Santa Rita Fault

The Santa Rita Fault (Spanish: Falla de Santa Rita) is a strike-slip fault in the department of Antioquia in northern Colombia. The fault has a total length of 81.0 kilometres (50.3 mi) and runs along an average north to south strike of 010.6 ± 6 in the Central Ranges of the Colombian Andes.

Santa Rita Fault
Falla de Santa Rita
EtymologySanta Rita de Ituango
Coordinates07°23′25.5″N 75°35′11″W
Country Colombia
RegionAndean
StateAntioquia
Characteristics
RangeCentral Ranges, Andes
Part ofAndean strike-slip faults
Length81.0 km (50.3 mi)
Strike010.6 ± 6
DipEast
Dip angleHigh
Displacement~0.01–0.1 mm (0.00039–0.00394 in)/yr
Tectonics
PlateNorth Andean
StatusActive?
EarthquakesPossibly historic
TypeStrike-slip fault
MovementSinistral
AgeQuaternary
OrogenyAndean

Etymology

The fault is named after Santa Rita de Ituango.[1]

Description

The Santa Rita Fault displaces metamorphosed volcanic and sedimentary rocks through most of its length; in the northern part, the fault places Cretaceous basic volcanic rocks against Tertiary and Quaternary sedimentary rocks. To the south, the Santa Rita Fault intercepts the Espíritu Santo Fault. The fault has a well-defined fault trace seen on satellite images. The trace is characterized by linear valleys, strong breaks in slope, offset alluvial fans and colluvial deposits, and local subsidence of the soil. The Santa Rita Fault might be the source of a historic magnitude 4.8 earthquake.[2]

See also

References
  1. Paris et al., 2000, p.26
  2. Paris et al., 2000, p.27

Bibliography

Maps

Further reading
  • Page, W.D. 1986. Seismic geology and seismicity of Northwestern Colombia, 1–200. San Francisco, California, Woodward-Clyde Consultants Report for ISA and Integral Ltda., Medellín.
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