J. Geodynamics Vol. 15, No. 1/2, pp. 39-58, 1992 0264-3707/92 $5.00+0.

00
Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved Copyright © 1992 Pergamon Press Ltd

R E C E N T A N D A C T I V E TECTONICS OF THE
NORTH-EASTERN ECUADORIAN ANDES

L. F E R R A R I and A. TIBALDI

Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Universit~ di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 34, 20133 Milane, Italy

(Received 4 June 1991)

A b s t r a c t - - T h e north-eastern part of the Ecuadorian Andes, comprising the Interandean Valley, the
Cordillera Real and part of the Sub-Andean Zone, is a region of diffuse seismicity with events
reaching up to Ms = 7.0. The neotectonics of the region east of the Interandean Valley is analysed
here by the integration of mesotectonic, microtectonic and seismological data.
The structural setting is characterized by a predominace of N - S and N N E - S S W thrusts in the
eastern region; whereas in the western region several N N E - S S W trending right-lateral strike-slip
faults are present, the longest of which (the Cayambe-Chingual Fault) has a length of more than 70
kin. Right-lateral faults trending N N E - S S W and some obfique thrust faults cut volcanic rocks of
Late Pleistocene age and all the other fault sets. These faults offset streams of post-glacial age, are
erosionally immature and have triangular facets. These data argue for a recent age for these faults.
The Quaternary state of stress computed from microstructural data has a W S W - E N E greatest
principal stress which is consistent with published focal mechanism solutions in this region. These
consist of a combination of thrusting and right-lateral strike-slip motions along N N E - S S W striking
planes. A kinematic model of the upper crust, in which westward dipping oblique thrusts and
strike-slip faults coexist and converge at depth, accounts both for the observed seismicity and for the
field measurements. These structures are part of a broader fault zone with a predominant right-lateral
component of motion which extends along the eastern margin of the Andean Block, fi'om the Gulf
of Guayaquil, in southern Ecuador, to northern Colombia.

1. I N T R O D U C T I O N

A large earthquake (Ms = 6.9) occurred on 5th March 1987 (local date) in the
north-eastern part of the Ecuadorian Andes (Figs 1 and 2), causing hundreds
of casualties. A n analysis of the catalogue of historical earthquakes reveals that
this was not an isolated event, but only the latest expression of diffuse seismic
activity.
In spite of this dramatic seismicity and the relatively high density of population
of some parts of the Ecuadorian Andes, the available data on the tectonics of
the region are insufficient and inadequate. Knowledge of structural features is
almost entirely from geophysical studies, including a gravimetric survey on regional
crustal structure (Feininger and Seguin, 1983), an analysis of microseismicity
(Hall et al., 1980) and studies at a "semi-continental" scale based on teleseismic
data (Pennington, 1981; Suarez et al., 1983; Woltcrs, 1986). The regional structural
.4.)
40 L. FERRARI and A. TIBALDI

I
76*
oiombii

rOncan Platform !( ~
/
/
/
/
/
/ /
J
o 50 qOOkm

..... Isobaths m m e t e r s
~~ Areas deODOf
" . than 3009m
A x i s OI the T r e n c h

Geoteclon,c L~IIIS
Fig. 1. Sketch map of Ecuador and surrounding areas. The study area is outlined [data from Lonsdale
(1978); Lonsdale and Klitgord (1978); Baldock (1982)].

setting has also been inferred from geological reconstructions (Kennerly, 1980;
Feininger and Bristow, 1980; Baldock, 1982; Lebras et al., 1987). Some of these
authors have inferred a western dextral transcurrent boundary for northern South
America, passing through Ecuador between the Cordillera Occidental and the
Amazonian Platform. However, such a tectonic feature has never been demon-
strated in the field.
In this paper, neotectonic field measurements are integrated with unpublished
seismological data, in order to define the relationships between shallow and
deep geological structures and the recent and active kinematics of the upper
crust. Because the area of study is particularly inaccessible, with steep mountains
and dense rainy forest, aerial stereophotos and radar and Landsat MSS images
were used, in the initial stage, to plan the field work and the location of the
structural stations. The 5th March 1987 earthquake produced a substantial slope
denudation which greatly eased the structural field survey. Topographical maps
were specially prepared for this study at 1:50,000, 1:75,000, 1:100,000 scales.
Geological data were derived from unpublished reports (Barberi et al., 1988;
Balseca and Ferraris, 1977).

2. GEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND
Ecuador has three main geographic zones (Fig. 1): a hilly coastal region, a
central mountain belt and an eastern Sub-Andean Zone, gently sloping towards
!he Amazonian Platform. The coastal region is formed by oceanic rocks (ophiolite
 Tectonics o£ the north-eastern Ecuadorian Andes 41

:/

\ \

,k

.J>-:
>)
~p

• VC

- 0"00
I
,~ !77i!

sTi;'l
/
t
i / ! i f .~j ~

Fig. 2. Structural map derived from Landsat, Radar, aerial and field data. 1, Fault with unrecognized type ol
motions; 2, strike-slip fault; 3, normal fault; 4, thrust and oblique thrust front; 5, scarp of volcano-tectonic collapse;
6, dip of tilted block; 7, Quaternary volcano; 8, Interandean Valley; 9, Sub Andean Zone; 10, Cordillera Real; 11,
outcrop o£ intrusive rock; 12, area of Fig. 6 (small box) and Fig. 3 (large box). CC = Cayambe-Chingual fault;
ED = El Diviso fault; LB 5 La Bonita fault: VC = Volcan Cayambe; VR = Volcan Reventador.
 42 L. FERRARI a n d A. TIBALDI

and basalts) and their sedimentary cover of Cretaceous age (Goosens et al.,
1977). These rocks are grouped into the Pifion and Cayo Formations. They are
partly buried under a thick sequence of Tertiary products filling a series of
fore-arc basins (Lonsdale, 1978).
In the central mountain belt two parallel ranges (the Cordillera Occidental
and the Cordillera Real) are separated by the narrow Interandean Valley (Fig.
1). The Cordillera Occidental is mainly formed by Cretaceous volcanic rocks
with island arc affinity (Macuehi Fm.) (Henderson, 1979; Lebras et al., 1987)
covered by discontinuous flysch-like deposits of Cretaceous to Eocene age. As
are the coastal Pifion and Cayo Formations the Cordillera Occidental complex
is considered an "exotic terrain" accreted onto the South American margin prob-
ably in Early Tertiary time (Feininger and Bristow, 1980; Lebras et al., 1987;
Roperch et al., 1987). In this framework, the Interandean Valley is a suture
between the island arc and the continental paleomargin.
The Cordillera Real is part of a metamorphic belt that runs continuously from
Colombia to the Peruvian border. Although the geology of the Cordillera Real
is poorly known, distinct metamorphic associations have been recognized. The
oldest core of this range outcrops in its northern part and is formed by migmatitcs,
orthogneisses and quartz-feldspathic amphibolites known as the Cofanes Group
(Baldock, 1982). These rocks are considered to be Precambrian in age, by corre-
lation with similar complexes in southern Columbia (Directibn General de
Geolog]a y Minas, 1986). Lower grade metamorphic rocks, generally in Barrovain
facies, are present in the Ambuquf and Llangantes Groups, which outcrop to
the west and to the south. These units are attributed to the Paleozoic (Baldock,
1982) and can be followed northward into Colombia (Feininger, 1982; McCourt
et al., 1984). The Cordillera Real has undergone several orogenic phases since
the Cretaceous and probably since Paleozoic times (Zeil, 1979). The Andean
orogenesis, due to the accretion of old Pacific plates and subduction of the
Nazca Plate under the South American Plate, produced an overlapping of the
Cordillera Real units onto the Sub-Andean zone along several WNW dipping
thrust planes.
The upper Paleozoic to Mesozoic volcanic and sedimentary formations out-
cropping in the Sub-Andean Zone are the cover of the Precambrian Guyana
molasse: shield (Feininger, 1982). In the area studied they include the volcanic Misahuallf
nonmarine Formation, the terrigeneous and carbonatic Hollfn and Napo formations and
conglomerat
the molasse-type Tena formations. These units of Jurassic-Paleocene age (Bal-
e,
sandstone, dock, 1982) are involved in the structural dome of the Napo uplift. The Sub-
and shale Andean Zone is an extension of a fold-thrust belt which has developed in response
produced to a still active orogenic pulse that began in the Late Miocene. Several granodioritic
from the batholiths crop out along the boundary between the Cordillera Real and the
erosion of Sub-Andean Zone. They form a belt of elongated plutonic bodies of possibly
mountains Jurassic age that can be followed northwards into Colombia.
and
deposited in Continental volcanism began in the late Miocene and is widespread in the
rivers and Interandean Valley, but there is no Quaternary activity south of Lat. 2 S (Barberi
lakes.
 Tectonics of the north-eastern Ecuadorian Andes 43

