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Conceptual model showing the evolution of the Sañicó graben– caldera. (a) Composite volcanoes located in the boundaries of the Sañicó depocentre. (b) Major degradational events of the composite volcanoes indicating a significant hiatus before the subsequent stage. (c) Caldera event developed in the mid-synrift stage (i.e. Middle Member). (d) Low-relief volcanic cones and organized sedimentary environments (i.e. coarse delta and lacustrine environments) developed in a post-caldera stage (i.e. Upper Member).
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The initial syn-rift infill (Upper Triassic-Lower Jurassic) of the Neuquen Basin involved a complex stacking of lava, pyroclastic and sedimentary units, in which volcanic rocks compose up to 72% of the infill. The high-quality outcrops of the southern Sanico depocentre, which was uplifted and exposed during the Andean orogeny, were studied in order...
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Citations
... The basin was subjected to different tectonic regimes, which exerted a first-order control in the structure and sedimentary evolution Uliana, 1991, 1996). The earliest tectonic regime exerted an overall compression during the Late TriassiceEarly Jurassic, bringing about a set of narrow, isolated depocenters bounded by large strike-slip fault systems and filled with continental to marine deposits of the Precuyano Cycle (D'Elia et al., 2012(D'Elia et al., , 2020Gulisano, 1981;Gulisano et al., 1984a;Vergani et al., 1995). Deposition during the Early Jurassic to Late Cretaceous was controlled by thermal subsidence accompanied by local tectonic events, making up the continental and marine siliciclastic, carbonate and evaporitic sediments of the Cuyo, Lotena, and Mendoza Groups (Gulisano et al., 1984b;Mitchum and Uliana, 1985;Vergani et al., 1995;Palma et al., 2009;Zavala et al., 2020). ...
Five new morphospecies of calcareous dinoflagellate cysts belonging to the genus Stomiosphaera Wanner, are described from the Tithonian–Berriasian Vaca Muerta Formation, in the Neuquén Basin, Western Argentina: Stomiosphaera triangulata sp. nov., Stomiosphaera quadrata sp. nov., Stomiosphaera subechinata sp. nov., Stomiosphaera subspinosa sp. nov., and Stomiosphaera gracilis sp. nov. Their stratigraphic distribution is discussed, particularly that of Stomiosphaera subechinata sp. nov. (Tithonian – lower Berriasian), which was previously assigned to Stomiosphaera echinata Nowak, a species that in the Tethys domain appears for the first time in the upper Valanginian. Likewise, possible assignments to the genera defined from three-dimensional observations are proposed, and eutrophic neritic conditions are interpreted for the time in which these species appear in the Neuquén basin.
... The basin was subjected to different tectonic regimes, which exerted a first-order control in the structure and sedimentary evolution Uliana 1991, Legarreta andUliana 1996). The earliest tectonic regime exerted an overall compression during the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic, bringing about a set of narrow, isolated depocenters bounded by large strike-slip fault systems and filled with continental to marine deposits of the Precuyano Cycle (D'Elia et al. 2012, Gulisano et al. 1984a, Vergani et al. 1995, D'Elia et al. 2020. Deposition during the Early Jurassic to Late Cretaceous was controlled by thermal subsidence accompanied by local tectonic events, making up the continental and marine siliciclastic, carbonate and evaporitic sediments of the Cuyo, Lotena, and Mendoza Groups (Gulisano et al. 1984b, Mitchum and Uliana 1985, Vergani et al. 1995, Palma et al. 2009, Zavala et al. 2020. ...
This work presents a regional biostratigraphic study on the calcisphere (calcareous dinoflagellate cysts) zones of the Tithonian–Berriasian in the Neuquén Basin, Western Argentina. This stratigraphic interval is mostly represented by a thick rhythmic succession of marlstone and limestone, with an abundant fossil content and a remarkable stratigraphic continuity along several hundred meters, known as Vaca Muerta Formation. This formation was originated in distal hemipelagic setting of a carbonate ramp and is one of the most important unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs in the world. The detailed study of six stratigraphic sections, allowed the elaboration of a reliable biostratigraphic scheme and its correlation with Andean ammonites, calpionellids, and polarity zones. Calcareous dinoflagellate cysts within the Vaca Muerta Formation are moderately preserved. Despite that, twenty-nine species and nine biozones have been identified: Committosphaera pulla, Parastomiosphaera malmica, Colomisphaera tenuis, Colomisphaera fortis, Stomiosphaerina proxima, Stomiosphaera wanneri, Colomisphaera vogleri and Colomisphaera conferta. These results allow to contribute to an increasingly solid chronostratigraphic framework in the Neuquén Basin.
