Digital Geological Map of the Southern and Central Puna Plateau,
NW Argentina
W. Schnurr1,3, A. Risse2, R.B. Trumbull2, K. Munier3
1 Erich-Klausener-Str. 22, 15827 Blankenfelde, Germany
2 GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
3 Institut für Geologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Malteserstr. 74-100, 12249 Berlin, Germany
Contents:
Background ........................................................................................................................ 2
Geographic limits of the map ............................................................................................. 2
Sources and versions of map data ...................................................................................... 2
Coordinate system used:..................................................................................................... 3
GIS procedures and user instructions................................................................................. 4
Software basis: ............................................................................................................... 4
Using the map with ArcGis............................................................................................ 4
Start a project with the geological map:......................................................................... 4
Geological units and tectonic data ................................................................................. 5
Assignment table for IDs used for the lithologic and structural units on the map ......... 6
Customizing the lithologic units .................................................................................... 6
Problems and Remarks................................................................................................. 14
1
Background
The digital geological map of the southern Puna covers an area of about 60,000 km2 in the
provinces of Salta und Catamarca, NW Argentina. The map is based on published maps of the
Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino (SEGEMAR), augmented by satellite interpretation and
unpublished results of field studies from the SFB-267 programme. The GIS map was
produced as an aid for documentation and interpretation of research in the SFB-267 projects.
Because many of these projects were dealing with volcanic rocks, either as petrologicgeochemical applications or geochronologic-tectonic applications, one emphasis in lithologic
attributes for the digital map was on Cenozoic volcanic units.
Geographic limits of the map
N: 24°S and the national border to Chile
S: 27°S
E: 67° 15’W
W: 68° 30’W and the national border to Chile
Sources and versions of map data
Satellite images
Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper Satellite, scenes 19-25 and 19-20, processed and geo-referenced
by the SFB-267 remote sensing group, Free University of Berlin.
Geological Maps and reports
1:500,000 maps:
Martínez L (1995) Mapa Geológico de la Provincia de Catamarca, Escala 1:500,000.
Servicio Geológico Minero de Argentina SEGEMAR, Buenos Aires.
Salfity JA, Monaldi CR (1998) Mapa Geológico de la Provincia de Salta, Escala
1:500.000. Servicio Geológico Minero de Argentina SEGEMAR, Buenos Aires.
1:250,000 maps:
Blasco G, Zappettini E, Hongn F (1996) Hoja Geológica 2566-I (1:250,000) San
Antonio de los Cobres, provincias de Salta y Jujuy. Servicio Geológico Minero de
Argentina, SEGEMAR, Buenos Aires, Boletín 217
Hongn FD, Monaldi CR, Alonso RN, Gonzalez RE, Seggiaro RE (1998) Hoja
Geológica 2566-III-Cachi. Provincias de Salta y Catamarca. Servicio Geológico
Minero de Argentina, SEGEMAR, Buenos Aires, Boletín 248
Hoja geológica Antofalla (2569-IV), preliminary version, 1999
Seggiaro R, Hongn F, Castillo A, Pereira F, Villegas D, Martinez L (2000) Hoja
Geológica 2769-II Paso de San Francisco, Escala 1:250,000, Servicio Geológico
Minero de Argentina SEGEMAR, Buenos Aires, Boletin 294.
Seggiaro RE, Becchio R, Schnurr W, Adelmann D, Erpenstein K (2004) Hoja 2569-IV,
Antofalla, Escala 1:250,000. Servicio Geológico Minero de Argentina SEGEMAR,
Buenos Aires, Boletin 343.
Geo-referencing the source maps:
The geological maps were scanned and then georeferenced and fit to the satellite images using
the ArcMap program.
2
Internal reports and theses from the SFB-267 programme:
Adelmann D (2001) Känozoische Beckenentwicklung des zentralandinen Puna-Plateaus
(NW-Argentinien). Das Gebiet um den Salar de Antofalla und ein Vergleich zur
nördlichen Puna. Dissertation, Free University of Berlin. Berliner Geowissenschaftliche
Abhandlungen, Reihe A Band 210, 142pp.
Erpenstein K, Görler K, Heim B, Kraemer B, Prokoph A, Voss R (1996) Sedimentation,
Tektonik und Vulkanismus im Gebiet des Salar de Antofalla, südliche Puna (NWArgentinien). Unpublished report, SFB-267 project D1b, Berlin, p. 755-808.
Kraemer B, Adelmann D, Alten M, Schnurr W, Erpenstein K, Kiefer E, van den Bogaard P,
Görler K (1999) Incorporation of the Paleogene foreland into the Neogene Puna Plateau;
the Salar de Antofalla area, NW Argentina. Journal of South American Earth Sciences,
12: 157-182.
Schnurr W (2001) Zur Geochemie und Genese neogener und quartärer felsicher Vulkanite in
den südlichen Zentralanden (25°-27°S und 67°-69°W). Dissertation, Free University of
Berlin. Berliner Geowissenschaftliche Abhandlungen, Reihe A Band 211, 152pp.
Voss R (2000) Die Geologie der Region um den südlichen Salar de Antofalla (NWArgentinien). Dissertation, Free University of Berlin. Berliner Geowissenschaftliche
Abhandlungen, Reihe A Band 208, 201pp.
