The Cucuana Fault (Spanish: Falla Cucuana) is a dextral strike-slip fault in the departments of Tolima and Cundinamarca in Colombia. The fault has a total length of 141.4 kilometres (87.9 mi) and runs along an average east-northeast to west-southwest strike of 067.9 ± 6 crossing the Middle Magdalena Valley from the Central towards the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes.

Cucuana Fault
Falla Cucuana
Map showing the location of Cucuana Fault
Map showing the location of Cucuana Fault
EtymologyCucuana River
Coordinates04°04′21″N 75°23′19″W / 4.07250°N 75.38861°W / 4.07250; -75.38861
Country Colombia
RegionAndean
StateCundinamarca, Tolima
Characteristics
RangeCentral & Eastern Ranges, Andes
Part ofAndean strike-slip faults
Length141.4 km (87.9 mi)
Strike067.9 ± 6
DipVertical
Displacement0.01–0.1 mm (0.00039–0.00394 in)/yr
Tectonics
PlateNorth Andean
StatusInactive
TypeStrike-slip fault
MovementDextral
AgeQuaternary
OrogenyAndean

Etymology

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The fault is named after the Cucuana River.[1]

Description

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The Cucuana Fault is parallel to and south of the Ibagué Fault in the Central Ranges of the Colombian Andes, crossing Paleozoic metamorphic rocks, Mesozoic igneous rocks (Ibagué Batholith), and Tertiary beds. The fault extends into the Eastern Ranges across the Middle Magdalena Valley, cutting Cretaceous beds. The Quaternary sedimentary and volcanic fill of the Magdalena River valley is not reported as having been deformed by the fault. This fault has a prominent trace on satellite images. It has displaced drainages, spurs, fault saddles, and formed triangular facets, and appears to structurally control the course of the Cucuana River.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Paris et al., 2000a, p.49

Bibliography

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  • Paris, Gabriel; Machette, Michael N.; Dart, Richard L.; Haller, Kathleen M. (2000a), Map and Database of Quaternary Faults and Folds in Colombia and its Offshore Regions (PDF), USGS, pp. 1–66, retrieved 2017-09-18

Maps

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