Descripción: The Chancho-Co hill is the main positive feature in the caldera del Agrio domain with the only exception of the Copahue volcano. Its development is lin- ked to a series of NE-trending thrusts with a general vergence to the SE, which affects Late Pliocene successions gathered in Las Mellizas Formation. The main topographic break in this fan of reverse faults coincides with the Copahue Fault. This structure uplifted Late Pliocene sequences over younger unconsolidated fluvial and coluvial deposits. The detailed study of these sequences allowed identifying at least two periods of activity for the Copahue Fault. This fault, as well as the other neigh- bor thrusts, cuts the Copahue lavas to the south showing the precise geometry of the Chanchó-Co uplift. Finally, the inver- sion of Paleogene depocenters at depth determined from gravimetric studies is proposed to explain the deeper geometry of the neotectonic structures in the area.

Descripción: Along the eastern front of the Sierra de Velasco and at the southern end of the Sierra de Ambato, western Sierras Pampeanas, have been found new evidences of Quaternary tectonic activity near La Rioja city. Observed evidences correspond to different reactivated sections of the faults that bound the mountain fronts, as well as to structures affecting the Quaternary deposits on the piedmont. The bounding faults of the Sierra de Velasco Oriental-front exhibit a NNE trend and WNW dip, while structures at the southernmost Ambato range are characterized by NE trend and NW dip. The neotectonic faults of the El Carrizal block are the result of the interference of both structural trends, resulting in a sector with higher structural complexity. The here described deformation show the persistence of a compressive regime during the Quaternary, with eastern to southeastern verging reverse faults. It is considering that these faults are driving the current uplift of the mountain ranges and constitute potential earthquake sources.

Descripción: The Huecú basin is located at the central part of the large Loncopué retroarc trough. Its volcanic, volcaniclastic, lacustrine and fluvial filling is directly related to neotectonic activity in the area. The basaltic eruptions are reflecting different pulses associated with the development of extensional faults and tensional fractures. Geophysical potential methods have identified basement involvement in the extensional deformation that affected the Tertiary sequences of the area during the last 5 Mys. Neotectonic features in Quaternary volcanic sequences suggest the persistence of these subsidence mechanisms in the Huecú depocenter. These faults are directly connected to the basement segmentation identified by gravimetric and mag-netometric studies. The historical floods produced by the Agrio river damming, are related to fisural eruptions and demons-trate the high probability that retroarc volcanic eruptions may occur again. The recognition of flooded areas that are forming the youngest sedimentary levels in the Huecú depocenter shows potential areas of active retroarc spreading in the Neuquén area associated with neotectonic and seismic processes.

Descripción: Studies performed during the last five years have shown the existence of 74 prehistoric rock-avalanches in the northern Neuquén Andes (36°-38°S). These are mainly related to volcanic grounds of Pliocene to Pleistocene age corresponding to the Hualcupén Formation. In this work we describe their main characteristics and general homogeneous morphology. They are also characterized by a single tectonic control associated with the occurrence of their break-away and mainly postglacial ages, fact revealed by their systematic position into previous glacial valleys and limited radiometric ages. The obstruction produced by these features altered the shape of the valleys giving to local lakes. Eighteen percent of the cases are characterized by landslide dams preserved nowadays while only six percent by ephemeral ones. Two of the dams were actually catastrophically collapsed: the Cerro Pelán and Navarrete rock-avalanches: The former in Barrancas river valley with the consequent formation of the Carrilauquen lake and the later with the generation of Navarrete lake. The Carrilauquen's dam broke during historical times (29/12/1914) forming an outburst-flood that passed from the Barrancas valley to the Colorado river valley destroying their local economy and reaching after 1,500 km the Atlantic coast. The highest computed volumes in the entire region for the deposits related to rock-avalanches correspond to Varva Co Campos avalanche (3 km3). Cosmogenic isotopes have revealed its age and the age of the neighbor deposit of Varvar Co Tapia rock-avalanche, resulting in 30 ka and 60 ka respectively. Further cosmogenic isotope data revealed that the Cerro PeMn avalanche is only 2 ka. A wrong assumption, presently revaluated, was related to the assignment of these deposits to glacial accumulations because of their chaotic structure, their hummocky topography and the induced dams. Finally, several topographic, geomorphological and seismotectonic criteria are exposed to prove a seismic trigger for these avalanches. Graphics and one table are used to display the distribution of their deposits and its dose association with the orogenic front at these latitudes and the crustal seismicity of the region. © 2006 Asociación Geológica Argentina.