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Terra Nova, 25, 13-20, 2013 Abstract The existence of a Neogene-Quaternary rift system responsible for the opening of the eastern Magellan strait has been one of the more peculiar tectonic features of the southernmost Andes since its discovery more than a decade ago. However, until now there has been no explanation pinpointing the specific tectonic factors that led to the development of the rift. This work focuses on the interaction between the fault systems and the tectonic regimes that have affected Tierra del Fuego north of the South America-Scotia left lateral strike-slip plate boundary. Due to a good match between a Jurassic extensional fault array orientation and the principal stress directions related to the strike-slip plate boundary, we conclude that Jurassic transfer faults reactivated extensionally generating the Magellan rift system. This process was enhanced by northward continental drift, and has implications for the geodynamic behind the separation of South America from Antarctica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New detailed structural data from the Fuegian Andes including new ages and cross-cutting relationships with intrusive rocks, as well as an appraisal of published structural data, support that this orogen evolved as a basement-involved thrust-fold belt after initial formation in an arc-continent collision scenario. New structural data from a deformed 84 Ma intrusive indicate that structures from the collisional event in the Argentine Fuegian Andes are of Campanian age, comprising only the youngest and less intense deformation of the orogenic wedge. In the internal thrust-fold belt, these structures are cut by intrusives with new ages of 74 Ma (Ar/Ar on hornblende). The superposition of thrusts on these early structures indicates a subsequent event in which a thrust-fold belt formed since the Maastrichtian-Danian. Additional new data confirm brittle-ductile thrusting in the central belt, with thrusts joining a common upper detachment in the base of the Lower Cretaceous rocks. These thrusts formed a first-order duplex system that transferred the shortening accommodated in the foreland until the Miocene. • Arc-continent collision related orogenesis caused high-grade to mild deformation. • New structural data and Ar/Ar - U/Pb ages of intrusives are reported. • First deformation in the central belt of Argentina occurred from 84 to 74 Ma. • Subsequent deformation involved a brittle-ductile to brittle thrust system. • These thrusts join a common upper detachment transferring shortening to foreland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An impact origin has been proposed for the circular structures found in Bajada del Diablo, Patagonia, Argentina. Taking into account its extension and the number of impact structures, Bajada del Diablo would be the largest meteoritic impact areas known on Earth, being an extremely interesting area for the research of impact events and processes. Moreover, the global distribution of known impact structures shows a surprising asymmetry. Particularly, South America has only seven described areas. It is evident that this situation is an artifact, highlighting the importance of intensifying the research in the least studied areas such as Argentina. Circular structures in Bajada del Diablo have been identified on two rock types: the Quiñelaf eruptive complex and Pampa Sastre Formation. In the first case, circular structures are placed in olivine basalts. On the other hand, Pampa Sastre Formation (late Pliocene/early Pleistocene) corresponds to conglomerate layers with basalt clasts boulder and block in size in a coarse sandy matrix. With the aim of further the investigation of the proposed impact origin for these circular structures, we carried out detailed topographic, magnetic and electromagnetic ground surveys in two circular structures (“8” and “A”) found in Pampa Sastre conglomerates. Both circular structures are simple, bowl-shaped with rim diameters of 300m and maximum depths of 10m. They have been partially filled in by debris flows from the rims and wind-blown sands. Two preliminary magnetic profiles have also been carried out in circular structure “G” found in Quiñelaf basalts. The magnetic anomalies show a circular pattern with a slightly negative and relatively flat signal in the circular structures’ bases. Furthermore in the circular structures’ rims, high-amplitude, conspicuous and localized (short wavelength) anomalies are observed. Such large amplitude and short wavelength anomalies are not detected outside the circular structures. For all used frequencies, the electromagnetic profiles show lower apparent electrical conductivities in the circular structures’ base, while the rims present notably higher values. Curvature attributes, analytic signal, horizontal gradient and Euler solutions were calculated for the magnetic data. 2.5D magnetic models were developed across the studied circular structures. Our results suggest that in the circular structures’ bases up to 12m of Pampa Sastre conglomerate would have been removed. On the contrary, the circular structures’ rims exhibit high-amplitude, localized magnetic anomalies and higher apparent electrical conductivities, which would be related to the anomalous accumulation of basalt boulders and blocks remanently magnetized. Such high-amplitude anomalies are not present outside the surveyed circular structures. The geomorphological, geological and geophysical features of the studied circular structures can only be explained by means of an extra-terrestrial projectile impact. We conclude that, considering the results obtained to date, Bajada del Diablo should be envisaged as a focus of further research, which could provide novel information about impact events, associated processes and their evidences. Particularly, the data produced in this study could represent one of the first documented geophysical signatures of the impact of a comet nucleus on Earth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]