DOCSLIB.ORG

At the Margin of a Regional Shear Zone, Buehman Canyon Area, Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
At the Margin of a Regional Shear Zone, Buehman Canyon Area, Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona Kinematic analysis of deformation at the margin of a regional shear zone, Buehman Canyon area, Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic); Maps Authors Bykerk-Kauffman, Ann 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 09/10/2021 15:01:27 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/557985 KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF DEFORMATION AT THE MARGIN OF A REGIONAL SHEAR ZONE, BUEHMAN CANYON AREA, SANTA CATALINA MOUNTAINS, ARIZONA by Ann Bykerk-Kauf fman 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 1 9 8 3 2 a 60 e * «rx to CM CM m 1 of 1 « "c to w f- O) 0\ Call No. BINDING INSTRUCTIONS INTERLIBRARY INSTRUCTIONS STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment 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 acknowledgment 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 or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scho­ larship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This l/hesis has been approved on the date shown below: / GfJORGE H. DAVIS Date Professor of Geosciences ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Without the help of numerous others, this research could not have been accomplished. I would like to thank my advisor, George H. Davis, for his support and guidance throughout the project. His enthu­ siasm coupled with constructive criticism continuously spurred me on. I would also like to thank Joseph F. Schreiber and William R. Dickinson for generously giving of their time to visit the study area and to discuss ideas with me. I am grateful to Peter J. Coney and Joseph F. Schreiber for reading the manuscript and contributing valuable comments. I am indebted to Gordon Lister from the University of Utrecht and to Carol Simpson from Oklahoma State University for opening my eyes to shear-sense indicators in rocks. I wish to thank Steve Lingrey and Paula Trever for suggesting the study area. I also thank my fellow graduate students, especially Jean Crespi, Bob Krantz, Lee DiTullio, Debbie Currier, Steve Naruk and Tekla Harms for their stimulating discussions, helpful suggestions and moral support. Funding for this study was provided by the Lab of Geotectonics, the Graduate Student Program Development Fund, and Standard Oil of California. I am deeply grateful to Jack and Mary Smallhouse for all they've done for me. Their tremendous hospitality, congenial company, and enor­ mous amounts of help made the field work very pleasant. ill iv I wish to thank my parents, Roelof and Inie Bijkerk, for instil­ ling in me a love for learning, for encouraging me to think for myself and for doing everything they could to help me along. Finally, I wish to express my deepest thanks to my husband, Mark, whose unfailing help, encouragement, humor, patience and love gave me the strength I needed to complete this thesis. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS...................................... vii ABSTRACT.................................................. ... 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................. 1 2. THE SANTA CATALINA-RINCON METAMORPHIC CORE COMPLEX........ 8 3. GEOLOGY OF THE BUEHMAN CANYON A R E A ........................ 10 General Geologic Framework............................ 10 Stratigraphy and Lithology.......... ..................17 Precambrlan Basement ............ .............. 17 Late Precambrlan Rocks .......................... 17 Paleozoic Section.................................. 18 Cretaceous R o c k s ............ 20 Tertiary R o c k s .............. ....................21 Structural/Metamorphic Transformation of Stratigraphic Units ............................ 22 Argillites........................................ 23 Limestones...................... 24 Deformation of Conglomerates .................... 30 Metamorphism .................................... 38 Stratigraphic Thickness. .................... 38 Changes in Orientations of Fabric Elements .... 38 Geometry of the Structural/Metamorphic Transition. 42 Relationship Between Lithology and Intensity of Ductile Deformation ......... 45 Structures.................. 46 Large-scale Structures .......................... 46 Mesoscopic Structures............... 47 Microstructures. ................................ 52 4. INTERPRETATION...............................................59 Kinematics of the Shear Zone............................ 59 Direction and Sense of S h e a r .................... 59 Orientation of Shear Zone Walls. ................ 61 Regional Implications of the Shear Zone Margin . 63 Thrust-Slip or Normal-Slip Shear?.................. 63 Fault-Rock Terminology.................................. 68 Strain Significance of Pebble Deformation . ........... 68 v vi TABLE OF CONTENTS— Continued Page Post-Shear Deformation.................................. 70 Summary................................................ 70 5. REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE........................................ 71 REFERENCES.................................................. 73 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Schematic cross-section showing structural components of metamorphic core complexes................................ 