Tectonics in Argentina with GOCE Satellite Data

GIMENEZ, MARIO E; ALVAREZ, ORLANDO; MARTINEZ, M. PATRICIA; INTROCASO, ANTONIO; RUIZ, FRANCISCO

Foz do Iguacu

Encuentro; 2010 The Meeting of the Americas; 2010

American Geophysical Union

The overall objective of this project was primarily based on data from the satellitemission GOCE (Gravity Field and Ocean Current Explorer), which includes the study of gravity anomaliesand geoid undulations related to tectonics and geodynamics, particularly in the strategic region of ournational territory, as is the area of the Andean belt between latitudes of 26°S to 33°S.The GOCE satellite mission will begin to provide gravimetric gradient and GPS data to authorized groupsas of September 2010. The high resolution of this information, with data acquisition every 5 seconds, allowsfor reception of a broad spatial coverage of gravi-altimetric information.The information provided by GOCE will be contrasted with the gravity observed on land currently-ownedresearch group, with more than 800,000 items covering the entire gravity of Argentina. This will greatlyenrich the database and subsequently define significant geological cortical and subcortical structures ofArgentina with greater consistency.Specific objectives:The exploration of the deep tectonics of the Andes Mountains, minor ranges such as Pampeanas andmajor sedimentary basins of Argentina, will be notably enriched by GOCE data after compiling a detaileddata file consisting of land values.The complete data source will reconstruct the anomalous gravity field extended to the whole of Argentina toobtain information with certainly and reliability, within the framework of plate tectonics and operating withmultiple investments (of gravity, potential, magnetism, seismology etc....) as well as the interrelationship between crust and upper mantle, its association with volcanoes and earthquakes, its general rheology,state of tension,. Interpretation of the data will enable experts to explain the origin and development ofgeological structures and their prediction for the future.This project will reliably and harmoniously assemble, refine and enrich results obtained by the groupworking from 14 transcontinental sections EW (Introcaso et al., 2000), namely: gravity charts (Free Air,Bouguer, Isostatic). In addition, tight and detailed continental geoid; isostasy in different systems: Airy, Pratt(thermal), flexural will be included. Combined systems such as the Andes north of Argentina, Isostasytheoretical or predictive, with the topography as input signal will be examined. Other topics include:Shortening (observed and predictive), cortical thickness, relations between them and equivalent elasticthickness. The new material will better define the behavior of the Nazca plate, the causes of its passingfrom oblique to flat... and its influence on phenomena of subsidence and uplift from the mass balanceobtained from "g" and "N" not Plate as usual (40 to 70km) but including upper mantle (up to 400km). Phasechanges, eg basalt to eclogite and probable delaminations will be analyzed. Minor ranges as the group ofthe Pampeanas and sedimentary basins involving the Atlantic will be analyzed in depth, also looking for thecauses of the genesis and development in the upper mantle with framing in plate tectonics.