Fig. 3. Enlargement of Landsat MSS band 7 image. Largest side is 42.5 km long. The NNE-SSW CC
Fault is clearly recognizable (original image at 1:250,000 scale).
44 L. FERRARIand A. TIBALDI

et al., 1988b). The volcanic arc reaches its maximum width in the northern part
of the country, where some stratovolcanoes are present in the Sub-Andean Z o n e
(e.g. the Quaternary Reventador Volcano).

3. T E C T O N I C S

3.1. Structural features

The area studied is mainly in the Cordillera Real. The high mountains are
largely dissected by fluvial and glacial erosion. For this reason the structural
map of Fig. 2 was made integrating field and ph ot ogeological data. The outstanding
feature of this area is a family of linear faults with an overall trend of N 30.
The Cayambe-Chingual fault (CC) is clearly visible on a satellite image (Fig.
3). It extends for more than 70 km from north of the Cayambe volcano to the
northeast into Colombia. Field analyses of slickenside fault surfaces revealed
that the motions were of right-lateral strike-slip type. Two other large strike-slip
faults, E1 Diviso (ED) and La Bonita (LB), parallel the CC to the east. The
latter is connected with the E D by two thrust faults with westward dip. Another
thrust is bounded to north by the LB. Taken as a whole, these structures define
an oblique transpressive zone named the El Dorado Duplex System (Fig. 4).
Close to the principal structures secondary systems of strike-slip faults have
three main trends: N40-55, N15-25 and N135.
Toward the east, a widespread zone of westward dipping thrusts bring into
contact intrusive and metamorphic rocks of the Cordillera Real with volcanic
and sedimentary rocks of the Sub-Andean Zone. The western sector of the
Sub-Andean Zone shows thrusts with a smaller amount of displacement which
extend eastward to Reventador Volcano (Fig. 2). Further to the east, deformation
diminishes in intensity. The area contains a series of titled blocks and a fcw
open folds, then passes gradually to the Amazonian Platform.

Oblique thrusl faults

/i\

Fig. 4. Schematic diagram showing the structure of the El Dorado Duplex System.
 Tectonics of the north-eastern Ecuadorian Andes 45

Fig. 5. A NNE-SSW right-lateral strike-slip fault (the vertical plane in the middle of the frame) displaces a
Late Pleistocene volcanic dome (right) located on the western slope of Reventador Volcano. The part of the
dome shown in the picture is 3 m wide approximately.
46 L. FERRARI and A. TIBALDI

