The fold-and-thrust belts of the southern central Andes

^{Photo by Henry Wichura}

This fieldschool is dedicated to exploring the structure of an exemplary fold-and-thrust belt (FTB). Students will learn about the tectonic setting of retroarc FTBs, the characteristics of thinskinned and thick-skinned deformation belts, the effects of different subduction settings (flatslab vs. normal subduction), and along-strike variations of the Andean segment between 30º and 36ºS. Specific topics include cross-section construction techniques, use of algorithms for kinematic modeling of structures (fault-parallel flow, simple shear, fault-bend folding, faultpropagation folding, trishear), and the use of cross-section balancing as a tool for discussing the tectonic evolution of the Andes.

Press release (german): here
Excursion diary: here in german / here in englisch