Palaeomagnetism of alkaline lava flows from El Salto-Almafuerte, Córdoba Province, Argentina

Summary. Stable components of magnetization have been isolated in 15 lava flows (mean K-Ar age 123 ± 4 Myr) from the alkaline sequence outcropping at El Salto-Almafuerte, Province of Cordoba, Argentina. Magnetic and geologic stratigraphy, as well as K-Ar ages indicate that this sequence was probably extruded in the Lower Cretaceous during the first volcanic cycle of the Sierra de los Condores Group (Vulcanitas Cerro Colorado Formation). The palaeomagnetic pole-position for El Salto-Almafuerte lava flows, computed from the mean of 15 virtual geomagnetic poles and denoted SAK7, is: 25° E, 72° S (k= 35, α95= 6.5°); it is fairly close to other Lower Cretaceous palaeomagnetic poles for South America. The elongated distribution of Cretaceous palaeomagnetic poles suggest recurrent drift for South America in early Cretaceous time. The palaeomagnetic and radiometric data for the igneous rocks from El Salto-Almafuerte support the magnetic reversal time-scale for the early Cretaceous suggested by oceanic magnetic lineations.