Application of the analytical signal techniques to the structures of the Salinas Basin

Abstract

The area under study is located between the geographic coordinates of 31°17´  and 32°40´  South latitude; and 66°38´ and 67°48´ West longitude, in the neighborhood of the locality of Marayes in Las Salinas basin, central western Argentina. In the present work the results of gravimetric data processing from this basin and surrounding region are shown. We had applied analytic signal techniques to the Bouguer anomaly along four profiles oriented perpendicular to the main axis of the basin, which extends from Sierras de Ulapes to the east up to Sierra de Guayaguas to the west, and over one profile nearly parallel to the basin main axis with a north-south trend, located from the northern part of the Mascasín basin to the southern part, near San Pedro structural high. Regional scale results show the location and depth of the main fault system to the east of Sierra de Guayaguas, and to the west of Sierra de Ulapes. At local scale, two faults were identified, that could be associated with the basin edges, and also one probable base fault with north-south dominant direction. The areas of dispersed solutions located on the eastern zone of the area, and represented with elliptic marks on profiles 2, 3 and 4 could be related with a stepped fault system in the buried basement, located to the west of Sierra de Ulapes. This setting is justified based on a positive Bouguer anomaly nucleus located in Ulapes and the surrounding zone.