Abstract

ALVAREZ-GUTIERREZ, YENNIFER et al. GEOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION AND INTERPRETATION OF PROVIDENCIA AND SANTA CATALINA ISLANDS. Bol. cienc. tierra [online]. 2014, n.35, pp.67-81. ISSN 0120-3630.  https://doi.org/10.15446/rbct.n35.39257.

Providence and Santa Catalina Islands are part of the Department of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, located in the Los Cayos Basin, in the Caribbean Sea to the northwest of Colombia. Geologically, these islands are located in the Lower Nicaragua Rise, between Pedro's Fracture and Hess Escarpment (Rogers et al, 2007). These islands are conformed mainly by alkaline and calc-alkaline volcanic rocks of Middle Miocene age and Pliocene age respectively. It is proposed that the geotectonic evolution of this region starts out from two eroded volcanic cones whose geologic history is closely related to the evolution of the Nicaragua Rise and part of the Caribbean Plate (Rogers et al, 2007; Pindell y Kennan, 2001; Geister y Díaz, 2002). The island presents geomorphological units like high and low coasts, and it occur morphodynamic processes such as falling blocks, landslides and coastal erosion, which could threaten the island inhabitants. Finally, in terms of economic geology, on the island are exploited informally some quarries for aggregates, and exist the possibility to find hydrocarbons in the Los Cayos Basin.

Keywords : Providencia; Santa Catalina; Nicaragua Rise; Los Cayos Basin; Coastal erosion.

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