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Pliocene river capture and incision of the northern Altiplano: Machu Picchu, Peru

View ORCID ProfileBenjamin Gérard, View ORCID ProfileLaurence Audin, View ORCID ProfileXavier Robert, View ORCID ProfileCécile Gautheron, View ORCID ProfilePeter van der Beek, View ORCID ProfileMatthias Bernet, View ORCID ProfileCarlos Benavente and View ORCID ProfileFabrizio Delgado
Journal of the Geological Society, 23 November 2020, https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2020-100
Benjamin Gérard
1Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, , France
Roles: [Conceptualization (Equal)], [Investigation (Lead)], [Supervision (Equal)], [Visualization (Lead)], [Writing – original draft (Lead)], [Writing – review & editing (Equal)]
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  • ORCID record for Benjamin Gérard
  • For correspondence: benjamin.gerard.alpes@gmail.com
Laurence Audin
1Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, , France
Roles: [Conceptualization (Equal)], [Funding acquisition (Lead)], [Writing – review & editing (Equal)]
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  • ORCID record for Laurence Audin
Xavier Robert
1Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, , France
Roles: [Conceptualization (Equal)], [Funding acquisition (Lead)], [Supervision (Equal)], [Visualization (Equal)], [Writing – review & editing (Equal)]
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  • ORCID record for Xavier Robert
Cécile Gautheron
2Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, GEOPS, , , France
Roles: [Investigation (Equal)], [Writing – review & editing (Equal)]
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  • ORCID record for Cécile Gautheron
Peter van der Beek
1Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, , France
3Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Potsdam, , Germany
Roles: [Investigation (Equal)], [Visualization (Equal)], [Writing – review & editing (Equal)]
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  • ORCID record for Peter van der Beek
Matthias Bernet
1Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, , France
Roles: [Investigation (Equal)], [Writing – review & editing (Equal)]
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  • ORCID record for Matthias Bernet
Carlos Benavente
4INGEMMET, Instituto Geológico, Minero y Metalúrgico, , Perú
5Facultad de Ciencias e Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, , Perú
Roles: [Resources (Supporting)], [Writing – review & editing (Supporting)]
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Fabrizio Delgado
4INGEMMET, Instituto Geológico, Minero y Metalúrgico, , Perú
5Facultad de Ciencias e Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, , Perú
Roles: [Resources (Supporting)], [Writing – review & editing (Supporting)]
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Abstract

The Abancay Deflection, forming the northern edge of the Altiplano in the Peruvian Andes, is a remarkable geomorphological feature marking the along-strike segmentation of the Andes. Little is known about the timing and spatial distribution of exhumation in this area. To constrain the exhumation history of the Abancay Deflection and its drivers, we present apatite (U–Th)/He and fission-track thermochronology data from samples collected along an elevation transect at Machu Picchu. Geomorphological analysis demonstrates recent and continuing drainage reorganization recorded by the spatial distribution of the normalized steepness index (ksn) and normalized integrated drainage area (χ) parameters. Thermochronologically derived cooling rates are converted into exhumation using regionally constrained geothermal gradients between 16 and 26°C km−1. Time–temperature inversions imply steady and slow exhumation (<0.05 km Ma−1) between 20 and 4 Ma, followed by rapid exhumation (>0.9 km Ma−1) since 4 Ma. The timing of rapid exhumation, combined with the geomorphological analysis, suggests that fluvial capture of the previously endorheic Altiplano by the Urubamba River drove recent incision and exhumation. Depending on the value of the geothermal gradient used, total exhumation since 4 Ma can be explained by river incision alone or requires additional exhumation driven by tectonics, possibly associated with movement on the Apurimac fault.

Supplementary material: Additional information is available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5177343

  • © 2020 The Author(s). Published by The Geological Society of London. All rights reserved
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Pliocene river capture and incision of the northern Altiplano: Machu Picchu, Peru

Benjamin Gérard, Laurence Audin, Xavier Robert, Cécile Gautheron, Peter van der Beek, Matthias Bernet, Carlos Benavente and Fabrizio Delgado
Journal of the Geological Society, 23 November 2020, https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2020-100
Benjamin Gérard
1Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, , France
Roles: [Conceptualization (Equal)], [Investigation (Lead)], [Supervision (Equal)], [Visualization (Lead)], [Writing – original draft (Lead)], [Writing – review & editing (Equal)]
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
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  • ORCID record for Benjamin Gérard
  • For correspondence: benjamin.gerard.alpes@gmail.com
Laurence Audin
1Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, , France
Roles: [Conceptualization (Equal)], [Funding acquisition (Lead)], [Writing – review & editing (Equal)]
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  • ORCID record for Laurence Audin
Xavier Robert
1Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, , France
Roles: [Conceptualization (Equal)], [Funding acquisition (Lead)], [Supervision (Equal)], [Visualization (Equal)], [Writing – review & editing (Equal)]
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  • ORCID record for Xavier Robert
Cécile Gautheron
2Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, GEOPS, , , France
Roles: [Investigation (Equal)], [Writing – review & editing (Equal)]
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  • ORCID record for Cécile Gautheron
Peter van der Beek
1Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, , France
3Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Potsdam, , Germany
Roles: [Investigation (Equal)], [Visualization (Equal)], [Writing – review & editing (Equal)]
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  • ORCID record for Peter van der Beek
Matthias Bernet
1Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre, , France
Roles: [Investigation (Equal)], [Writing – review & editing (Equal)]
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  • ORCID record for Matthias Bernet
Carlos Benavente
4INGEMMET, Instituto Geológico, Minero y Metalúrgico, , Perú
5Facultad de Ciencias e Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, , Perú
Roles: [Resources (Supporting)], [Writing – review & editing (Supporting)]
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  • ORCID record for Carlos Benavente
Fabrizio Delgado
4INGEMMET, Instituto Geológico, Minero y Metalúrgico, , Perú
5Facultad de Ciencias e Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, , Perú
Roles: [Resources (Supporting)], [Writing – review & editing (Supporting)]
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  • Find this author on PubMed
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  • ORCID record for Fabrizio Delgado

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Pliocene river capture and incision of the northern Altiplano: Machu Picchu, Peru

Benjamin Gérard, Laurence Audin, Xavier Robert, Cécile Gautheron, Peter van der Beek, Matthias Bernet, Carlos Benavente and Fabrizio Delgado
Journal of the Geological Society, 23 November 2020, https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2020-100
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