| * Stage 1. Late Triassic-Early Jurassic: prior to the onset of subduction on its western margin, this part of Gondwana was characterized by large transcurrent fault systems. This led to extensional tectonics whitin the basin and the evolution of a series of narrow, isolated depocentres ([[:File:2.png|Figure 2]]).<ref>Manceda, R., & D. Figueroa, 1995, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/specpubs/memoir62/18manced/0369.htm Inversion of the Mesozoic Neuquén rift in the Malargue fold and thrust belt, Mendoza, Argentina], in: A. J. Tankard, S. R. Suarez, & H. J. Welsink (eds), Petroleum Basins of South America, [http://store.aapg.org/detail.aspx?id=476 AAPG Memoir 62], pp. 369-382.</ref><ref name=Vergani>Vergani, G. D., A. J. Tankard, H. J. Belotti, & H. J. Welsink, 1995, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/specpubs/memoir62/19vergan/0383.htm Tectonic evolution and paleogeography of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina], in: A. J. Tankard, R. Suárez Soruco & H. J. Welsink (eds), Petroleum Basins of South America, [http://store.aapg.org/detail.aspx?id=476 AAPG Memoir 62], pp. 383-402. </ref><ref>Franzese, J. R., & L. A. Spalletti, 2001, Late Triassic –early Jurassic continental extension in southwestern Gondwana: tectonic segmentation and pre-break up rifting: Journal of South American Earth Sciences, vol. 4, pp. 257-270.</ref> | | * Stage 1. Late Triassic-Early Jurassic: prior to the onset of subduction on its western margin, this part of Gondwana was characterized by large transcurrent fault systems. This led to extensional tectonics whitin the basin and the evolution of a series of narrow, isolated depocentres ([[:File:2.png|Figure 2]]).<ref>Manceda, R., & D. Figueroa, 1995, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/specpubs/memoir62/18manced/0369.htm Inversion of the Mesozoic Neuquén rift in the Malargue fold and thrust belt, Mendoza, Argentina], in: A. J. Tankard, S. R. Suarez, & H. J. Welsink (eds), Petroleum Basins of South America, [http://store.aapg.org/detail.aspx?id=476 AAPG Memoir 62], pp. 369-382.</ref><ref name=Vergani>Vergani, G. D., A. J. Tankard, H. J. Belotti, & H. J. Welsink, 1995, [http://archives.datapages.com/data/specpubs/memoir62/19vergan/0383.htm Tectonic evolution and paleogeography of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina], in: A. J. Tankard, R. Suárez Soruco & H. J. Welsink (eds), Petroleum Basins of South America, [http://store.aapg.org/detail.aspx?id=476 AAPG Memoir 62], pp. 383-402. </ref><ref>Franzese, J. R., & L. A. Spalletti, 2001, Late Triassic –early Jurassic continental extension in southwestern Gondwana: tectonic segmentation and pre-break up rifting: Journal of South American Earth Sciences, vol. 4, pp. 257-270.</ref> |
| * Stage 3. Late Cretaceous-Cenozoic: transition to a shallowly dipping subduction zone resulting in compression and flexural subsidence, asocciated with 45-57 km of cristal shortening<ref>Introcaso, A., M. C. Pacino, & H. Fraga, 1992. Gravity, isostasy and Andean crustal shortening between latitudes 30° and 35°S: Tectonophysics, 205, pp. 31-48.</ref><ref>Ramos, V.A., 1999, Evolución Tectónica de la Argentina, in: R. Caminos (ed.) Geología Argentina. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales, Anales, 29, 715-759. </ref> and uplift of the foreland thrust belt (Fig. 2).<ref name=Veiga_et_al /> | | * Stage 3. Late Cretaceous-Cenozoic: transition to a shallowly dipping subduction zone resulting in compression and flexural subsidence, asocciated with 45-57 km of cristal shortening<ref>Introcaso, A., M. C. Pacino, & H. Fraga, 1992. Gravity, isostasy and Andean crustal shortening between latitudes 30° and 35°S: Tectonophysics, 205, pp. 31-48.</ref><ref>Ramos, V.A., 1999, Evolución Tectónica de la Argentina, in: R. Caminos (ed.) Geología Argentina. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales, Anales, 29, 715-759. </ref> and uplift of the foreland thrust belt (Fig. 2).<ref name=Veiga_et_al /> |