The Geology and Geomorphology of the Buckhead Mesa Area, Gila County, Arizona
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The geology and geomorphology of the Buckhead Mesa area, Gila County, Arizona Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Mayer, Larry Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 03/10/2021 19:52:44 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/566597 THE GEOLOGY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY OF THE BUCKHEAD MESA AREA GILA COUNTY, ARIZONA by Larry Mayer A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 19 7 9 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfill ment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknow ledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED rvOi 1A APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: W. b . BULL Date * ' Professor of Geology To My Family ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Partial funding for this study was provided through a grant from the Museum of Northern Arizona. Computer funds were provided by the Geosciences Department, Univer sity of Arizona. The typing and reproduction of the manu script was funded by NSF grant no. EAR78-03648. The three dimensional perspective plot was produced through PL0T3D, written by D. Nelson, University of Maryland. Isotopic ages cited in this report were made available by the Laboratory of Isotope Geochemistry, University of Arizona. The field area was first introduced to me through a course "Geology of Arizona," taught by P. E. Damon at The Univer sity of Arizona. I have benefited from discussions with P. E. Damon and M. Shafiqullah, Laboratory of Isotope Geo chemistry, University of Arizona; H. W. Peirce, Geologist, Arizona Bureau of Mines and Mineral Technology and C. M. Menges, graduate student, University of Arizona. Stan B. Keith provided me with geochemical information and stimu lating ideas. The manuscript was improved considerably by the reviews of my thesis committee members, W. B. Bull, G. H. Davis and E. J. McCullough. I would also like to thank my fellow graduate students who provided an environ ment rich in ideas and interest, here at the Geosciences Department, University of Arizona. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS....................... vii ABSTRACT ..................................... x 1. INTRODUCTION ........................... .. 1 Organization of the R e p o r t ............ 4 Previous Studies of Mogollon Rim Development ............................ 4 2. GEOL O G Y ...................................... 7 Precambrian Rocks ....................... 7 Older R e m n a n t s ..................... 7 Payson Granite ..................... 10 Mazatzal Formation ................. 11 Ages of the Precambrian Rocks .... 14 Paleozoic Rocks .......... ....... 20 Cambrian Tapeats Sandstone ........ 20 Devonian Martin Formation ...... 24 Redwall Limestone ................... 29 Naco F o r m a t i o n ..................... 30 Cenozoic Rocks ......................... 32 F a u l t i n g ............................... 36 3. GEOMORPHIC ANALYSIS . ....................... 45 B a c k g r o u n d ............................. 45 A1timetrie Analysis ..................... 51 Significance of Topographic Zones .... 52 Drainage Network Modifications ........ 56 Denudation and Network Change .......... 62 Rate of Denudation and Scarp Retreat . 67 Preliminary Evaluation of Post Miocene Tectonic Activity ............ 71 Conclusions................ 81 4. TECTONIC IMPLICATIONS OF MOGOLLON RIM DEVELOPMENT............................. 84 Geophysical Setting ..................... 84 v vi TABLE OF CONTENTS -- Continued Page Tectonic Setting ......................... 88 Tectonic Interpretations .... ........ 91 5. SUMMARY QF THE EVOLUTION OF THE MOGOLLON RIM NEAR P I N E ........ .............. .. 94 APPENDIX: PROGRAM LISTING AND DOCUMENTATION ..................... 97 LIST OF REFERENCES.................. 104 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Location map of study area showing physiographic provinces and distribution metamorphic core-complexes in Arizona. 3 2. Section of Pine 15-minute topographic map showing location of geologic map and place names used in this report. ...... 8 3. Small (amplitude 0.7 meter) inclined plunging fold in Sycamore Pendant, view looking east-southeast ..................... 9 4. Megacryst of feldspar near contact of Payson Granite and granitic gneiss ........ 12 5. Flow banding at base of Oak Spring rhyolite (bands have been accented in pencil) .... 15 6. Contact between Narrows Quartzite and Oak Spring rhyolite (center of photo), view looking northeast. .......................... 16 7. Ripple marks on thin shale bed in Narrows Quartzite. ........................ 17 8. Flame structures indicating penecontem- poraneous deformation in the Mazatzal Formation.......... 21 9. Slickensides along contact between Oak Spring rhyolite and Narrows Quartzite imply slip between beds. 22 10. Clasts of Mazatzal Formation in the Devonian Martin Formation................... 26 11. Basalt intercalated with gravels ......... 34 vii Vlll LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS -- Continued Figure Page 12. Small open fold along Arizona state route 87, north of Diamond Rim fault: view looking we s t ............... ................ 38 13. Stereogram showing orientation relation between fold axis on foot wall, hanging wall and the Diamond Rim fault plane; solid circles are bedding plane orientations . 39 14. Frequency histogram of bedding strike orientations . .............................. 41 15. Geology of Buckhead Mesa ar e a .............. 43 16. Topographic zones of Mogollon Rim Buckhead mesa area plotted on a three dimensional diagram ............ ........... ..... 53 17. Pine Creek drainage network (left) and split-points (right) ....................... 58 18. Frequency histograms for split-points on the topographic zones .................... 60 19. Regression equation and line of split-point density as a function of relief ."......... 61 20. Regression equation and line of valley widening as a function of relief ........... 63 21. Possible relationship between denudational demand for sediment (straight line) and a drainage network's split-point adjustments ( c u r v e ) ................................... 66 22. Geometric construction used to calculate scarp retreat from denudation rates .... 69 ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS -- Continued Page Figure 23. Computer line-printer map showing generalized topography .......... ..... 73 24. Computer generated line-printer slope map. 74 25. Computer line-printer map showing general geology ........................... 75 26. Computer line-printer inventory map showing slopes greater than their mean value on a particular rock type ..................... 76 27. Longitudinal profile of Pine Creek channel plotted on semilogarithmic graph; SL values are calculated for each reach along the p r o f i l e .................... 79 28. Sub envelope map of Tucson 2° s h e e t ........ 85 29. Location map showing characteristics of Mid-Tertiary external zone . ............. 86 30. Schematic cross sections showing development of Mogollon Rim near Pine ................. 95 31. Control statements used in execution of program COMPOS .................. 100 ABSTRACT Tectonic geomorphology of the Mogollon Rim near Pine, Arizona, reveals erosional remnants and topographic zones of morphological dissimilarity that reflect three periods of tectonic base-level fall related to tectonism in the adjacent Basin and Range province. Relative dating of these periods obtained by combining K-Ar isotopic age dates with locally derived functions concerning erosional kinematics indicate the age brackets for tectonic base- level fall are 30-25 m.y. ago, 25-15 m.y. ago and 12 m.y. ago to the present. The earliest period of base-level fall resulted in a drainage divide separating northeast and south flowing streams. Following formation of this divide, 400 m of south side down displacement along the Diamond Rim fault resulted in a bold escarpment. These tectono- geomorphologic features are believed to express extension that began in the mid-Tertiary. The region of extension is at present characterized by geophysical and topographic transition zones. The early periods of tectonic base-level fall ended by ca 15 m.y. ago and was followed by pedimentation, scarp retreat and by 12 m.y. ago basalts flowed over both x pediment and fault. Estimates of denudation rates along the escarpment vary between 50 m and 115 m per million years which imply rates of escarpment retreat that range between 354 m and 857 m per million years. Post 12 m.y. tectonic base-level fall is reflected in canyon cutting into the pediment but is