2 2. Schematic diagram showing the structural elements of metamorphic core complexes as products of progressive movement on a low-dipping normal-slip fault zone.............. 4 3. Generalized geologic map of the Santa Catalina-Rincon metamorphic core complex.............. ................... 7 4. Geologic Map of the Buehman Canyon Area, Pima County in Arizona .................................... pocket 5. Geologic Map of the Buehman Canyon A r e a .................. 11 6. Geologic cross-sections A-A*, B-B*, and C-C* of the Buehman Canyon area ...... .......... ........ 12 7. Geologic cross-section D-D* of the Buehman Canyon area. 13 8. Composite contoured stereoplots of (a) 769 poles to bedding and (b) 952 poles to foliation. ................... 14 9. Bedding (SQ) and Foliation (S^) in very strongly deformed Pennsylvanian-Permian Naco Group limestone................ 15 10. (a) Stereoplot of lineation orientations in strongly deformed Pennsylvanian-Permian Naco Group. (b) Contoured stereoplot of all lineation orientations measured in domain of very strongly deformed rocks........ 16 11. Photomicrograph of crack-seal vein in very strongly deformed Lower Cretaceous Bisbee Group phyllite .......... 25 vii viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued 12. Series of photographs showing progressive changes In the Pennsylvanlan-Permlan Naco Group limestones along the structural/metamorphlc gradient. (a) Weakly deformed................ 26 (b) Moderately deformed (c) photomicrograph of one of the dissolution surfaces of (b) truncating a fusulinid................................ 27 (d) Very strongly deformed..................................... 28 13. Series of photomicrographs showing grain-size reduction in the PennsyIvanian-Permian Naco Group Limestones. (a) Weakly deformed, (b) Moderately deformed (c) Very strongly deformed.................................... 29 14. Series of photographs showing progressive changes in the Lower Cretaceous Glance Conglomerate. (a) Weakly deformed .............. 31 (b) Moderately deformed, outcrop surface oriented perpendicular to foliation (c) Moderately deformed, outcrop surface oriented parallel to foliation ......................................... 32 (d) Strongly deformed, outcrop surface oriented perpendicular to foliation (e) Strongly deformed, outcrop surface oriented parallel to foliation ...................................... 33 (f) Very strongly deformed, outcrop surface oriented perpendicular to both foliation and lineation (g) Very strongly deformed, outcrop surface oriented perpendicular to foliation but parallel to lineation........ 34 (h) Very strongly deformed, outcrop surface oriented parallel to foliation, showing lineation. ................... 35 15. Variations in thicknesses of (a) Mississippian Escabrosa Limestone and (b) PennsyIvanian-Permian Naco Group........................ 39 16. Contoured stereoplots of poles to bedding in the Mississippian Escabrosa Limestone, the Pennsylvanian-Permian Naco Group and the Cretaceous Bisbee Group. (a) Weakly deformed, (b) Moderately deformed, (c) Strongly deformed, (d) Very strongly deformed .......... 40 lx LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued 17. Contoured stereoplots of poles to foliation in the Mississippian Escabrosa Limestone, the Pennsylvanian-Permian Naco Group and the Cretaceous Bisbee Group. (a) Weakly deformed, (b) Moderately deformed, (c) Strongly deformed, (d) Very strongly deformed .......... 41 18. Bar graphs showing the frequency distribution of the stereographically determined angle between bedding
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Beolobical Survey
    UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BEOLOBICAL SURVEY Generalized geologic map of the Big Maria Mountains region, northeastern Riverside County, southeastern California by Warren Hamilton* Open-File Report 84-407 This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards and stratigraphic nomenclature 1984 *Denver, Colorado MAP EXPLANATION SURFICIAL MATERIALS Quaternary Qa Alluvium, mostly silt and sand, of modern Hoiocene Colorado River floodplain. Pleistocene Qe Eolian sand. Tertiary Of Fanglomerate and alluvium, mostly of local PIi ocene origin and of diverse Quaternary ages. Includes algal travertine and brackish-water strata of Bouse Formation of Pliocene age along east and south sides of Big Maria and Riverside Mountains, Fanglomerate may locally be as old as Pliocene. MIOCENE INTRUSIVE ROCKS Tertiary In Riverside Mountains, dikes of 1 e u c o r h y o 1 i t e Miocene intruded along detachment fault. In northern Big Maria Mountains, plugs and dikes of hornbl ende-bi at i te and bioti te-hornbl ende rhyodacite and quartz latite. These predate steep normal faults, and may include rocks both older and younger than low-angle detachment faults. Two hornblende K-Ar determinations by' Donna L. Martin yield calculated ages of 10. 1 ±4.5 and' 21.7 + 2 m.y ROCKS ABOVE DETACHMENT FAULTS ROCKS DEPOSITED SYNCHRONOUSLY WITH EXTENSIONAL FAULTING L o w e r Tob Slide breccias, partly monolithologic, and Mi ocene Jos extremely coarse fanglomerate. or upper Tos Fluvial and lacustrine strata, mostly red. 01i gocene Tob T o v Calc-alkalic volcanic rocks: quartz latitic ignimbrite, and altered dacitic and andesitic flow rocks.