... Continental extension and rifting during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic resulted from thermomechanical collapse of a late Paleozoic orogenic belt that was located along the southwestern margin of Gondwana (Mpodozis and Kay, 1990;Kay et al., 1993). Negative roll-back caused extension during the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic and led to the formation of a set of narrow, isolated depocenters bounded by large strike-slip fault systems and filled with continental and marine synrift deposits (Gulisano et al., 1984a;Vergani et al., 1995;D'Elia et al., 2012D'Elia et al., , 2020. The Middle to Late Jurassic was characterized by thermal subsidence (Uliana et al., 1989), where semi-isolated basins coalesced into a single and large backarc basin (Vicente, 2006;Legarreta and Uliana, 1996). ...
This work presents new biostratigraphic data based on calpionellids and calcareous dinoflagellate cysts for the Tithonian in Central Chile. This stratigraphic interval is mostly represented by a thick marine succession of limestone and sandstone known as Baños del Flaco Formation. This formation originated in the shallow-water setting of a carbonate ramp and correlates with other well-studied units in the Neuquén basin of Argentina. Calpionellids and calcareous dinogflagellate cysts are studied on the Chilean side of the Andes for the first time. The recognition of several calpionellids and calcareous dinogflagellate cyst species within the lower Baños del Flaco Formation allowed the identification of a preliminary microbiostratigraphic zonation. Calcareous dinoflagellate cysts include eleven species that defines the Colomisphaera tenuis, and Colomisphaera fortis zones, whereas six chiti-noidellid species allowed the identification of the Chitinoidella and Crassicollaria zones, with the Slovenica, Boneti and Remanei subzones. These new microbiostratigraphic data suggest a latest early to earliest late Tithonian age for the studied interval.
... An Upper Sinemurian stepped extensional subduction zone was active in the northern Patagonian Andes (N 38 • 30 to 44 • ) (D'Elia et al., 2012a;Pavón Pivetta et al., 2020;Strazzere et al., 2022). Its influence inside the continental crust is registered near 500 km of the trench location, e.g., Neuquén embayment, the Sañicó and Piedra del Á guila depocenters of the Neuquén basin and the Arroyo Verde area (Mosquera and Ramos, 2006;D'Elia et al., 2012b;Pavón Pivetta et al., 2020 among others). Simultaneously with the trench arc migration, the South-American plate experienced an absolute movement towards the north (Müller et al., 2019). ...
Located in the western Northpatagonian region, Argentina, the Lower Jurassic Cañadón Chileno Complex (CCHC) provides a remarkable opportunity to assess the roles of pre-, syn-, and post-eruptive faulting in felsic diatremes complexes evolution. The structural analyses of fractures, dikes, and folds allow recognition of the occurrence of four different strain partitions (SP1-SP4) developed during the Lower to Middle Jurassic. Recognized strain configurations show equivalent temporal and structural relationships throughout the Jurassic back-arc system of Patagonia and contemporary basins of southern South America. The stratigraphical criteria allow inferring an Upper Sinemurian to Lower Pliensbachian time interval for the initial strain configurations (SP1, SP2, and SP3). WNW, NNE, and NE-oriented extensional phases were defined and correlated with adjoining areas. Particularly, the third strain partition phase is characterized by a significant transpressive deformation. A NE contractional episode characterizes the post-eruptive deformation stage (SP4) during the Bajocian to Callovian interval. Tectonic interpretations were elaborated concerning subduction dynamics, continental drift, and rotation that controlled the regional and local stress configuration throughout the Jurassic Period of Patagonia and central Argentina.
