Wallrocks of the Central Sierra Nevada Batholith, California: a Collage of Accreted Tectono-Stratigraphic Terranes
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Wallrocks of the Central Sierra Nevada Batholith, California: A Collage of Accreted Tectono-Stratigraphic Terranes GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1255 Wallrocks of the Central Sierra Nevada Batholith, California: A Collage of Accreted Tectono-Stratigraphic Terranes By WARREN J. NOKLEBERG GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1255 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1983 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR JAMES G. WATT, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Nokleberg, Warren J. Wallrocks of the central Sierra Nevada batholith, California. (Geological Survey Professional Paper 1255) Bibliography: 28 p. Supt. of Doca. No.: I 19.16:1255 1. Batholiths Sierra Nevada Mountains (Calif, and Nev.) I. Title. II. Series. QE461.N64 552'.3 81-607153 AACR2 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 CONTENTS Page Abstract .................................... 1 Cretaceous metavolcanic rocks ..................... 14 Introduction .................................. 1 Occurrence ............................... 14 Definitions ................................ 2 Stratigraphy and structure .................... 14 Acknowledgments ........................... 2 Kings terrane ................................ 14 Relation of multiple regional deformation to terrane Occurrence ............................... 14 accretion .................................. 2 Stratigraphy .............................. 15 Relation of terranes to intrusive epochs of granitic Structure ................................ 15 rocks ............................. 3 Evidence for Kings River fault ................. 16 Owens terrane ................................ 3 Critical differences from Goddard terrane ......... 16 Occurrence ............................... 3 Accretion of Kings terrane .................... 16 Stratigraphy .............................. 3 Merced River terrane .......................... 17 Structure ................................ 5 Occurrence ............................... 17 Evidence for Owens Valley fault bounding eastern Stratigraphy .............................. 17 margin ................................. 5 Structure ................................ 18 Critical differences between Owens terrane and meta- Evidence for Foothill suture ................... 18 sedimentary rocks of White-Inyo Mountains ...... 7 Critical differences from Kings terrane ........... 18 Accretion of Owens terrane ................... 8 Amalgamation and accretion of Merced River terrane . 19 High Sierra terrane ............................ 8 Foothills terrane .............................. 19 Occurrence ............................... 8 Occurrence ............................... 19 Stratigraphy .............................. 8 Stratigraphy .............................. 20 Structure ................................ 10 Structure ................................ 20 Evidence for Laurel-Convict fault ............... 11 Evidence for Melones fault .................... 21 Critical differences from Owens terrane ........... 11 Critical differences from Merced River terrane ..... 21 Amalgamation and accretion of High Sierra terrane . 11 Accretion of Foothills terrane .................. 21 Goddard terrane .............................. 12 Mesozoic and Cenozoic accretionary tectonics along the Occurrence ............................... 12 western margin of North America ................ 22 Stratigraphy .............................. 12 Cenozoic accretionary tectonics of southern Alaska ... 22 Structure ................................ 12 Comparison of the Mesozoic Sierra Nevada and southern Evidence for San Joaquin River fault ............ 13 Alaska ................................. 23 Critical differences from High Sierra terrane ....... 13 Conclusions .................................. 23 Amalgamation and accretion of Goddard terrane ..... 13 References cited .............................. 25 ILLUSTRATIONS Page PLATE 1. Geologic map showing Paleozoic and Mesozoic tectono-stratigraphic terranes, central and southern Sierra Nevada, California ........................................................... In pocket FIGURE 1. Generalized stratigraphic columns for Paleozoic and Mesozoic tectono-stratigraphic terranes, central Sierra Nevada, California ............................................................. 9 2. Simplified geologic map of southern Alaska showing major features of tectono-stratigraphic terranes ......... 24 TABLES Page TABLE 1. Principal occurrences, original lithologies, fossils and ages, and investigators of wallrocks and roof pendants constituting tectono-stratigraphic terranes in the central Sierra Nevada ................................ 