Coordinate system used:
Horizontal coordinate system
GCS_WGS_1984
Projection datum:
WGS_1984_UTM_Zone_19S
Alternative
WGS_1984_UTM_Zone_19N
Details
Grid: Universal Transverse Mercator
UTM Zone Number:
-19
Alternative
19
Transverse Mercator Projektion
Scale Factor at Central Meridian: 0.999600
Longitude of Central Meridian:
-69.000000
Latitude of Projection Origin:
0.000000
False Easting:
500000.000000
False Northing:
10000000.000000
Alternative
0.000000
Planar Distance Units: meters
Coordinate Encoding Method:
Alternative
Rows and Columns
coordinate pairs
Geodetic model
Horizontal Datum Name: D_WGS_1984
Ellipsoid Name: WGS_1984
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.000000
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257224
3
GIS procedures and user instructions
Software basis:
ArcGIS 8.3
The symbol attributes in the shape files (geology_puna_GFZ.shp, faults_puna_GFZ.shp, etc)
are saved as layer files (*.lyr) under the same names. For ArcView users, the symbol
attributes were saved in: geology_GFZ_noFills.avl
Using the map with ArcGis
Start a project with the geological map:
Call up the file Puna_GFZ_V01.mdx
Data are organized as follows (disregard directory names)
The format set for symbols is stored in the folder \GFZ_CD\Symbols\.
4
Geological units and tectonic data
The GIS geological map of the Southern and Central Puna Plateau was constructed on the
basis of a previous GIS project completed in the SFB-267: Geological Map from the Salar de
Antofalla Area (Erpenstein et al., 1996). The previous map has been extended in the present
project to the N, S, E and W, while maintaining the same lithologic and tectonic data
structure, as outlined below: (geology_puna_GFZ.shp, faults_puna_GFZ.shp).
GEOLSYM
ID
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
10
11
13
QS
QA1
QA2
QT
T3
T2
T1
T
QbA
bA
An
Rd
Rh
I
Hy
mV
Pt
Pal
Gr
Gs
1
2
4
5
33
31
30
34
40
47
41
42
43
44
45
46
20
50
60
61
5
Attribute table for the lithologic units: geology_puna_GFZ:
Attribute table for tectonic features: faults_puna_GFZ:
Assignment table for IDs used for the lithologic and structural units on the map
Customizing the lithologic units
The following pages display the legends from the source geological maps of Argentina, and
show in bold type the unit designations assigned for our map compilation (lithologic IDs).
6
1:500,000 Salta map
7
1:500,000 Catamarca map
8
1:250,000 Antofalla map
9
1:250,000 Paso San Francisco map
10
11
1:250,000 San Antonio de los Cobres map
12
1:250,000 Cachi map
13
Problems and Remarks
In our new digital map compilation, as in its predecessor Antofalla GIS map, it was decided to
distinguish volcanic units according to their composition. This causes a problem because the
source geological maps maps of Argentina distinguish the volcanic units in a stratigraphic
sense by age, and there are some cases where no compositional data were specified. In these
cases we assigned the units to the most abundant compositional class in this region, namely
Andesite/Dacite (AD, ID: 42).
There is considerable uncertainty in the new geological map for the region covered by
the topographic sheet Santa María (2766-I). For this region, there is no 1:250,000 geological
map yet available, and our only information is from the Catamarca (1:500,000) map, which is
rather indiscriminate and not in all cases conformable with what can be seen from satellite
images.
The tectonic features distinguished in the new digital map were taken from the Antofalla
GIS map, and supplemented where possible from the national Argentina geological maps.
However, to reach a consistent set of attributes, some tectonic details from the source maps
were not included (for example, overturned anticlines or synclines were classed as anticlines
and synclines).
Finally, there is some disagreement in the Sierra de Calalaste region between the new
GIS map and the Argentina SEGEMAR maps Cachi and Antofalla. The main point of
disagreement is in the interpretation of faults as normal or reverse. Our interpretation is based
on field observations and satellite image interpretations from the SFB-267 programme (see
reports and theses sources above), and we suggest it would be useful to check and possibly
revise the tectonic interpretations in future editions of SEGEMAR maps.
14
List of Data Files:
RasterDataset1:
NAME
rectifyhoja antofalla
rectifyhoja_sanantoniocobres
rectify_hoja_sanfrancisco_auschnitt
rectifyhojageologica_cachi
rectifyhojygeologica_pasosanfrancisco
rectifymapgeol_salta_2v2x
TYPE
Raster Dataset
Raster Dataset
Raster Dataset
Raster Dataset
Raster Dataset
Raster Dataset
RasterDataset2:
NAME
rectifymapageol_catamarca
s-19-20_loc
s-19-25_loc
TYPE
Raster Dataset
Raster Dataset
Raster Dataset
Symbols:
NAME
faults_puna_GFZ
faults_puna_GFZ_Black
geology_puna_GFZ_noFills
GFZ_Puna_SpatRef
towns_puna_GFZ
Volcanoes_puna_GFZ
TYPE
Layer
Layer
Layer
Coordinate System
Layer
Layer
VectorDataset:
NAME
faults_puna_GFZ
geology_puna_GFZ
lineaments_puna
towns_puna_GFZ
volcanoes_puna_GFZ
TYPE
Shapefile
Shapefile
Shapefile
Shapefile
Shapefile
15