... The Neuquén Basin is located on the eastern side of the Andes and central Chile, between 30-41º S latitude (Fig. 1). It originated during the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic on the western edge of Gondwana by continental extension (D'Elía et al. 2012). Syn-rift depocenters developed during the initial stages of the basin formation as isolated troughs linked with profuse magmatic activity (Legarreta and Uliana 1996;Spalletti et al. 1999;Howell et al. 2005). ...
... They were filled by a complex variety of clastic and volcaniclastic deposits associated with extensive lava flows known as the Precuyano Cycle (Gulisano et al. 1984;Legarreta and Gulisano 1989). The southern part of the Neuquén Basin is characterized by reactivated normal faults and reverse faults related to the evolution of the Andes Cordillera resulting in well exposed Mesozoic successions of the initial stage of the basin (D'Elía et al. 2012). ...
Sterile and fertile fronds of dipteridacean ferns from the Paso Flores Formation (late Norian–Rhaetian) at Cañadón de
Pancho area, south of the Neuquén Province, Patagonia (Neuquén Basin), Argentina, are described. The Paso Flores
Formation specimens comprise an interesting mixture of features showing a unique combination that does not fit in
the diagnosis of any of the known fossil genera of Dipteridaceae. Characters such as the number and shape of primary
segments in each rachial arm, the coalescence of the primary segments at the base of the frond, the distribution of sori
and the number of sporangia per sori allow to differentiate the Paso Flores Formation specimens from the other genera
of the family. The new genus and species, Patagoniapteris artabeae is proposed. The specimens share some frond
morphological features with the fossil genera Clathropteris, Digitopteris, Thaumatopteris, Sewardalea and with some
species of the Dictyophyllum, as well as the characteristic of the sori with the living species Dipteris lobbiana. The
Paso Flores Formation environments developed on the western margin of Gondwana under seasonal temperate-warm
and humid to sub-humid climates with a marine influence from the west. The Cañadón de Pancho assemblages are late
Norian–Rhaetian in age, being the youngest fossil flora recorded from Argentinian Triassic basins to date.
... The basin was subjected to different tectonic regimes, which exerted a first-order control in the structure and sedimentary evolution Uliana, 1991, 1996). The earliest tectonic regime exerted an overall compression during the Late TriassiceEarly Jurassic, bringing about a set of narrow, isolated depocenters bounded by large strike-slip fault systems and filled with continental to marine deposits of the Precuyano Cycle (D'Elia et al., 2012(D'Elia et al., , 2020Gulisano, 1981;Gulisano et al., 1984a;Vergani et al., 1995). Deposition during the Early Jurassic to Late Cretaceous was controlled by thermal subsidence accompanied by local tectonic events, making up the continental and marine siliciclastic, carbonate and evaporitic sediments of the Cuyo, Lotena, and Mendoza Groups (Gulisano et al., 1984b;Mitchum and Uliana, 1985;Vergani et al., 1995;Zavala et al., 2020). ...
This work presents the first regional biostratigraphic study on the calpionellid zones and assemblages of the Tithonian–lower Valanginian interval in the Neuquén Basin, Southern Andes, Western Argentina. The lower Tithonian–lower Valanginian in the Neuquén Basin is mainly represented by the Vaca Muerta Formation, which is a thick sucession (100-1250 m thick) of rhythmic marlstone and limestone alternations corresponding to the distal hemipelagic facies of a carbonate ramp. This formation is one of the most important unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs in the world and has become a relevant target in Argentina during the last decade. The Vaca Muerta Formation is characterized by an abundant fossil content and a remarkable stratigraphic continuity along several hundred meters, encompassing the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary. The detailed study of seven outcrop and well sections (three of them studied for the first time herein), allowed the elaboration of a reliable stratigraphic scheme based on the correlation of ammonites, microfossils, magnetostratigraphy and cyclostratigraphy. The Vaca Muerta Formation contains moderate to poorly preserved calpionellids. Despite that, twenty-five calpionellid species and five calpionellid biozones known in the Tethyan regions have been identified: Chitinoidella, Crassicollaria, Calpionella, Calpionellopsis and Calpionellites. Additionally, nine subzones were recognized: Slovenica, Boneti, Remanei, Massutiniana, Alpina, Elliptica, Simplex, Oblonga, and Darderi. These results allow chronostratigraphic correlations between the Tethys and the Southeastern Pacific domains.
