The Future

Andean Region, Colombia

The Andean Region made up of Cordillera Occidental, Cordillera Central, and Cordillera Oriental.

 

Creation of the Andean Region landscape:

The Cordillera Occidental, Cordillera Central, and Cordillera Oriental comprise the Andean region in Colombia and were formed through the convergent (subduction) process. The area originated in the Paleozoic ear when the Nazca tectonic plate collapsed with the South American plate. The Cordilleras are a product of different formation processes and are shaped through the river valleys that divide the peaks from one another. The Andes in Colombia will continue to experience orogenic events because the Nazca Plate, moving at 3.7cm/ year, is still sliding beneath the South American Plate. The subduction is also producing minor to major earthquakes and volcanic activity. 

The Cordilleras were formed through the subduction process of the Nazca tectonic plate moving underneath the South American plate. The three mountains are divided by the Cauca River Valley and the Magdalena River Valley.

This shows the process of subduction where the Nazca plate is moving underneath the South American plate. The friction of the plates causes the Andes to grow and also produces volcanoes such as the Galera volcano.

The Andean Region in 1,000 years:

In 1,000 years the Nazca plate will have moved 37 meters under the South American plate, which will move the three Cordillera Mountain ranges to the east. One thing to remember is that the Galeras, a stratovolcano, in addition to many other volcanoes, is on the fault line. Plate movements can possible cause eruption, which can cause not only biotic destruction, but a climate change as well.  Multiple volcanic eruptions will cause cooler temperatures in Colombia. This particular type of volcano can inject large amounts of particulate, of which includes sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide gas where it combines with water in the stratosphere to form sulfuric acid. Solar radiation cannot penetrate aerosols and volcanic particulate in the atmosphere, lowering Earth’s temperature. In addition to volcanic activity, plate movement will cause multiple earthquakes, which will be deeper and longer because of continual plate collision.

With the increased amount of plate movements, there will be not only multiple volcanic eruptions but also the formation of mountains.

The Andean Region in 10,000 years:

Assuming the Nazca plate keeps moving at the current rate, by 10,000 years it would already have moved a total of 370m into the South American plate. This subduction zone will continue to push the Cordilleras east, while creating volcanoes and earthquakes and another mountain range. Similarly, with the increasing volcanism that causes decreases in regional and global temperatures, Colombia’s climate may change from a fluvial landscape to a glacial and temperate landscape. The cooling temperatures will activate alpine glaciation in the Cordilleras (south of Colombia) while northern Colombia will have a cooler climate. The area will experience massive landslides as volcanic eruptions heat the glaciers and cause major lahar/debris flow. 

This shows that we are currently in a glacial age where the world's climate is cooler than usual. This is likely to occur in Colombia because of the many volcanic eruptions due to the movement of the plates. 

The Andean Region in 1,000,000 years: 

In 1 million years, assuming the Earth is in a glacial age as result of violent volcanism,  the Andean region will look different than today. The Nazca Plate would have already moved 37 kilometers under the South American plate, wedging the Galapagos Archipelago into the Colombian coast. The two river valleys between the Cordilleras will have most likely turned to ice and there will be a col landform where the ice from the mountain range fell.  The rest of the landscape will be carved out by the glacier plucking and carving, resulting in u-shaped valleys.

 

Conclusion:

The Andean region in Colombia will change over the next thousand, ten thousand, and one million years. Different geographical processes will cause the formation of mountains, as well as an increase in volcanism, earthquakes, and erosion.

 

References:

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107419.html

http://whatonearth.olehnielsen.dk/nazca.asp

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqarchives/poster/regions/nazca.php

http://clasfaculty.ucdenver.edu/callen/1202/Battle/Build/PlateTectonics/PlateTectonics.html

http://clasfaculty.ucdenver.edu/callen/1202/Battle/Build/VolcanicIn/Intrusive.html

https://www.google.com/search?q=colombia+geography&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=OSLBUPi1CMLY2gX9xYHoBA&biw=1280&bih=917&sei=OiLBUOb3MYe72QX0lIDoDA

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