Fold Friday: Morro Solar, Peru

Unique boxcar folds in the La Herradura Formation near Lima, Peru.

Credit: Wikipedia / Miguel Vera León

Welcome to Let’s Talk Outcrop, your newsletter all about Earth Science. I send weekly Tuesday and Friday emails explaining cutting-edge research, interesting topics in Earth Science, or examining fundamental Earth processes.

This series, Fold Friday, is exclusively for paid subscribers and offers an in-depth summary of some amazing folded formations I have found.

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Compression of geologic layers from tectonic forces shortening rocks' lengths, the rocks can fold and/or break. Brittle deformation of rocks leads to breaks in the geology, creating earthquakes and faults. Compression of geology that still isn't entirely solidified or partially melted units can create folds instead of faults.

Unique folds we have explored in the past are chevron-style folds and acute folds. Check out the archive of Fold Friday to see those articles. (Fold Friday is a series for paid subscribers only, so if you would like full access, please consider a paid subscription!)

The capital and largest city of Peru is Lima, and resides on the western coast of Peru within an alluvial basin formed from runoff from the western Andes mountains.

Sedimentary basins at the base of mountain ranges are common locations for civilization settlements that have blossomed into bustling cities. The basin where Lima was settled offers runoff water from the mountains, shelter from storms moving from the east, moderate temperature ranges, and soils utilized for farming.

The mountains outside of Lima, and controlling the west coast of all South America, are a consequence of tectonic collisions and uplifting continental rocks.