The Piedrancha Fault (Spanish: Falla de Piedrancha) is a dextral oblique strike-slip fault in the department of Nariño in southwestern Colombia. The fault has a total length of 79.5 kilometres (49.4 mi) and runs along an average northeast to southwest strike of 033.8 ± 14 in the Western Ranges of the Colombian Andes.

Piedrancha Fault
Falla de Piedrancha
Map showing the location of Piedrancha Fault
Map showing the location of Piedrancha Fault
EtymologyPiedrancha
Coordinates01°02′13″N 78°01′32″W / 1.03694°N 78.02556°W / 1.03694; -78.02556
Country Colombia
RegionAndean
StateNariño
Characteristics
RangeWestern Ranges, Andes
Part ofAndean oblique faults
Length79.5 km (49.4 mi)
Strike033.8 ± 14
DipEast
Dip angleNear-vertical
Displacement<0.2 mm (0.0079 in)/yr
Tectonics
PlateNorth Andean
StatusInactive
TypeOblique strike-slip fault
MovementDextral reverse
AgeQuaternary
OrogenyAndean

Etymology

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The fault is named after Piedrancha, the original name for the municipality Mallama in Nariño.[1]

Description

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The Piedrancha Fault is in the Nariño Department of southwestern Colombia, on the western slope of the Western Ranges of the Colombian Andes and to the west of the city of Pasto. The fault places Cretaceous oceanic rocks on the west against Cenozoic volcanic rocks on the east. The fault is believed to extend south into the Republic of Ecuador.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Paris et al., 2000, p.55

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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