Relief of Euskadi: Geological History and Formation
Relief of Euskadi
Geological History
The relief of Euskadi has been shaped by periods of orogenic calm and activity, erosion, and sedimentation during ice ages. This has resulted in a diverse landscape with varied relief units and climates. The main geological events responsible for the current relief are the Hercynian orogeny in the Paleozoic Era and the Alpine orogeny in the Tertiary Period.
We can divide the geological history of Euskadi into the following eras:
- Archaic
- Primary
- Secondary
- Tertiary
- Quaternary
During the Archaic Era, materials from this age are nonexistent as the entire area was covered by water.
In the Primary Era, also known as the Hercynian period, the early reliefs of Euskadi emerged. The materials are silicon, metamorphic, and magmatic.
During the Secondary Era, the entire territory was submerged except for the Paleozoic massifs. Erosion of the reliefs and sedimentation in the water took place.
The Tertiary Era saw the Alpine orogeny, which lifted sediments to form materials such as flysch. Primary materials fractured instead of folding, causing faults.
In the Quaternary Era, glacial and interglacial periods resulted in glacial modeling. The current drainage network was formed during this period.
Relief Units
, climates … The main protagonists were the current relief Horogénea in the Paleozoic Hercynian and Alpine Horogénea in geological history Terciario.Podemos split into the following eras: Archaic, Primary, Secondary and the Archean era Terciaria.En the materials of this age are nonexistent because the entire area was covered with Primary agua.es era following the O Hercynian emerge early reliefs of Euskadi. The material is silicon, the material was magmáticos.En metamorphic and Secondary entire territory was under the sea except Paleozoic massifs. In this age takes place the process of erosion of the reliefs and sedimentation in the Tertiary agua.es a result ofOr were the Alpine folds that lifted the sediments sediments to form materials such as flysh. Furthermore primary materials instead of folding fallas.En fractured causing the Quaternary as a result of glacial and interglacial periods, formed a glacier modeling. In this period the drainage network was formed we have actualmente.El Euskadi relief is divided into three units: Pyrenees, Basque Mountains and the Pyrenees Ebro.Los depression can be distinguished into three parts: Pyrenees Axial (center), South Slope ( south) and North Slope (France) Axial Pyrenees is made up of remnants of the Massif lo9s Aquitaine Larrun eg, Peñas de Aya, or Betelu Cinco Villas. These mountains are not high but have a steep slope. The Axial Pyrenees consists of Paleozoic or silicon material to rise up in the primary was the O Hercynian. The O Hercynian was a time of major earth movements and clashes of boxes that caused the uplift of the Paleozoic massifs. Subsequently, the remains were lifted thanks to the O Alpina. These hard materials to be fractured leading to a Germanic structure with raised blocks (horst) and hollow blocks (graben). In the Axial Pyrenees affects periglacial morphogenetic system, leading to a process gelifraccion.La South side is formed by the mountains inland, depression and saws inside exteriores.Lasinland mountain ranges are the industry’s longest and highest material prepirineovasco.Es limestone karst landscape with sinkholes formed by, sinkholes, caves, chasms etcLa inland basin extends from Lumbier to Pamplona to continue, Araquil row. This material consists of tertiary and clay material.
The outer ranges are made for forgiveness, Alaiz, Izkoy Leire, which are a continuation of the central highlands and southern Africa. Predominates with a limestone material landscape last kasrtico.La Axial Pyrenees area is the North Slope. Is located in the French region of Landes, St Pee and Hasparren. This consists of a soft modeling with broad valleys, river valleys eroded by rivers. It follows sedimentario.La material relief unit Basque Basque Mountains are differentiated into two sectors, Basque mountains north of the watershed and the southern hills and basins, south of the northern sector divisoria.En we can distinguish four units: Tertiary coastal chain, the northern coastal anticlinorium the synclinorium anticlinorium of Bizkaia and Bizkaia.LaTertiary coastal chain extends from Getaria up Jaizkibel alignment. This material consists of marine sandstones and by flysh. This material is composed of alternating limestones and northern coastal anticlinorium margas.El stands between him and Cinco Villas massif Cape Matxitxako. This material consists of limestone, with a landscape karstico.El synclinorium Bizkaia is located between Point Galea and Aldudes. It has a landscape with rounded shapes and narrow river valleys of Biscay anticlinorium encajados.El is located between the massif of Cinco Villas and mountains of Ordunte. This consists of a spectacular karst landscape, vast underground networks and forms the watershed of the Cantabrian and South Mediterráneo.Al watershed can find the hills and southern basins divided into 4 sectors: Alava plain, the western highlands, the central mountains and hills meridionales.LaAlavesa flat delñ progression is pre-Pyrenees, is formed by rolling hills sedimentario.Las Westerners are a set of hills around the plain of Alava. Are formed by limestone mountains and margas.Las Alavesa central plain separating the Ebro depression is of the central highlands of Urbasa, Andia, Entzia …. This consists of limestone material up on the O Alpina.La Basque relief last unit is the Ebro depression. This is located where did the Palaeozoic massif of the Ebro in the O Hercynian and later sank in the O Alpina, running from the sea and surrounded by mountains. In the quaternary era were sedimenting material was eroded from the nearby mountains and simultaneously evaporating water was covering him. Predominant clay material and sediment, with a landscape Tabulas very easy to be eroded by water action resulting in bad lands, gullies …