Lower Pliensbachian caldera volcanism in high-obliquity rift systems in the western North Patagonian Massif, Argentina

A multi-proxy study of the Cerro Piche Graben - A Lower Jurassic basin in the central North Patagonian Massif, Argentina

“…The Early Jurassic magmatism in northern Patagonia was divided into two domains: the Andean and Extra-Andean (Benedini et al, 2014). The Andean domain includes the Subcordilleran Patagonian Batholith, which corresponds to a belt of subduction related igneous rocks that extends for more than 250 km, representing an oblique batholith developed during Late Triassic-Early Jurassic times (Haller et al, 1999;Rapela et al, 2005;Echaurren et al, 2017;Zaffarana et al, 2020).…”

“…The Taquetrén Formation consists of breccias, lavas, tuffs and ignimbrites of andesitic composition, and is interpreted as volcaniclastic facies of the Lonco Trapial Formation, which belongs to the Cañadón Asfalto Basin (Lesta andFerello, 1972, Lizuaín andSilva Nieto, 2005). The Pliensbachian Garamilla Formation (U-Pb zircon age of 189 ± 1 Ma - Benedini et al, 2014) is characterized by ignimbrites, breccias, tuffs, and lavas of mainly intermediate to rhyolitic composition, revealing a progressive change from a subduction to an intraplate-related tectonic setting (Benedini et al, 2014). The Comallo Complex has been related to a NW-SE pull-apart volcanic depocenter of Sinemurian age (U-Pb zircon age of 192 ± 3 Ma, Barros et al, 2020).…”

“…9). To the west of the NPM, the Garamilla and Taquetrén formations have been dated to the Pliensbachian (Franzese et al, 2002;Benedini et al, 2014Benedini et al, , 2020.…”