Geographical and geological explorations of the La Plata Museum 1884–1905

The contributions of the La Plata Museum to the geology of Argentina began following the exploratory trips of its founder, F.P. Moreno, in the 1870s. The geological expeditions of the La Plata Museum started in the 1880s and covered the Andean region, although they were focused in the Patagonian Andes. They became more important from 1893 when they were related to explorations aimed at fixing the boundary between Argentina and Chile. Within 10 years the geographical and geological bases of large and almost unknown regions were established. R. Hauthal studied the area between the Last Hope Inlet and Lake Belgrano, defining its stratigraphy and publishing the first geological map of the Cordilleran region between c. 49° 30' and 52° S. The geology between Lake Buenos Aires and the Rio Negro (41–47° S) was established by Santiago Roth. The stratigraphic succession, facies and structural changes through the Argentine–Chilean Cordillera at the latitude of Lake Nahuel Huapi and Lake Lacar were studied by L. Wehrli, while studies at the latitude of Neuquén and Mendoza (36–39° S) were carried out by C. Burckhardt. Mesozoic and Cenozoic fossils were studied either in the Museum or abroad.