Cenozoic Extension in the River Mountains and Frenchman Mountain, Southern Nevada
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UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-2007 Cenozoic extension in the River Mountains and Frenchman Mountain, Southern Nevada William Michael Rittase University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Rittase, William Michael, "Cenozoic extension in the River Mountains and Frenchman Mountain, Southern Nevada" (2007). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 2148. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/ntnu-6nkj This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. 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Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand corner and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. ProQuest Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 UMI’ Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CENOZOIC EXTENSION IN THE RIVER MOUNTAINS AND FRENCHMAN MOUNTAIN, SOUTHERN NEVADA by William Michael Rittase Bachelor of Science University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2004 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Master of Science Degree in Geoscience Department of Geoscience College of Sciences Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas August 2007 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number; 1448380 UMI UMI Microform 1448380 Copyright 2007 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Thesis Approval The Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas J u ly 24 _,20 07 The Thesis prepared by William Michael Rittase Entitled Ceaozoic Extension in the River Mountains and Prenrhman Mountain, southern Nevada is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geoscience Examination Committeejïhair / Dean of the Graduate College Exaniinatioii Uammitiee Member Z Examination CommitteeMember /^ ,h A cj, / .4 - Graduate College Faculty Representative 11 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Copyright by William Michael Rittase 2007 All Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Cenozoic Extension in the River Mountains and Frenchman Mountain, Southern Nevada by William M. Rittase Dr. Wanda J. Taylor, Examination Committee Chair Professor of Geoscience University of Nevada, Las Vegas The River Mountains are the eroded remnants of a mid-Miocene stratovolcano complex located between Henderson, Nevada and western Lake Mead. This study addresses the tectonic and societal significance of (1) a 13.5-9 Ma initial stage and (2) a late-Pliocene(?)-present stage of extension. Multiple slip histories were recorded on NW-, N-, NE-, and E-striking conjugate fault sets, in addition to numerous orthorhombic faults. Multiple corrugations on the Saddle Island detachment (SID) during 13.5-9 Ma extension are interpreted to have produced localized zones of triaxial strain and orthorhombic faulting. Conjugate faults occurred where the SID was planar. The multiple kinematics suggest that 13.5-9 Ma tectonism in the River Mountains was controlled by transient slip gradients on the Las Vegas Valley shear zone and the Lake Mead fault system. Active faults of the second period of extension may impact present day Las Vegas. An earthquake rupturing the combined 38 km length of the Ithaca Avenue Fault-Frenchman Mountain Fault could produce a M^ 6.9 ± 0.3 earthquake. IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................................ iv LIST OF FIGURES........................................................................................................................viii LIST OF PLATES.............................................................................................................................ix LIST OF TABLES..............................................................................................................................x ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................xi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION................................................................................................... 1 M ethods .................................................................................................................................... 2 CHAPTER 2 REGIONAL GEOLOGY....................................................................................... 4 Mesozoic Contraction .......................................................................................................... 4 Cenozoic Extension, Volcanism, and Sedimentation ....................................................5 North American-Pacific Plate Margin During Late Cenozoic Tim e ......................... 7 Major Las Vegas-Lake Mead Regional Structures ........................................................ 8 Las Vegas Valley Shear Zone ............................................................................... 8 Lake Mead Fault System ....................................................................................... 9 Low-angle Normal Faults ....................................................................................................9 Saddle Island Detachment ......................................................................................9 Las Vegas Valley Quaternary Faults .............................................................................. 10 Nearby Quaternary Faults..................................................................................................11 Oligiocene-Quatemary Western Lake Mead Stratigraphy .........................................11 CHAPTER 3 METHODS............................................................................................................. 13 Geologic Mapping .............................................................................................................. 13 Fault Scarp Profiling & Degradation Modeling ............................................................14 Pale-Stress/Strain Techniques........................................................................................... 14 Cross Section Techniques ..................................................................................................15 Tephrochronology ................................................................................................................16 CHAPTER 4 CONJUGATE AND ORTHORHOMBIC FAULT THEORIES................17 Conjugate Faults ..................................................................................................................17 Orthorhombic Faults...........................................................................................................19 CHAPTER 5 STRUCTURAL AND KINEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS..............................23 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. High-Angle Faults ...............................................................................................................23 Conjugate Faults ....................................................................................................25 Set I: NW-striking Faults ......................................................................26 Set II; N-striking F aults .......................................................................