... Different tectonic regimes exerted a first-order control in basin development and sedimentary evolution Uliana, 1991, 1996). An extensional regime was established during Late Triassic-Early Jurassic, which generated a series of narrow, isolated depocenters controlled by large transcurrent fault systems filled mainly with continental deposits of the Precuyo Group ( Fig. 2A, Vergani et al., 1995;Giambiagi et al., 2008;D'Elia et al., 2012D'Elia et al., , 2020. Thermal subsidence with localized tectonic events characterized the Early Jurassic to Late Cretaceous interval (Vergani et al., 1995). ...
This paper presents a multidisciplinary study of a new basinal section of Tithonian-Berriasian the Vaca Muerta Formation at Las Tapaderas area, including detailed, biostratigraphic, sedimentologic, sequence stratigraphic and cyclostratigraphic analysis. Biostratigraphy based on ammonite, calpionellids and calcareous dinoflagellate cysts indicate that Las Tapaderas section spans through the Lower Tithonian - lowermost Upper Berriasian, however, its upper part is covered through an erosive unconformity by Pleistocene volcaniclastic deposits, and therefore Las Tapaderas section could reach the Lower Valanginian. Two facies associations were identified, corresponding to basinal and distal outer ramp subenvironments. Recognition of flooding surfaces allowed the identification of three composite depositional sequences and eight high-frequency depositional sequences, which can be correlated with other sections throughout the basin. Cyclostratigraphic analysis based on the recognition of marlstone/limestone couples (elementary cycles) allowed to build a time series based on bed thickness. Fourier analysis indicates the characteristic mid latitude precession-eccentricity syndrome, with 220 precessional cycles (∼20.4 and ∼23 kyr), 53 low frequency eccentricity cycles (∼79, ∼90 and ∼140 kyr) and 11 high frequency eccentricity cycles (∼400 kyr). Spectral analysis also allowed to recognize the presence of the obliquity cycle (38.5 kyr), which has been erratically recorded in the Vaca Muerta Formation. Our data allowed the construction of an orbital scale, calibrated by cosmopolitan markers (calpionellids and calcareous dinoflagellate cysts), for this section. The precise bio- and cyclostratigraphic location of the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary was established for this section. The sedimentation rate was studied at the scale of the precession cycle, showing values between 0.6 and 3 cm/kyr, while at the low-frequency eccentricity scale it shows values between 1 and 2 cm/kyr.
... An extensional regime was established during the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic. It was characterized by a series of narrow, isolated depocenters controlled by large transcurrent fault systems filled mainly with continental deposits of the Precuyo cycle (Gulisano 1981, Vergani et al. 1995, D'Elia et al. 2012, 2015, Buchanan et al. 2017. ...
Crustacean microcoprolites are abundant constituents in the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin (Argentina). A new record of these particles is described from the lowermost Olcostephanus (O.) atherstoni ammonite Zone (lower Valanginian) in the Mulichinco Formation at Puerta Curaco section, north of the Neuquén province. Coprolites come from shallow-water oyster-dominated biostromes and belong to a new ichnospecies, Palaxius chosmalalensis n. isp., which was previously described as P. decemlunulatus (Paréjas) from the Upper Cretaceous of Egypt. As a consequence of the description of the new ichnospecies, we propose to incorporate quantitative criteria regarding the angle with which the canals are oriented, as well as its position with respect to the center of symmetry of the coprolite.
