Morphological and lithostratigraphic characterization of the Upper sub-basin of the Jatunhuaycu river, in the west Antisana volcano, Napo, Ecuador

Abstract

The upper sub-basin of the Jatunhuaycu river is southwest of the Antisana volcano. This sub-basin provides water to a part of the city of Quito; whence multidisciplinary studies have been developed in this area however the geomorphological characteristics of this sub-basin have not been previously reported. This study is supported by the geomorphological and lithological analysis of the geoforms observed in the upper sub-basin of the Jatunhuaycu river. This study describes nine morphological units: old glacial cirques, horn, escarpments, sandbanks, truncated valley, drumlins and tills, river valley, and colluvials. In association, these geoforms describe the transition from glacial to fluvial environments in a post-glacial stage, a process that currently controls the relief in the study area.