Relief evolution of the Continental Rift of Southeast Brazil revealed by in situ-produced 10Be concentrations in river-borne sediments

• The denudation dynamics of the Continental Rift of Southeast Brazil was studied.
• The seaward-facing scarps are more denudated than the inland-facing scarps.
• Lithology, climate, catchment relief and gradient, determine the denudation rates.
• The results suggest a reduction in intraplate tectonic activity.

This study aims to quantify the denudation dynamics of the Brazilian passive margin along a segment of the Continental Rift of Southeast Brazil. The denudation rates of 30 basins that drain both horsts of the continental rift, including the mountain ranges of the Serra do Mar (seaside horst); and the Serra da Mantiqueira (continental horst); were derived from 10Be concentrations measured in sand-sized river sediment. The mean denudation rate ranges from 9.2 m Ma−1 on the plateau of the Serra do Mar to 37.1 m Ma−1 along the oceanic escarpment of the Serra do Mar. The seaward-facing scarps of both mountain ranges exhibit mean denudation rates that are approximately 1.5 times those of the inland-facing scarps. The escarpments of the horst nearer to the ocean (Serra do Mar) exhibit higher denudation rates (mean 30.2 m Ma−1) than the escarpments of the continental horst (Serra da Mantiqueira) (mean 16.5 m Ma−1). The parameters that impact these denudation rates include the catchment relief, the slope gradient, the rock and the climate. The incongruent combination of a mountainous landscape and moderate to low 10Be-based denudation rates averaging at ∼20 m Ma−1 suggests a reduction in intraplate tectonic activity beginning in the Middle Quaternary or earlier.

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