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Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada- Geological Survey Bulletin 1991

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Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada- Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 USGS: Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada- Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada LATE QUATERNARY FAULTING ALONG THE DEATH VALLEY-FURNACE CREEK FAULT SYSTEM, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA By George E. Brogan, Karl S. Kellogg, D. Burton Slemmons, and Christina L. Terhune http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/geology/publications/bul/1991/index.htm[2/14/2014 12:28:59 PM] USGS: Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada- Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1991 Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy 1991 TABLE OF CONTENTS bul/1991/index.htm Last Updated: 24-Jul-2009 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/geology/publications/bul/1991/index.htm[2/14/2014 12:28:59 PM] USGS: Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada- Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 (Contents) Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover Abstract Introduction Acknowledgments Methods Furnace Creek fault zone Chiatovich Creek section Dyer section Oasis section Horse Thief Canyon section Cucomungo Canyon section Sand Spring section Grapevine Canyon section Redwall fan section Titus fan section Mesquite Flat section Death Valley Buttes section Beatty Junction section Death Valley fault zone Salt Springs section Mustard Canyon section Golden Canyon section Artists Drive section Badwater turtleback section Black Mountains section Copper Canyon turtleback section Willow Creek section Gregory Peak section North Ashford Mill section South Ashford Mill section Chronology of late Quaternary faulting http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/geology/publications/bul/1991/contents.htm[2/14/2014 12:29:00 PM] USGS: Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada- Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 (Contents) Faulting inferred to be late Pleistocene to middle Holocene (Q2 and Q1C age; older than 2,000 years) Late Holocene faulting (Q1B and Q1A age; younger than 2,000 years) Conclusions References ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES [Plates are in pocket] 1. Map of linear features of the Furnace Creek fault zone between the Chiatovich and Mesquite Flat sections (omitted from the online edition) 2. Map of linear features of the Furnace Creek fault zone between the Death Valley Buttes and Beatty Junction sections (omitted from the online edition) 3. Map of linear features of the Death Valley fault zone between the Mustard Canyon and Black Mountains sections (omitted from the online edition) 4. Map of linear features of the Death Valley fault zone between the Copper Canyon turtleback and south Ashford Mill sections (omitted from the online edition) FIGURES 1. Map of the region surrounding the Death Valley—Furnace Creek fault system 2. Reference map of the Death Valley—Furnace Creek fault system 3. Diagram of profiles of successively older fault-scarp morphology 4. Diagram of slope angle versus age for fault scarps in bedrock and fanglomerate 5—7. Sketch maps of scarp pattern and Quaternary units in part of the: 5. Dyer section 6. Oasis section 7. Salt Springs section TABLES 1. Geomorphic features associated with active faults, ranked approximately by frequency of occurrence 2. General characteristics of geomorphic surfaces 3. Summary of Quaternary faulting along the Furnace Creek fault zone http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/geology/publications/bul/1991/contents.htm[2/14/2014 12:29:00 PM] USGS: Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada- Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 (Contents) 4. Summary of Quaternary faulting along the Death Valley fault zone U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MANUEL LUJAN, JR., Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Brogan, George E. Late Quaternary faulting along the Death Valley—Furnace Creek fault system, California and Nevada / by George E. Brogan, Karl S. Kellogg, D. Burton Slemmons, and Christina L. Terhune. p. cm. — (U.S. Geological Survey bulletin; 1991) Includes bibliographical references. 1. Neotectonics—California. 2. Neotectonics—Nevada. 3. Geology, Stratigraphic —Holocene. I. Kellogg, Karl S. II. Terhune, Christina L. III. Title. IV. Series. QE75.B9 no. 1991 [QE511.42] 557.3 s—dc20 91—782 [551.8'7'09794] CIP <<< Previous <<< Contents >>> Next >>> bul/1991/contents.htm Last Updated: 24-Jul-2009 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/geology/publications/bul/1991/contents.htm[2/14/2014 12:29:00 PM] USGS: Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada- Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 (Abstract) Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada ABSTRACT Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley—Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada By George E. Brogan1, Karl S. Kellogg, D. Burton Slemmons2, and Christina L. Terhune The Death Valley—Furnace Creek fault system, in California and Nevada, has a variety of impressive late Quaternary neotectonic features that record a long history of recurrent earthquake-induced faulting. Although no neotectonic features of unequivocal historical age are known, paleoseismic features from multiple late Quaternary events of surface faulting are well developed throughout the length of the system. Comparison of scarp heights to amount of horizontal offset of stream channels and the relationships of both scarps and channels to the ages of different geomorphic surfaces demonstrate that Quaternary faulting along the northwest-trending Furnace Creek fault zone is predominantly right lateral, whereas that along the north-trending Death Valley fault zone is predominantly normal. These observations are compatible with tectonic models of Death Valley as a northwest-trending pull-apart basin. The largest late Quaternary scarps along the Furnace Creek fault zone, with vertical separation of late Pleistocene surfaces of as much as 64 m (meters), are in Fish Lake Valley. Despite the predominance of normal faulting along the Death Valley fault zone, vertical offset of late Pleistocene surfaces along the Death Valley fault zone apparently does not exceed about 15 m. Evidence for four to six separate late Holocene faulting events along the Furnace Creek fault zone and three or more late Holocene events along the Death Valley fault zone are indicated by rupturing of Q1B (about 200-2,000 years old) geomorphic surfaces. Probably the youngest neotectonic feature observed along the Death Valley—Furnace Creek fault system, possibly historic in age, is vegetation lineaments in southernmost Fish Lake Valley. Near-historic faulting in Death Valley, within several kilometers south of Furnace Creek Ranch, is represented by (1) a 2,000-year-old lake shoreline that is cut by sinuous scarps, and (2) a system of young scarps with free-faceted faces (representing several faulting events) that cuts Q1B surfaces. Manuscript approved for publication April 15, 1991. 1Presently with Geomatrix Consultants. Santa Ana Heights, CA 92707. 2Center for Neotectonic Studies, Mackay School of Mines, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89559. http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/geology/publications/bul/1991/abstract.htm[2/14/2014 12:29:01 PM] USGS: Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada- Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 (Abstract) <<< Previous <<< Contents >>> Next >>> bul/1991/abstract.htm Last Updated: 24-Jul-2009 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/geology/publications/bul/1991/abstract.htm[2/14/2014 12:29:01 PM] USGS: Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada- Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 (Introduction) Geological Survey Bulletin 1991 Late Quaternary Faulting Along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek Fault System, California and Nevada INTRODUCTION The Death Valley—Furnace Creek fault system of eastern California and western Nevada (fig. 1) is an active tectonic structure of regional significance that has had a profound influence on the geologic and geomorphic development of the western Great Basin. This fault system, more than 300 km (kilometers) in length, is the second longest fault system in California, surpassed in length only by the San Andreas fault system, and shows abundant geologic and geomorphic evidence of youthful surface rupture. However, no large historic earthquakes are known to be associated with faults in the system (Real and others, 1978; Ryall and others, 1966). All fault-related features, with one possible exception, are interpreted as prehistoric, although presently ongoing aseismic creep may be occurring in places (Burford and Harsh, 1980; Sylvester and Bies, 1986). For this reason, a scarp- or lineament-producing faulting event may be due to either an earthquake or a period of aseismic fault creep. http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/geology/publications/bul/1991/intro.htm[2/14/2014
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