3.2. Neotectonic indicators

The NNE-SSW right-lateral strike-slip faults displace all rock units dating up
to the Late Pleistocene. This is evident in the dome built on the western flank
of Reventador Volcano (whose base is dated 0.3 Ma). The volcano is cut by a
transcurrent fault of the NNE-SSW set (Fig. 5). In contrast the NNE-SSW
reverse faults do not cut these volcanic products and thus belong to an older
phase (Fig. 6). Other Pliocene-Quaternary deposits are lacking but, even so,
two tectonic phases preceded the transcurrent phase and can be recognized after
the Oligocene. A major phase of thrusting took place during the Miocene (Bal-
dock, 1982), and was followed by a second phase of right-lateral thrusting de-
formations (Pasquar~ et al., 1990). Thus, within the Pliocene-Quaternary time
span, it seems resonable to assign a Pliocene age to the oblique thrust phase
and a Quaternary age to the transcurrent phase. Most of the NNE-SSW rectilinear
faults are erosionally immature and exert a small control on the drainage network.
This has proved to be a fairly good indicator of recent faulting (Marino and
Tibaldi, 1989, 1990). Moreover, the uniform sense of displacement of the drainage
pattern shown by some of these faults, (e.g. CC, Fig. 7), is a very important
neotectonic indicator as pointed out by Peizhen et al., (1988). The rivers dissect
a glacial morphology, so we infer that fault motions occurred also after the last
glacial phase [20,000 years, Clapperton and Vera (1986)]. Finally, triangular facets
are widespread along the NNE-SSW fault set.

Fig. 6. Low angle thrust planes displacing Cenozoic units. The photo has been taken along the Rio Malo
(3 km west of Reventador Volcano).
 Tectonics of the north-eastern Ecuadorian Andes 47

Fig. 7. Topography of part of the CC Fault. Note the turning of the tributaries for drag effects along the
fault trace. The distortion of the hydrographic pattern confirms the Quaternary right-lateral strike-slip motions
detected on the slickenside Iault planes.

Where the N N E - S S W transcurrent faults intersect E - W and W N W - E S E left-

lateral strike-slip faults, the two sets displace each other. We consider these
sets conjugated.

3.3. Stress field

Striations from Quarternary fault planes were processed in order to calculate
a state of stress. We used a computer program based on Carey's algorithm
(Carey, 1976, 1979). The method is based on the assumption of Bott (1959) that
slip along the fault plane takes place in the same direction and sense as the
maximum shear stress acting on this plane. The computed stress directions ob-
tained at 26 structural sites are shown in Fig. 8 and partly on the stereographic
projections of Fig. 9 while the stress tensor parameters are presented in Table
1. The computed stress field (Fig. 10) trends W S W - E N E for the greatest principal
stress (~1). In the Sub-Andean Zone a change of the tensor shape produced
the inactivation of the easternmost thrusts and the local development of normal
48 L. FERRARI and A. TIBALD]

LATE / I

PLEISTOCENE-
HOLOCENE

// f;
-0o30 '

6 ~.~.
CC
LB
¢

/
\
/

\ \
-"i,T A

- 0000 '
17
...,,
l 3el"

L
/

0, lOkm
l

77030 '

Fig. 8. Tectonics a n d state of stress during the Quaternary. T h e m a p shows active faults, directions of principal
stresses a n d deformation mechanisms. Converging arrows indicate the direction of greatest principal stress
((~1), diverging arrows that of least principal stress ((r3). N u m b e r s refer to location of structural sites. See
Table 1 for c o m p u t e d stress tensor. Asterisks without n u m b e r s refer to the epicenters of 5th March 1987
e a r t h q u a k e s with arrows representing the P axes.
 Tectonics of the north-eastern Ecuadorian Andes 49

CRIO ~ CR23

,( 0

CA 3 3 " ~ CA34
Fig. 9. Selected stereograms from structural stations used to compute solutions for Quaternary state of stress.
Schmidt projection, lower hemisphere. Numbers of stations as in Fig. 8. See Table 1 for parameters of stress
tensor.

faults. This type of kinematics can be explained by an interchange between %

and %. They allowed volcanic activity to be established.

