Research Article| February 01, 2011 Asynchronous Miocene–Pliocene exhumation of the central Venezuelan Andes Mauricio A. Bermúdez; Mauricio A. Bermúdez * 1Institut des Sciences de la Terre CNRS, Université Joseph Fourier, BP53, 38041 Grenoble, France2Laboratorios de Termocronología y Geomatemáticas, Escuela de Geología, Minas y Geofísica, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela *E-mail: mauricio.bermudez@ing.ucv.ve. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Peter van der Beek; Peter van der Beek 1Institut des Sciences de la Terre CNRS, Université Joseph Fourier, BP53, 38041 Grenoble, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Matthias Bernet Matthias Bernet 1Institut des Sciences de la Terre CNRS, Université Joseph Fourier, BP53, 38041 Grenoble, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Mauricio A. Bermúdez * 1Institut des Sciences de la Terre CNRS, Université Joseph Fourier, BP53, 38041 Grenoble, France2Laboratorios de Termocronología y Geomatemáticas, Escuela de Geología, Minas y Geofísica, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela Peter van der Beek 1Institut des Sciences de la Terre CNRS, Université Joseph Fourier, BP53, 38041 Grenoble, France Matthias Bernet 1Institut des Sciences de la Terre CNRS, Université Joseph Fourier, BP53, 38041 Grenoble, France *E-mail: mauricio.bermudez@ing.ucv.ve. Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 15 Jul 2010 Revision Received: 06 Sep 2010 Accepted: 09 Sep 2010 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2011 Geological Society of America Geology (2011) 39 (2): 139–142. https://doi.org/10.1130/G31582.1 Article history Received: 15 Jul 2010 Revision Received: 06 Sep 2010 Accepted: 09 Sep 2010 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Mauricio A. Bermúdez, Peter van der Beek, Matthias Bernet; Asynchronous Miocene–Pliocene exhumation of the central Venezuelan Andes. Geology 2011;; 39 (2): 139–142. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G31582.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Constraining the uplift and exhumation history of the Venezuelan Andes is critical for understanding the complex geodynamic evolution of northern South America. We present new apatite fission-track (AFT) data from the Sierra Nevada de Mérida in the central Venezuelan Andes and compare the results with previously published AFT data for the Sierra La Culata (El Carmen block) to the north. The AFT data are combined with three-dimensional thermal modeling to constrain the exhumation and relief history of both blocks, which show significant differences. The Sierra Nevada indicates exhumation rates of ∼1.7 km/m.y. from ca. 10 Ma until 4 Ma, decreasing to ∼0.4 km/m.y. from 4 Ma to present; the El Carmen block, in contrast, underwent much more rapid recent exhumation, with rates of ∼1.4 km/m.y. since 4 Ma. The data suggest ∼4 km of relative rock uplift of the Sierra La Culata with respect to the Sierra Nevada since 4 Ma and support significant uplift of basement blocks along major preexisting discontinuities during transpression in the Northern Andes, linked to accretion of the Panama arc and indentation of the Maracaibo block. Rapid Middle–Late Miocene exhumation in the Sierra Nevada resulted from surface uplift that caused the Late Miocene deflection of the Orinoco River inferred from the Neogene sedimentary record. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.