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Basement-Rock Correlations Across the White Wolf-Breckenridge-Southern Kern Canyon Fault Zone, Southern Sierra Nevada, California

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Basement-Rock Correlations Across the White Wolf-Breckenridge-Southern Kern Canyon Fault Zone, Southern Sierra Nevada, California Basement-Rock Correlations Across the White Wolf-Breckenridge-Southern Kern Canyon Fault Zone, Southern Sierra Nevada, California U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1651 Basement-Rock Correlations Across the White Wolf-Breckenridge-Southern Kern Canyon Fault Zone, Southern Sierra Nevada, California By DONALD C. ROSS U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1651 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL HODEL, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1986 For sale by the Books and Open-File Reports Section U.S. Geological Survey Federal Center, Box 25425 Denver, CO 80225 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ross, Donald Clarence, 1924- Basement-rock correlations across the White Wolf- Breckenridge-southern Kern Canyon fault zone, southern Sierra Nevada, California. (U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1651) Bibliography: p. 23-25 Supt. of Docs, no.: I 19.3:1651 . 1. Faults (geology) Sierra Nevada mountains (Calif, and Nev.). 2. Stratigraphic correlation Sierra Nevada mountains (Calif, and Nev.). 3. Batholiths Sierra Nevada mountains (Calif, and Nev.). I. Title. II. Series: United States. Geological Survey. Bulletin 1651. QE75.B9 no. 1651 557.3s 86-600053 [QE606.5.U6] [551.7'09794'4] CONTENTS Abstract 1 Introduction 1 Historical background 1 White Wolf fault 1 Breckenridge fault 5 Kern Canyon fault 8 Big Blue fault 10 Cook Peak fault 11 Fault compilations on small-scale geologic maps 11 Data from present study 11 Evidence for the position of the Kern Canyon fault, based on airphoto interpretation 11 Field evidence of deformation within the Kern Canyon fault zone 13 Subsidiary faults to the Kern Canyon fault 15 Tufa and travertine deposits 15 Basement-rock correlations 15 Correlation problems 18 Edison fault problem 18 Age of faulting 19 Seismicity 21 Summary and speculations 21 References cited 23 PLATE 1. Geologic map of the White Wolf-Breckenridge-southern Kern Canyon fault zone, southern Sierra Nevada, California FIGURES 1. Index maps of California and southern Sierra Nevada 2 2. Sketch map of Caliente, Calif., area, showing locations of earth ruptures caused by the 1952 earthquake on the White Wolf fault zone 4 3. Sketch map of southernmost Sierra Nevada, showing locations of earthquake epicenters for the period 1932-79 5 4. Vertical cross sections across the White Wolf fault 6 5. Sketch map showing structure on N Point marker, near top of upper Miocene chert and the Stevens sandstone of local usage 6 6. Sketch map summarizing evidence for faulting along the Breckenridge and connecting Kern Canyon faults 7 7. Geologic map of the Kern Canyon fault zone at west abutment of the Isabella auxiliary dam 8 8. Geologic map of basement-rock units that show right-lateral offset on the White Wolf-Breckenridge-Kern Canyon fault zone 9 9. Maps showing the White Wolf, Breckenridge, and Kern Canyon faults as depicted on various small-scale compilations 12 10. Geologic map showing generalized reconstruction of basement-rock units across the White Wolf-Breckenridge-southern Kern Canyon fault zone 17 11. Geologic maps showing alternative interpretations of the Edison fault in the Caliente, Calif., area 19 12. Geologic sketch map of Kernville, Calif., area, showing locations of samples of the granite of Cannell Creek 20 13. Map of southern Sierra Nevada, showing locations of earthquake epicenters for the period January 1, 1983, through June 1984 22 III Basement-Rock Correlations Across the White Wolf-Breckenridge-Southern Kern Canyon Fault Zone, Southern Sierra Nevada, California By Donald C. Ross Abstract INTRODUCTION Reconnaissance geologic studies of the basement Are the White Wolf, Breckenridge, and Kern Canyon rocks in the southern Sierra Nevada south of lat 36°00' N. faults sections of one major, throughgoing fault zone, more along the White Wolf-Breckenridge-southern Kern Canyon than 200 km long? Or are they three separate and distinct fault zone indicate that several basement-rock units are faults with different senses of movement that are fortuitously offset across this fault zone in a right-lateral strike-slip aligned in the southern Sierra Nevada (fig. 1)? The White sense by as much as 15 km. This offset corroborates the sense of fault movement along the northern section of the Wolf fault, in 1952, showed left-lateral and reverse fault Kern Canyon fault. The White Wolf-Breckenridge-Kern displacements; the Breckenridge fault has the physiographic Canyon fault zone is probably one continuous, 200-km- appearance of a classic normal fault, with a pronounced long, right-lateral tear in the Sierra Nevada batholith that mountain scarp against an alluviated valley along a linear may have originated some 80 to 90 Ma during the last large front; and the Kern Canyon fault