Descripción: Although the depositational environment assigned by Darwin to the large erratic blocks and gravels in the Río Santa Cruz valley has been reinterpreted, his geomorphological and stratigraphic observations are still in force. The large erratic blocks he described as crowning the Condor Cliff terrace and spread at the bottom of the valley just east of this locality (Sites 2 and 3), are now interpreted as indicators of the maximum glacial expansion in Patagonia. Similar blocks, though of a different lithology, accumulated over a lower terrace located up-valley (Site 4), are now linked to moraines and glacifluvial terraces of the Penultimate Glaciation. Finally, in addition to the erratic block discovered by Darwin in the lower Río Santa Cruz valley (Site 1), there are others - recently discovered - which probably account for a catastrophic event ascribed to a big glacier-lake outburst during the last interglacial.

Descripción: Pedosedimentary processes, recorded in a late Quaternary section near Zarate city, north Buenos Aires province are reconstructed in this study. Both field features and laboratory results were analyzed as a whole. Grain size, sand, silt and clay mineralogy, micromorphology, Rb and Sr concentrations, optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages as well as preliminary paleomagnetic analysis were performed in order to get a detailed information on processes involved. All studied paleosols were developed on loess horizons. Four definite breaks in sedimentation and a coupled development of paleosols were observed. On this basis four units showing different types of calcretes were defined. Welded paleosols at unit C, could be correlated to those studied at Baradero (Buenos Aires province) and Lozada (Córdoba province), which probably record the last interglacial stage before present, the Marine Isotopic Stage 5 (MIS5), studied on marine cores. The highest values of Rb/Sr ratio reflect changes due to chemical weathering processes and generally match paleosol levels occurrences. Development of ground water-related and pedogenic calcretes, as well as their association to smectite, illite and ferric oxide indicate drier weather conditions than present and strong seasonality. Finally, a tentative correlation between one of the paleosols and the marine isotope stage 11(MIS 11) is suggested.

Descripción: An ancient alluvial fan and its subsequent evolution are described. Ancient alluvial fan accumulations have been interpreted as the northern continuation of the rodados patagónicos of the Montemayor Plateau, a proposal that is contested. The methodological recognition of the ancient alluvial fan and its genetic and temporary distinction, were made from geomorphologic analysis and altimetric evaluation. Time assignment is a problem not yet solved. The methodology led to three different geomorphic systems or levels related to successive episodes of aggradation and erosion, with increasing lower positions, which coincide with a complex paleodrainage ancient alluvial fan. its successive developments are linked to proposed proto-rivers Chubut 1, 2, 3 and to a Simpson paleo-valley. Despite the mentioned limitations, we propose that the evolutionary model of ancient alluvial fan responds to a structure of cut and fill which is supported by the poly-formational composition of an ancient alluvial fan, and a gradual southward migration of the paleo-drainage. Based on geomorphologic analysis and altimetric distinction an upper level, composed of the remains of three plains (Pa, Pm and Pb), a middle level with two terraces (T1 and T2) and a complex lower level and five terraces (T3, T4, T5 T6 and T7) were recognized. Relict evidences of paleo-drainages are proposed based on the Estancia Paz and Don Morgan-Saraza paleo-valleys in the upper level. The age of the ancient alluvial fan based on the geomorphic evolution of the study area is tentatively assigned to an uncertain period between the late Pleistocene and late Sangamon interglacial at the end of the last glaciation.