    [Show full text]
  • Rice Valley Groundwater Basin Bulletin 118
    Colorado River Hydrologic Region California’s Groundwater Rice Valley Groundwater Basin Bulletin 118 Rice Valley Groundwater Basin • Groundwater Basin Number: 7-4 • County: Riverside, San Bernardino • Surface Area: 189,000 acres (295 square miles) Basin Boundaries and Hydrology This groundwater basin underlies Rice Valley in northeast Riverside and southeast San Bernardino Counties. Elevation of the valley floor ranges from about 675 feet above sea level near the center of the valley to about 1,000 feet along the outer margins. The basin is bounded by nonwater- bearing rocks of the Turtle Mountains on the north, the Little Maria and Big Maria Mountains on the south, the Arica Mountains on the west, and by the West Riverside and Riverside Mountains on the east. Low-lying alluvial drainage divides form a portion of the basin boundaries on the northwest and northeast, and the Colorado River bounds a portion of the basin on the east. Maximum elevations of the surrounding mountains range to about 2,000 feet in the Arica Mountains, about 3,000 feet in the Big Maria Mountains, and 5,866 feet at Horn Peak in the Turtle Mountains (Bishop 1963; Jennings 1967; USGS 1971a, 1971b, 1983a, 1983b, 1983c). Annual average precipitation ranges from about 3 to 5 inches. Surface runoff from the mountains drains towards the center of the valley, except in the eastern part of the valley, where Big Wash drains to the Colorado River (USGS 1971a, 1971b, 1983a, 1983b, 1983c). Hydrogeologic Information Water Bearing Formations Alluvium is the water-bearing material that forms the basin and includes unconsolidated Holocene age deposits and underlying unconsolidated to semi-consolidated Pleistocene deposits (DWR 1954, 1963).
    [Show full text]
  • Vidal Valley Groundwater Basin Bulletin 118
    Hydrologic Region Colorado River California’s Groundwater Vidal Valley Groundwater Basin Bulletin 118 Vidal Valley Groundwater Basin • Groundwater Basin Number: 7-42 • County: Riverside, San Bernardino • Surface Area: 138,000 acres (216 square miles) Basin Boundaries and Hydrology This basin underlies Vidal Valley in southeastern San Bernardino County and northeastern Riverside County. The basin is bounded by the nonwater- bearing rocks of the West Riverside and Riverside Mountains on the south, of the Turtle Mountains on the west, of the Turtle and Whipple Mountains on the north, and by a diffuse drainage divide on the east (DWR 1963; Bishop 1963). The surface is drained southeastward by Vidal Wash to the Colorado River. Hydrogeologic Information Water Bearing Formations Groundwater in the basin is found in younger and older alluvium. The older alluvium is of Pleistocene age and consists of fine to coarse sand interbedded with gravel, silt, and clay. The older alluvium yields water freely to wells and is the most important aquifer in the basin (DWR 1963). The younger alluvium is of Holocene age and consists of poorly sorted gravel, sand, silt, and clay. The younger alluvium is generally a thin veneer above the water table (DWR 1963). Lithologic logs for wells drilled in the basin indicate that water-bearing sediments typically extend at least 600 to 700 feet in depth (DWR 1963). Restrictive Structures A south-trending fault may cut the basin near the Turtle Mountains (Bishop 1963); however, is unknown whether or not this fault is a barrier to groundwater movement. Recharge Areas The primary source of recharge to the basin is runoff from the surrounding mountain ranges that percolates through unconsolidated deposits at the edges of the valley floor (DWR 1963).