3.4. Seismological data

We have described a large number of faults, mainly striking N N E - S S W which
have been active in Quaternary times in the north-eastern Ecuadorian Andes.
These data are compatible with the distribution of the shallow seismicity at a
larger scale (Fig. 11). The 93 collected events come from the catalogues of the
N O A A , CERESIS (1986) and Observatorio Astronomico de Quito (1981) for
the years 1903-1987 A.D. Because of the distribution of recording stations of
the international network, the catalogues are incomplete for events with M s <
5 in this area. Nevertheless a high level of seismicity is concentrated along the
50 L. FERRARI and A. TIBALDI

Table 1. Parameters of the deviatoric stress tensor computed from the Quaternary faults of
the northern Cordillera Real

Principal stress direction

0-1 °2 0"3 Shape factor

Site NF Long. Lat. Azim. Dip A2im. Dip Azim. Dip R(e) R(a)
CR 1 5 77029 , 0037 , N 261 1 165 71 351 18 0.29 0.29
CR 2 11 77045 ' 0014' N 70 3 333 67 162 21 0.16 0.16
CR 3 6 77047 ' 0002 , N 85 14 254 75 354 3 0.30 0.30
CR 4 5 77o46 ' 0002' N 258 5 86 85 348 1 0.85 0.85
CR 6 5 77o55 ' (1'24' N 55 16 219 73 322 4 0.47 0.47
CR 7 8 77o54 ' 0019' N 250 14 31 71 156 10 0.47 0.47
CR 9 6 77o57 ' 0009' N 95 6 261 83 6 1 0.37 0.37
CR10 8 77°30 ' 0040' N 84 14 253 75 353 3 0.23 0.23
CR13 7 77o29 ' 0038 ' N 86 12 305 74 179 9 0.07 0.07
CR14 6 77°56 ' (/'23' N 226 7 91 79 317 7 0.30 0.30
CR15 6 77o46 ' 0013' N 236 7 352 72 144 15 0.32 0.32
CR16 6 77042' 0002 , S 254 5 92 84 344 1 0.04 0.04
CR20 11 77047' 0004 , S 79 2 343 76 170 13 0.33 0.33
CR23 5 77044 ' 0001' N 239 1 330 29 148 69 0.02 0.02
CR29 6 77°44 ' 0001' N 35 6 286 71 126 16 0.77 0.77
CR30 5 77o44 ' 0000' 253 8 42 80 160 4 0.82 0.82
CR33 5 77043 , 0°04 ' S 83 9 314 75 175 11 0.53 0.53
CR34 7 77°31 ' 0004' N 195 79 62 7 330 8 2.90 0.34
CR35 5 77036 ' 0007 , S 292 80 57 6 148 8 2.27 0.47
CR36 6 77042' 0007 ' S 35 8 261 78 123 9 0.32 0.32
CR37 8 77041' 0008 , S 4!3 16 214 74 312 3 0.54 0.54
CR39 6 77030 ' 0o04 ' N 207 81 44 8 314 3 45.01 0.02

Sites are numbered as in Fig. 7. NF is the number of the fault planes used in computing the
solutions. In each station 100% of the observed slip vectors show less than 150 of deviations
from the predicted ones. Azimuths are measured clockwise from north; dip is toward the
m e a s u r e d a z i m u t h . R(e)= (o2-o3)/(Ol-O3); its v a l u e v a r i e s b e t w e e n + ~ to -~.~;
R(a) = (o2-cr3)/(Ol-O3); its value varies between 0 and 1.

