Neogene tectonic and exhumation of the Andes Centrales, Southern Peru

ABSTRACTTiming and mechanisms of uplift in the Central Andes have been a matter of debate since at least the 1970’s. Our study focuses on Cenozoic deformation and exhumation of the Central Andean forearc in Peru, in Cuzco region, and between the Western Cordillera and the Coastal Cordillera in Nazca region. Our new mapping of active faults provides new insights into the Cenozoic to present-day crustal deformation of the Central Andean Western margin. Until now, apart from some local studies, the geomorphology of the Andean forearc has classically been presented as a remnant Miocene landscape with no significant active structures accommodating the Cenozoic deformation. Thanks to new high-resolution optical imagery, the well-preserved geomorphic surfaces developed within the forearc of southern Peru provide excellent regional markers to map patterns of deformation. Pertaining to the Cenozoic history, while the timing of uplift-related exhumation and Cenozoic exhumation has been studied in Colca and Cotahuasi canyons, it remain poorly constrained in the northern segment of the Central Andean forearc. I report new apatite (U–Th)/He (AHe) and fission track (AFT) ages from the western Cordillera between Canete and Nazca along two new cross sections. The ages in Nazca region reflect relatively recent (since ~10Ma) relief creation along the western margin of the Altiplano, similar to what is described south in Colca region.The Quaternary tectonic history is revealed by the newly mapped fault segments affecting the Miocene deposits within forearc. Through field and remote mapping, I determined fault geometries and maximum ages for the activity of the faults systems based on stratigraphic relationships in order to assess the role of this tectonic activity in the Western Cordillera uplift and exhumation.To understand the Holocene tectonic history, we use in situ produced 10Be to determine the exposure ages of the free face and tectonic scarp of the Purgatorio Fault in order to map the temporal evolution of its seismotectonic activity. Our new results display evidence of transpression and the formation of meter-high coseismic scarps as well as very recent exposure ages indicating a youthful fault morphology and Mw6-7 earthquakes occurring along the Purgatorio fault segments. These new data are in contrast with some previous conclusions for this region which suggest extension and/or slow rates of deformation for this region and time period. Further, these new data not only suggest significant active deformation within the forearc, but also highlight a potential seismic hazard for the region that not take into account crustal forearc faults.While the general assumption is that active deformation is localized in the Subandean fold and thrust belt, or east of the Western Cordillera in the Altiplano, our data support a model where active deformation is occurring in the western margin as well, along the Incapuquio Fault and other neotectonic faults that accommodates the partitioning of the subduction oblique convergence.These crustal active faults and more precisely the “not migrating to the trench” Incapuquio fault zone reveal the rigid motion of the forearc. Our new model is nevertheless compatible with the recently published GPS data that measure a southeastward movement at 4–5 mm/yr relative to a stable South America reference frame. This rigid motion is in part due to the presence of the rigid Greenvillian accreted craton, that behave as a sliver, and rather tilt than deform through time.