4 2. Regional deformations recorded in tectono-stratigraphic terranes in the central Sierra Nevada ............. 6 in WALLROCKS OF THE CENTRAL SIERRA NEVADA BATHOLITH, CALIFORNIA: A COLLAGE OF ACCRETED TECTONO-STRATIGRAPHIC TERRANES By WARREN J. NOKLEBERG ABSTRACT offset of Precambrian crystalline terranes from southeastern Califor nia to Sonora, Mexico. The Foothill suture may be the continuation Structural and stratigraphic analysis of the wallrocks of the central of the left-lateral megashear in the central Sierra Nevada. The Sierra Nevada batholith, California, supports the hypothesis that the Melones fault separates the Merced River and Foothills terranes. wallrocks constitute a collage of tectono-stratigraphic terranes that Late Jurassic accretion and deformation along this suture, along with were accreted along an actively deformed continental margin. The reactivation of the Foothill suture, defines the Nevadan orogeny in terranes, represented by well-known pre-middle Cretaceous belts of the western metamorphic belt. Comparison of the tectonics of the wallrocks, with north-northwest trends, were successively accreted Mesozoic Sierra Nevada with that of Cenozoic southern Alaska reve during Triassic and Jurassic time. Successive pulses of magmatism als many similarities. The Mesozoic Sierra Nevada may represent were interspersed with successive accretions of terranes and with an Alaskan-type volcanic and plutonic arc that formed along a tectoni- successive deformations and movements along interarc faults. From cally active continental margin. east to west, the terranes consist of: (1) early Paleozoic metasedimen- tary rocks (Owens terrane); (2) late Paleozoic metasedimentary and unconformably overlying Permian and Triassic metavolcanic rocks INTRODUCTION (High Sierra terrane); (3) Jurassic metavolcanic rocks (Goddard ter rane); (4) Late Triassic and Early Jurassic miogeosynclinal The geology of the wallrocks of the Sierra Nevada metasedimentary rocks and sparse metavolcanic rocks of the Kings sequence (Kings terrane); (5) late Paleozoic slate, marble, and is a key to understanding the geology of the North metaquartzite of the Calaveras Formation and rocks similar to the American Cordillera and the relations between the Pa Shoo Fly Formation and underlying late Paleozoic ophiolite (Merced leozoic and Mesozoic rocks of the Great Basin, Great River terrane); and (6) Jurassic andesite and basalt flows, breccias, Valley, and California Coast Range provinces. How epiclastic mudstone, siltstone, volcanic graywacke, and conglomerate ever, the tectonic framework of the wallrocks of the representing a volcanic arc suite and underlying Jurassic and older ophiolite west of the Melones fault (Foothills terrane). Each terrane Sierra Nevada is still very controversial. Currently, generally has: (1) a distinct stratigraphic sequence with a narrow there are several major interpretations. A complex, age range; (2) no nearby sediment source; (3) bounding thrust, re faulted synclinorium is proposed by Bateman and others verse, or strike-slip faults; and (4) a distinct structural history. After (1963), Bateman and Eaton (1967), and Bateman and accretion, adjacent terranes were welded together and their bound Clark (1974). Inward-facing top directions and stratig aries locally obliterated by episodic intrusion of granitic magmas. Major thrust, reverse, or strike-slip faults representing accretio- raphic sequences that are progressively younger toward nary sutures separate the various terranes. The Owens Valley fault, the center of the batholith and symmetrical with its a vertical, predominantly right lateral strike-slip fault, separates the long axis are cited as evidence for the synclinorium. Owens terrane from bedrock units to the east in the White-Inyo Accretion of Mesozoic country rocks onto the west side Mountains. The Laurel-Convict fault, an originally west dipping of the range against an Andean-type arc is proposed thrust, separates the Owens and High Sierra terranes. Triassic accre tion and deformation along this suture defines the Sonoman orogeny by Hamilton (1969, 1978), Schweickert and Cowan in the eastern Sierra Nevada. The San Joaquin River fault, a major (1975), Davis and others (1978), and Schweickert (1978). strike-slip fault, separates the High Sierra and Goddard terranes. East of the Melones fault, the Calaveras Formation and The Kings River fault, a major right-lateral strike-slip fault, sepa underlying ophiolite are cited by some of these authors rates the Goddard and Kings terranes. Late Jurassic accretion and as one example of an accreted terrane. Local occur deformation along the Kings River and San Joaquin River faults be tween the High Sierra, Goddard, and Kings terranes