Guáitara Fault

The Guáitara Fault (Spanish: Falla de Guáitara) is a dextral strike-slip fault in the department of Nariño in southwestern Colombia. The fault has a total length of 36.1 kilometres (22.4 mi) and runs along an average northeast to the southwest strike of 044.1 ± 4 in the Western Ranges of the Colombian Andes.

Guáitara Fault
Falla de Guáitara
Map showing the location of Guáitara Fault
Map showing the location of Guáitara Fault
EtymologyGuáitara River
Coordinates00°53′50″N 77°31′54″W
Country Colombia
RegionAndean
StateNariño
CitiesIpiales
Characteristics
RangeWestern Ranges, Andes
Part ofAndean strike-slip faults
Length36.1 km (22.4 mi)
Strike044.1 ± 4
DipEast
Dip angleHigh
Displacement<0.2 mm (0.0079 in)/yr
Tectonics
PlateNorth Andean
StatusInactive
TypeStrike-slip fault
MovementDextral
AgeQuaternary
OrogenyAndean
Volcanic arc/beltNorth Volcanic Zone
 Andean Volcanic Belt

Etymology

The fault is named after the Guáitara River in Nariño.[1]

Description

The Guáitara Fault is in the Nariño Department of southwestern Colombia, crossing the Western Ranges of the Colombian Andes and to the south of the city of Pasto. The fault offsets Neogene volcanic rocks. The fault is believed to extend south into the Republic of Ecuador and may be part of the megaregional Romeral Fault System. The fault forms well-developed deep V-shaped valleys, linear topographic features, fault-controlled drainage, deflected streams, and elongated hills.[1]

See also

References
  1. Paris et al., 2000, p.56

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

Maps
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