... The history of the Neuquén basin begins at ca. 200 Ma, with the opening of a series of unconnected depocenters (Fig. 1B) (Vergani et al., 1995;Carbone et al., 2011), which bracket a 50-30 Ma hiatus in the present retroarc area (Barrionuevo et al., 2013). Some of these depocenters are presently exhumed due to Andean deformation (Llambías et al., 2007;Bechis et al., 2010;Muravchik et al., 2011Muravchik et al., , 2014Sagripanti et al., 2014;D'Elia et al., 2012bD'Elia et al., , 2015, while others have been identified in subsurface through studies performed by the oil industry (Fig. 1B) (Manceda and Figueroa, 1995;Vergani et al., 1995;Mosquera and Ramos, 2006;Silvestro and Zubiri, 2008;Cristallini et al., 2009;Pángaro et al., 2009). Among the exhumed depocenters, the outcrops of the initial synrift infill closest to the Neuquén Embayment are presently exposed in the Cara-Cura Reyes (CC-R) area (Fig. 1B), where the oldest rocks, given their volcanic nature, had been initially assigned as part of a voluminous Permo-Triassic magmatic event (Groeber, 1929(Groeber, , 1946Freytes, 1969in Digregorio, 1972Narciso et al., 2004). ...
The early Mesozoic extensional processes recognized in SW Gondwana have been related to a supercontinent precursor break-up phase, the gravitational collapse of a late Paleozoic orogen, changes in subduction dynamics or the impact of a thermal anomaly. However, intraplate extension is still lacking accurate temporal constraints for the area devoid of the influence of subduction-related extensional processes that affected its margin between mid-Permian and Early Cretaceous times. Evidence from this intraplate extensional phase is found in the Cara Cura – Reyes depocenter of the Neuquén basin located in west-central Argentina. Field and seismic evidence allowed identifying synextensional growth geometries, and zircon U-Pb SHRIMP dating of volcanic rocks revealed ages of 198.8 ± 2.0 Ma and 195.4 ± 1.0 Ma for the oldest and youngest exposed synrift deposits. These allowed limiting the mechanical subsidence phase to the Sinemurian, which was followed by a Pliensbachian – Toarcian hiatus separating it from the postrift deposits. These deposits are characterized by a series of marine transgressive-regressive cycles separated by sedimentation gaps, constrained in this sector to the Bathonian – Callovian and the Kimmeridgian. When inserted into the broader realm of the Neuquén basin, a diachronic development for both the synrift and postrift deposits is evident, although the synrift-postrift transition occurred at ca. 190 Ma. The correlation of these events along SW Gondwana supports a common tectonic evolution which, at the same time, allows correlating the hiatus detected in postrift sedimentation of the Cara Cura – Reyes depocenter with Jurassic intraplate contractional events. The shift in the intraplate tectonic regime coincides with a radical change in Gondwana’s absolute motion, being northwards during extension, and southwards during contraction, after the opening of the Central Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, upper-plate dynamics seems to have played a first-order role during the opening of the Neuquén basin.
... It also corresponds to the tectonic inversion of NW-dipping half-graben (Figs. 1c and 4;D'Elia et al., 2012D'Elia et al., , 2015. As a result of the internal deformation of the Sañicó Massif an intermontane basin was formed, named as the Piedra del Águila Basin (Fig. 1c;D'Elia et al., 2017). ...
The initial infill of the Patagonian Broken Foreland is related to Miocene, syn-orogenic, volcaniclastic successions accommodated in intermontane basins. In the last years several works have paid attention to these successions due to their role in the comprehension of the timing of deformation, the relationship between arc-volcanism and the environmental signals, and the climate changes related to the growth of the orogen. In this paper we perform the U-Pb geochronology and the sedimentologic and paleosols analyses of a Miocene, syn-orogenic, volcaniclastic succession (La Pava Formation) located at the northern part of Patagonian Broken Foreland. The results indicate that the syn-kinematic sedimentation (evidenced by growth strata and progressive unconformities) proceeded between ~19 Ma to ~14 Ma, associated with arc-derived volcaniclastic deposits, under alluvial conditions with profuse paleosols development. The facies analysis combined with the paleosols and provenance studies indicate episodic and cyclic supply of pyroclastic materials, which were mainly delivered from the catchment area of the system, affected by explosive volcanism. A succession of stacked paleosols was recorded into 3 sections, bounded by unconformities, which record from Alfisols-like, Vertisol-like to Andisols-like paleosols. Paleosols variations were related to the effects of tectonic events, climate changes or to the increase of volcanic supply in comparison to soil-forming processes. The results obtained in this work are considered substantial to unravel the tectonic, volcanic and paleoclimatic framework of the North Patagonian Andes.
