Mechanisms of aggradation in fluvial systems influenced by explosive volcanism: An example from the Upper Cretaceous Bajo Barreal Formation, San Jorge Basin, Argentina

ALDO MARTÍN UMAZANO; SERGIO EDUARDO BELLOSI; GRACIELA VISCONTI; RICARDO NESTOR MELCHOR

SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY

Elsevier

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2008 vol. 203 p. 213 - 228

0037-0738

The Late Cretaceous succession of the San Jorge Basin (Patagonia, Argentina) records different continental settings that interacted with explosive volcanism derived from a volcanic arc located in the western part of Patagonia. This paper discusses the contrasting aggradational mechanisms in fluvial systems strongly influenced by explosive volcanism which took place during sedimentation of the Bajo Barreal Formation. During deposition of the lower member of the unit, common ash-fall events and scarce sandy debris-flows occurred, indicating syn-eruptive conditions. However, the record of primary pyroclastic deposits is scarce because they were reworked by river flows. The sandy fluvial channels were braided and show evidence of important variations in water discharge. The overbank flows (sheet-floods) represent the main aggradational mechanism of the floodplain. In places, subordinate crevasse-splays and shallow lakes also contributed to the floodplain aggradation. In contrast, deposition of the upper member occurred in a fluvial–aeolian setting without input of primary volcaniclastic detritus, indicating inter-eruptive conditions. The fluvial channels were also braided and flowed across low-relief floodplains that mainly aggraded by deposition of silt-sized sediments of aeolian origin (loess) and, secondarily by sheet-floods.