Geomorphic and tectonic evolution of the Ecuadorian Andes

In Early Miocene times the Cordillera did not exist and the Pacific Ocean reached the Oriente. In the Middle Miocene, the uplift of an elongated swell, consisting of Palaeozoic and older rocks, created the Eastern Cordillera. Decollements were activated diverging away from the Eastern Cordillera. In the eastern trench, located approximately in correspondence with the present day Interandean Depression, many thousands of meters of sediments were deposited. A planation surface was created at the end of Lower Pliocene from the Costa to the Oriente graded to sea level. Later, ignimbric flows covered much of the planation surface. Uplift brought the planation surface to 3500–4000 m. The Interandean Depression, bounded by normal faults, was created during the Upper Pliocene, and large strato-volcanoes erupted at this time. The volcanic activity contributed to the filling of an accumulation plateau preserved today in many parts of the Interandean Depression. The creation of the Interandean Depression is the result of lateral spreading activated as a consequence of uplift of the Cordillera. In the Middle and Late Pleistocene the Cordillera and the Accumulation plateau were mostly affected by downcutting with minor episodes of accumulation during the cold phases.