NNE-SSW Interandean Valley and the Cordillera Real. A number of historical

events during the period 1561-1905 A.D. have also been reported in this area.
Seven large earthquakes (estimated intensity of Mercalli scale IX) occurred in
the area of Fig. 11 (Observatorio de Astronomico Quito, 1959). These data
demonstrate tectonic movements along the eastern zone of the northern
Ecuadorian Andes, including the Interandean Valley, the Cordillera Real and,
at a lower level, the Sub-Andean Zone. The western Andes (i.e. Cordillera
Occidental), in contrast show lower levels of crustal tectonic activity (Barberi
et al., 1988a; Pasquar~ et al., 1990).
The epicenters of the two large events that occurred on 5th March 1987 (b
and c in Fig. 11) show a NNE-SSW alignment, coincident with the orientation
of Quaternary faults recognized in the field. A similar alignment is shown by
the microseismicity recorded during the periods January-April 1981 (1 in Fig.
11) and December 1986-March 1987 (2 and 3 in Fig. 11) (Barberi et aL, 1988a).
 Tectonics of the north-eastern Ecuadorian A n d e s 51

,,
f ' ~ I l
I /I I
I I /" %
el I // |
x \ l /
% % CR l A
j A
A
__.~" % ." I SAZ X
/ XI iiI 'A% "%. /
I % X o .~ \ J
, ~ ~ /,,
~ , ' ', / "-

.o~.~,

./< !,
";- , / / t
/ ', ,;,, ,/- ,__,,-

Fig. 10. Q u a t e r n a r y stress field m a p c o m p u t e d from the data presented in this work. C o n t i n u o u s and
dashed lines show average trajectories of O'Hmax and O'Hmin respectively.

The focal mechanisms of some of these events have been published and are
shown in Fig. 11 (data in Table 2). The events of 5 March 1987 (USGS, 1987)
show a dominant thrust motion with a right-lateral strike-slip component (b
and c Fig. 11). Centroid Moment Tensor solutions for the same events (Dziewonski
et al., 1988) show nearly pure thrust motions but very similar P and T axes
(Table 2). The event of 5 August 1949 (Woodward & Clyde, 1981) (e in Fig.
11) shows almost pure transcurrent motions along NE-SW striking plane. The
NNE-SSW and NE-SW nodal planes were assumed to be the fault planes because
all the major faults of the area have the same orientation. All these solutions
agree quite well with the microtectonic analyses. The 390 motion vectors collected
52 L. FERRARI and A. TIBALDI

\ ~ ~ d . ~

7 ;'
\ \

/
IV //+" j
co
/ /'~/
J ' .
(, © ') .

/
7 •
(
) /
X
e
×? . J "+

• L"Q U I T O × Ix" SAZ

, •
):,~
I / "~" -
/ 0 ""~ _;./ I
X ~ /X
/ . / "./

x
/.~ ~
°+(] / oX
/ / /×
/. • //", / { ~ 0 MAG= ]°0
1 " "~ ./ ], r t

/ "" " / MAC-= 6°0

/

/
i

o o MAG= 5°0
l MAG= 4.0
t

X UNKNOWN
i t k_~ I
7~ • 7~
Fi~ 11. Epicenter distribution map. CO, Cordillera Occidental; IV, Interandean Valley; CR, Cordillera Real;
SAZ, Sub-Andean Zone. Numbers 1, 2 and 3 refer to microseismicity analysis discussed in the text. Letters
refer to focal mechanisms: after Woodward & Clyde (1981), b and c after Barberi et al. (1988a); black arrows
show horizontal direction of P axis; Schmidt projection, lower hemisphere.

on the Quaternary slickensided fault planes show predominant right-lateral strike-

slip motions along N N E - S S W main faults, with subsidiary thrust components.
The isoseismal map of the event of 5th March 1987 shows a clear N N E - S S W
elongation (Fig. 12). Since the isoseismal shape depends on the hypocentral
depth of the related event and on geological structures such as basins, it cannot
be directly linked to the trend of the seismogenetic structure (Panza et al., 1992).
 Tectonics of the north-eastern Ecuadorian A n d e s 53

