brava; Fig. 1), whereas Cenozoic
cooling ages are preferentially preserved in sam-
ples that were located in paleorift hanging-wall
positions (Fig. 3). This age distribution indicates
that paleorift hanging-wall rocks were more
deeply exhumed during Cenozoic shortening
and normal fault inversion than paleorift foot-
wall rocks. We note that although ranges such
as the Sierra de Quilmes show possible foreland
basin burial in the Cenozoic, the magnitude of
Cenozoic exhumation is less than that observed
in samples that were located within deep Cre-
taceous and Cenozoic depocenters, such as the
present-day Calchaqui Valley (Figs. 2 and 3).
This is supported by the fact that ranges such
as Complejo Oire (CO), Valle de Luracatao
(VL), and Nevado de Cachi show Cenozoic
ages (Pearson et al., 2012; this study), whereas
ranges such as the Sierra de Quilmes (Sobel and
76 Geological Society of America Bulletin, January/February 2014
Carrapa et al.
Strecker, 2003; Mortimer et al., 2007; Löbens
et al., 2013), Cerro Durazno, and Laguna Brava
retain Cretaceous ages documenting an older
and lower magnitude of exhumation. These data
are consistent with the presence of an early to
mid-Cenozoic regional foreland basin that cov-
ered the area (Carrapa et al., 2011b; DeCelles
et al., 2011) and was later disrupted and uplifted
by eastward propagation of deformation in the
late Cenozoic (Carrapa et al., 2011a).
Overall, we interpret Cretaceous ages to result
from exhumation related to paleo–rift-flank
uplift during extension in the Cretaceous Salta
Rift and suggest a first-order control of inherited
structures and resulting paleotopography on the
magnitude of sediment burial, exhumation, and
thus on the distribution of cooling ages. Areas
of thick Cretaceous deposition in hanging-wall
depocenters (Figs. 2 and 3; Carrera et al., 2006)
were also sites of Cenozoic foreland depo-
centers and record Cenozoic apatite He ages
consistent with eastward migration of defor-
mation and exhumation. Areas of Cretaceous
rift-related topographic relief (footwall uplift),
such as the Sierra de Quilmes (Figs. 1 and 2),
record a lower magnitude of Cenozoic exhuma-
tion consistent with no rift basin coverage and
perhaps only relatively thin foreland basin strata
coverage and subsequent removal (Fig. 4). Our
data also suggest control exerted by lithologic
erodibility on the magnitude of exhumation. For
example, rift flanks stripped of their sedimen-
tary covers in the Cretaceous left behind crystal-
line basement that is more resistant to erosion
than sedimentary rocks. Therefore, when the
Cenozoic deformation front reached the area
previously affected by the Salta Rift, these base-
ment blocks, perhaps only thinly covered by
foreland deposits (e.g., La Quebrada; Fig. 3),
were less affected by erosion than the surround-
ing basins. The combination of low-temperature
thermochronology, thermal modeling, and other
geological evidence suggests that the thermal
history in this region is strongly controlled by
rift paleostructures, related paleotopography,
and lithologic erodibility.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was funded by the National Sci-
ence Foundation (EAR-0635630, EAR-0911577).
We kindly thank GSA Bulletin Editor Nancy Riggs,
Associate Editor Jeffrey Amato, and two anonymous
reviewers for constructive reviews and comments,
which helped improve this manuscript. We thank John
Boyd and James McNabb for fieldwork and sample
collection in the El Cajon area (La Quebrada profile).
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SCIENCE EDITOR: NANCY RIGGS
ASSOCIATE EDITOR: JEFFREY M. AMATO
MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED 19 DECEMBER 2012
REVISED MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED 30 JUNE 2013
MANUSCRIPT ACCEPTED 10 SEPTEMBER 2013
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