Piedrancha Fault Explained

Piedrancha Fault
Other Name:Falla de Piedrancha
Namedfor:Piedrancha
Pushpin Map:Colombia
Pushpin Relief:1
Region:Andean
State:Nariño
Coordinates:1.0369°N -78.0256°W
Range:Western Ranges, Andes
Part Of:Andean oblique faults
Length:79.5km (49.4miles)
Strike:033.8 ± 14
Dip:East
Dip Angle:Near-vertical
Displacement:<0.2mm/yr
Plate:North Andean
Status:Inactive
Type:Oblique strike-slip fault
Movement:Dextral reverse
Age:Quaternary
Orogeny:Andean

The Piedrancha Fault (Spanish; Castilian: 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 79.5km (49.4miles) and runs along an average northeast to southwest strike of 033.8 ± 14 in the Western Ranges of the Colombian Andes.

Etymology

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

Description

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

References

Bibliography

Maps

Notes and References

  1. Paris et al., 2000, p.55