Table 2. Parameters of the earthquakes discussed in the text

T axis P axis
Depth
Date Time Lat. Long. (km) Ms Tr. PI. Tr. PI. Method Source

A 5 Aug,1949 19:08:55 -1.23S -78.40W 45 6.7 39 53 265 46 CFM 1

B 6 Mar, 1987 01:54:57 0.10N -77.65W 14 6.1 218 50 102 21 MTS 3
B 6 Mar, 1987 01:54:49 0.05N -77.65W 14 6.1 218 50 102 21 MTS 3
C 6 Mar, 1987 04:10:.55 -0.06S -77.84W 15 6.9 268 71 100 19 CMT 2
C 6 Mar, 1987 04:10:.42 0.15N -77.82W 49 6.9 196 52 82 17 MTS 3

C F M = Composite Focal Mechanism; C M T = Centroid M o m e n t Tensor; MTS = M o m e n t T e n s o r Solution; 1,

W o o d w a r d & Clyde (1981); 2, U.S.G.S. (1987); 3, Dziewonski et al. (1988),

Even so, as all the major structures of the area strike NNE-SSW, the isoseismals
elongation seems to correlate with fault strike.
A more detailed picture of macroseismicity is revealed by the distribution of
the landslides triggered by the March 5 1987 earthquakes (Cavallin et al., 1989)
(Fig. 12). Although the amount of landslides resulted to be fairly well correlated
with the lithology and the acclivity, those factors have an influence only on a
small scale, so that the general pattern may be reasonable comparable to an
isoseismal map. On this map the effects of the earthquakes are observable along
a wide zone elongated in a NNE-SSW direction for about 70 km. Such a length
is comparable with the fault rupture length expected from the magnitude of the
events according to the curves of Slemmons (1977).

4. D I S C U S S I O N AND CONCLUSIONS

Field observations carried out in the northern Ecuadorian Andes have demon-
strated Quaternary tectonic activity in the eastern belt, which includes the Inter-
andean Valley, the Cordillera Real and the westernmost part of the Sub-Andean
Zone. These data are consistent with the recorded seismic activity of the Ecua-
dorian Andes, which is concentrated in its eastern part and is very scarce in the
Cordillera Occidental.
The relatively low level of seismicity in the western Sub-Andean Zone seems
to contradict the neotectonic field evidence. However, the seismic data set is
quite poor both for low magnitude and for historic events. According to field
observations, Quaternary motions took place along major N N E - S S W and N-S
faults and some rare secondary N W - S E faults. The most developed faults of
the area trend NNE-SSW. Among them is the 70 km-long CC Fault. This fault
partly coincides with a lineament published in the Baldock map (1982), but is
recognized here as a Quaternary and active master fault. The two large events
of 5 March 1987 and the recorded microseismicity also define a N N E - S S W
trend (Fig. 11). The same orientation is shown by the isoseismal map of those
events (Fig. 12), based on surface damage and on landslide distribution.
54 L. FERRARIand A. TIBALDI

I ~ 78
"--'-/-.-._._.,. , \
/ , \
/ ".~ . ~ . \
i \
i Vl

0' / //d v/ 4v. ~ \ \

/ x /7"/ /

I
\\ \\~//J//
/
' / \

\ ,
Fig. 12. Isoseismal map ol the 5th March 1987 earthquake [after Barberi et aL (1988a)]. The intensity (Mercalli
scale) is indicated for each line. Boxes represent the two main shocks epicenters with magnitude. Smaller
areas within sinuous lines represent percentage of landslide area for this seismic events (white = 1-30%,
heavy lines = 31-6%, light lines 60%) [data after Cavallin et aL (1989)1.
 Tectonics of the north-eastern Ecuadorian Andes 55

