Influencia de la falla de Galera en el relieve del sector oriental del Geoparque de Granada (Cordillera Bética central)

Abstract

The badlands between Castilléjar and Galera is one of the most significant features of the Ganada Geopark landscape. These badlands are related to the Galera Fault. This 30 km-long active structure presents a strike-slip kinematics with a minor reverse component. Fault slip rates of the Galera Fault are low, ~0.5 mm/yr of strike-slip rate and 0.02-0.05 mm/yr of ver- tical slip rate. We carried out a quantitative Analysis of the topography and drainage network by means of the application of different geomorphic indexes (PRF, AF, SL and Vf) to check the tectonic activity. Our studies show that, despite the low fault-slip rate, fault-related displacement controls the evolution of the landscape, because of the high erodibility of outcro- pping rocks and semi-arid conditions. The strike-slip component of the Galera Fault is responsible for stream deflections, fault-strike-subparallel channels, and the development of a pull-apart basin. Uplift related to the Galera Fault generated an asymmetric landscape between fault blocks. In the south uplifted block streams are generally shorter, less mature, with stee- per longitudinal profiles, higher valley incision, and smaller catchments. Bandlands landscape develops in this south block during the last 500 kyr. In the downthrown north block, streams are generally longer, more mature, with gentler longitudinal profiles, less valley incision, and larger catchments.