Geophysical characterization of two circular structures of Bajada del Diablo (Argentina): indication of impact origin.

PREZZI, CLAUDIA BEATRIZ; MARÍA JULIA ORGEIRA; ACEVEDO, ROGELIO; PONCE, FEDERICO; MARTÍNEZ, OSCAR; RABASSA, JORGE; CORBELLA, HUGO; CARLOS VÁSQUEZ; GONZÁLEZ, MAURICIO; SUBÍAS, IGNACIO

PHYSICS OF THE EARTH AND PLANETARY INTERIORS

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2012 vol. 192 p. 21 - 34

0031-9201

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 area 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 7 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 300 m and maximum depths of 10 m. 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 magnetic lows in the circular structures´ floors. 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 out of the circular structures. For all used frequencies, the electromagnetic profiles show lower apparent electrical conductivities in the circular structures´ floor, while the rims present notably higher values. Curvature attributes, analytic signal, horizontal gradient and Euler solutions were calculated for the magnetic data. 2.5 D magnetic models were developed across the studied circular structures. Our results suggest that in the circular structures´ floors up to 12 m of Pampa Sastre conglomerate would have been removed. On the contrary, the circular structures´ rims exhibit highamplitude, localized magnetic anomalies and higher apparent electrical conductivities, which would be related to the anomalous accumulation of basalt boulders and blocks remanently magnetized. The fact that such high-amplitude anomalies are not present out of the surveyed circular structures supports this hypothesis. The geomorphological, geological and geophysical features of the studied circular structures can only be explained by means of an extra-terrestial projectile impact. In light of the obtained results, Bajada del Diablo should be envisaged as a focus of further research, which could provide novel information about impact events and processes.