has demonstrably offset magmatic pulse of the batholith. An oroclinal flexure that several basement-rock units in a right-lateral sense. From the includes the area of the southern Sierra Nevada may have above statements, it would seem that they are, indeed, three been the causative force for this right-lateral tear in the separate faults; but questions remain that the following dis­ batholith. cussion addresses. I summarize the history of investigations The recent history of the southern section of this fault on all three faults, followed by data from my present study, zone (the White Wolf and Breckenridge segments) which was focused solely on basement-rock characteristics includes fault displacements that contradict the original right-lateral strike-slip pattern deduced from the base­ and distribution. Basement-rock distribution along these ment-rock distribution. Surface ruptures of the 1952 Arvin- three faults, and correlations of the basement rocks across Tehachapi earthquake, as well as displacements of several them, provide evidence that favors a major, throughgoing subsurface Cenozoic deposits, indicate left-lateral and fault zone, although some problems still remain. reverse motion on the White Wolf segment of the fault zone. Although the cause of this change in faulting style is not known, northward impingement of the "Big Bend" HISTORICAL BACKGROUND section of the San Andreas fault on the southern part of the White Wolf fault old basement tear might provide the proper stress regime for the new style of faulting. Also problematic is recent The White Wolf fault was first noted, but not named, on deformation on the Breckenridge segment, which shows a simplified map of the Tehachapi area by Lawson (1906b). normal dip-slip displacement of more than 1,000 m. The Presumably, the placement of this fault was based on the reason for this change is even less evident. The regional physiographic contrast between the steep front of Bear stress pattern of basin-and-range extension during the late Mountain and the alluviated area to the northwest (pi. 1), Cenozoic surely has shoved the southern Sierra Nevada to although the fault was not discussed further in Lawson's the west. Normal faulting along the Breckenridge fault may (1906b) report. Hoots (1930) noted a prominent westward be a sag along the old basement break a small-scale ana­ protrusion of the Sierra Nevada, about 5 km northeast of log of basin and range faulting to the east. Seismic events as large as M = 4.7 in 1983-84 show continuing activity (nor­ Comanche Point, from which a scarp can be traced to the mal displacement with east side down) on a north-south- northeast to a broad trough in granitic rocks at the White Wolf aligned zone about 10 km east of the Kern Canyon fault near Ranch. Hoots (1930, p. 314) was probably the first worker to Big Meadow. These events may reflect the incipient show the White Wolf fault on a geologic map, but apparently development of another basin-and-range fault within the he did not name the fault, because he stated, "This fault is Sierra Nevada batholithic block. commonly called the White Wolf fault." He further noted that Historical Background 119° 118° 118°30' Gold Ledge Creek Big Meado Gold Ledge campground Corral Creek campground LfllU-x Corral Creek Figure 1. Index maps of California (A) and southern Sierra Nevada (6). C, Selected cultural and physical features in the Bakersfield-Kernville area. Basement-Rock Correlations, White Wolf-Breckenridge-Southern Kern Canyon Fault Zone, Southern Sierra Nevada, California "Distinct evidence of shearing may be found in the crys­ almost east-west. They suggested a deformational pattern of talline rocks near the alluvium boundary." Hoots (1930, p. compression that was relieved by reverse faulting (south block 315) also stated that "Large-scale displacement is therefore up relative to north block) in the White Wolf fault zone. This believed to have occurred along this fracture as late as post- compression was immediately followed by relaxation and Chanac (post-Pliocene) time. This fault is probably a high- settling along normal faults. angle fracture, but whether it is a normal or reverse fault Webb (1955) discussed whether or not the White Wolf appears to be entirely a matter of conjecture." On an accom­ fault is connected to "onstrike" faults farther north. He panying sketch map showing structural features, however, he referred to the "Kern Canyon lineament," which, to him, shows thrust-fault symbols (thrust direction to the northwest) consisted of the following separate and distinct faults: the along the White Wolf fault. Dibblee and Chesterman (1953, Kern Canyon, Hot Spring Valley, Havilah Valley, p. 50) mapped a 5-km-long stretch of the White Wolf fault Breckenridge, and White Wolf. He asserted that no published north of the White Wolf Ranch to where it disappears at work justified calling this a single fault or connecting the Tehachapi Creek. They noted that the steep northwest front of separate faults into a master structure. Even though Webb Bear Mountain is uplifted "many thousand feet," that the (1955, p.
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