The Cayambe-Chingual Fault and the parallel swarm underwent right-lateral

strike-slip motions, while the secondary N W - S E faults underwent left-lateral
strike-slip motions. In addition, a thrust component has been recognized on
N-S en echelon faults as well as on some other NNE-SSW faults. This right-lateral
thrusting is also revealed by the focal mechanisms of the 5 March 1987 events
(Fig. 11).
By combining the Quaternary orientations of principal stresses, obtained from
microtectonic analyses, with the direction of the P axes of focal mechanisms, it
is possible to calculate the stress field in the shallow crust (Fig. 10). The north-
eastern Andes are subject to a regional E N E - W S W horizontal greatest principal
stress(o'Hmax). In the Cordillera Real this stress is coincident with o-:. The regional
horizontal least principal stress (O'nmin) is oriented N N W - S S E and is coincident
with cr3 or cr2 depending on whether strike-slip or thrust motion is predominant.
These data are useful for evaluating the geometry and kinematics of the principal
tectonic units. The upper crustal units are bounded by sectors of the Cordillera
Real moving toward the NNE along major N N E - S S W right-lateral strike-slip
faults (S in Fig. 13). They mostly dip toward the WNW at high angles. Alternatively,
the regional stress can induce strike-slip motions with a variable thrust component
along faults dipping toward the WNW at a lower angle (T in Fig. 13). N-S en
enchelon faults can be activated with a predominant thrust component (E in
Fig. 13). We suggest that the N-S en echelon faults converge at depth in N N E -
SSW striking planes. This implies contemporaneous strike-slip and oblique thrust
deformations. Such a partitioning of the motion has been observed both in

"'~\ !

~-'-~'~ 5th MOrcl]event

Fig. 13. Schematic three-dimensional model of Late Pleistocene-Holocene faulting in the northern Cordillera
Real. Focal mechanisms with shaded areas represent theoretical types of motions which could develop along
NNE-SSW and N-S faults as inferred from structural field observations. S, Right-lateral strike--slip faults; T,
right-lateral strike-slip faults with a thrust component; E, en echelon faults with predominant thrust component.
56 L. FERRARI and A. TIBALDI

. . . . . !
~'r
/
Ir
|
Ylle
• o ~ • ~ . ,, o •

')
/"I~ /" Colombia
• a: . .. .j'-" ...... \ i¢ c- "-
........ L..::::
. . . . "::::-... - ....... .i
.~ / ,.o°°.- -

.........i j '%
Carnegie RidOe f.,-;

• , j i
i
........... .::- ..,,I.0~ ,::.." /
/
-if* /Y" / ~; /
.:.:.............. ;::i:! / /
i

..... .'2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. "],'"*'':':"

. . . . ,..,. / •
/..-, "'" ~ o~ ~Io
• lOOkm,
• :._....,
°/
.t
..,." .
. i"
/Guaya,,,~
• / I
e..l I • Areal8 ~ g o p o r
~° S ,.'; "'° .,- "~.. I ,..° 3°00,,

;¢ ~ 0 '
• . ...::::::...', •

Fig. 14. Major Quaternary tectonic features of Ecuador and surrounding areas, according to the results of
this study and Tibaldi and Ferrari (1992).

experimental models and in other areas of the world (Abers and McCaffrey,
1988; Tapponnier et al., 1989; Richard and Cobbold, 1989)•
Finally, these structures can be correlated with the Pallatanga fault system
(Winter and Lavenu, 1989) and with the fault zone of the east Andean front
of Colombia (Pennington, 1981). The data presented in this work provide field
evidence for the right-lateral Quaternary character of this large fault zone bound-
ing the Andean Block• Other large strike-slip Quaternary motions have been
recognized in the Interandean Valley (Tibaldi and Ferrari, 1992) providing further
insights into the transcurrent fragmentation of the Andean Block (Fig. 14).
Acknowledgements--This work was largely carried out in the frame of a contract between the University of
Milan and ELC- Electroconsult Society, Milan, Italy. Field work by A.T. benefited also of a Ph.D. grant from
Ministero Italiano della Pubblica Istruzione. We are indebted to W. Balseca, M. Ferraris and G. Pasquar6
for field assistance and G. Zonno for useful discussions. We wish to thank R. Cassinis for critically reading
the manuscript and P. Cobbold for the peer review of the work. D. Agalbato provided the earthquake catalogues
and A. Ranzoni kindly assisted us in drawing the epicenter distribution map. INECEL- Quito supplied helicopter
and logistic facilities. RODIO provided accommodation in a jungle camp.

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