Paleogeographic Evolution of Amazonia: Unveiling the ancient landscape through numerical geodynamics

Science / Geosciences

Over the past few decades, various models have been put forth to explain the formation of the present-day Amazon river basin in tandem with the emergence of the Andean mountain range. However, barring a few exceptions, these models are predominantly qualitative, lacking a physical foundation to ascertain their feasibility, or overly simplified, thereby overlooking crucial processes in the model. This project is focused on conducting a quantitative analysis of the evolution of the Amazon River basin through intricate computer models. These models integrate aspects of climate, surface erosion, sedimentation processes, and the Earth’s internal dynamics. Geological and geophysical data will be utilized as a standard to ascertain whether numerical experiments can effectively mimic the evolution of the landscape and the sedimentary filling of both the interior and marginal basins. This research can potentially establish significant connections to the paleogeographic and paleoclimatic evolution and its implications on biodiversity in northern South America during the formation of the Andes mountain range.

Amount invested

Grant 2019: R$ 98.008,00
  • Topics
  • Amazon River
  • Andes Mountains
  • Computational models