    [Show full text]
  • Professor David A. Foster
    Professor David A. Foster 12 September 2015 Department of Geological Sciences PO Box 112120 University of Florida Gainesville, Florida 32611 USA Phone 352-359-1635 Fax 352-392-9294 Email [email protected] PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION Ph.D., University of New York at Albany, 1989 M.S., University of Montana, Missoula, 1986 B.A., State University of New York, Potsdam, 1984 APPOINTMENTS Chair, Dept. of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, 2013-present Associate Chair, Dept. of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, 2007-2013 Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, 2005-present Visiting Professor, Department of Applied Physics, Curtin University of Technology, 2009 Associate Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, 2000-2005 Honorary Senior Fellow, School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, 2000-2005 Assistant Professor, Department of Geology, University of Florida, 1997-2000 Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Earth Sciences, La Trobe University, 1999-2000 Senior Research Fellow, Department of Earth Sciences, La Trobe University, 1995-1998 Research Fellow, School of Earth Sciences, La Trobe University, 1991-1995 Visiting Fellow, Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, 1993 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Geology, La Trobe University, 1990-1991 AWARDS Colonel Allan R. and Margaret G. Crow Term Professor, 2009 Exemplary Advisor and Mentor, NSF SE Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate Fellow, Geological Society of
    [Show full text]
  • California Desert Protection Act of 1993 CIS-NO
    93 CIS S 31137 TITLE: California Desert Protection Act of 1993 CIS-NO: 93-S311-37 SOURCE: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Senate DOC-TYPE: Hearing DOC-NO: S. Hrg. 103-186 DATE: Apr. 27, 28, 1993 LENGTH: iii+266 p. CONG-SESS: 103-1 ITEM-NO: 1040-A; 1040-B SUDOC: Y4.EN2:S.HRG.103-186 MC-ENTRY-NO: 94-3600 INCLUDED IN LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF: P.L. 103-433 SUMMARY: Hearings before the Subcom on Public Lands, National Parks, and Forests to consider S. 21 (text, p. 4-92), the California Desert Protection Act of 1993, to: a. Expand or designate 79 wilderness areas, one wilderness study area in the California Desert Conservation Area, and one natural reserve. b. Expand and redesignate the Death Valley National Monument as the Death Valley National Park and the Joshua Tree National Monument as the Joshua Tree National Park. c. Establish the Mojave National Park and the Desert Lily Sanctuary. d. Direct the Department of Interior to enter into negotiations with the Catellus Development Corp., a publicly owned real estate development corporation, for an agreement or agreements to exchange public lands or interests for Catellus lands or interests which are located within the boundaries of designated wilderness areas or park units. e. Withdraw from application of public land laws and reserve for Department of Navy use certain Federal lands in the California desert. f. Permit military aircraft training and testing overflights of the wilderness areas and national parks established in the legislation. Title VIII is cited as the California Military Lands Withdrawal and Overflights Act of 1991.
    [Show full text]
  • Mesozoic Tectonics of the Maria Fold and Thrust Belt and Mccoy Basin : an Examination of Polyphase Deformation and Synorogenic Response Anthony C
    University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs Electronic Theses and Dissertations 8-27-2009 Mesozoic tectonics of the Maria fold and thrust belt and McCoy basin : an examination of polyphase deformation and synorogenic response Anthony C. Salem Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/eps_etds Recommended Citation Salem, Anthony C.. "Mesozoic tectonics of the Maria fold and thrust belt and McCoy basin : an examination of polyphase deformation and synorogenic response." (2009). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/eps_etds/75 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Electronic Theses and Dissertations at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MESOZOIC TECTONICS OF THE MARIA FOLD AND THRUST BELT AND MCCOY BASIN, SOUTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA: AN EXAMINATION OF POLYPHASE DEFORMATION AND SYNOROGENIC RESPONSE BY ANTHONY CHRISTOPHER SALEM B.S., Arizona State University, 1999 M.S.., Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, 2005 DISSERTATION Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Earth & Planetary Sciences The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico August, 2009 ©2009, Anthony C. Salem iii DEDICATION For Audrey, my best friend, chief advisor, drill sergeant, sounding board, editor extraordinaire, GIS wizard, partner in crime and great love. Without her love and support, life and this work would have been a lonely endeavor. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS All the work that goes into conducting research and writing a dissertation may be indeed done by one person, but is actually the result of the efforts and support of many people who should be acknowledged.
    [Show full text]
  • California Desert Protection Act of 1994
    California Desert Protection Act of 1994 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U. S., The California Desert Protection Act July 27, 1994 of 1994 designated 44,000 acres of Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 21) entitled new wilderness in the “Nevada "An Act to designate certain lands in the California Triangle” of Death Valley National Desert as wilderness, to establish Death Valley, Joshua Park. Tree, and Mojave National Parks, and for other purposes," do pass with the following AMENDMENTS: Strike out all after the enacting clause, and insert: That this Act may be cited as the "California Desert Protection Act of 1994." FINDINGS AND POLICY SEC. 2. (a) The Congress finds and declares that-- •(1) the federally owned desert lands of Southern California constitute a public wildland resource of extraordinary and inestimable value for this and future generations; •(2) these desert wildlands display unique scenic, historical, archeological, environmental, ecological, wildlife, cultural, scientific, educational, and recreational values used and enjoyed by millions of Americans for hiking and camping, scientific study and scenic appreciation; •(3) the public land resources of the California desert now face and are increasingly threatened by adverse pressures which would impair, dilute, and destroy their public and natural values; •(4) the California desert, embracing wilderness lands, units of the National Park System, other Federal lands, State parks and other State lands, and private lands, constitutes a cohesive unit posing unique and difficult resource protection and management challenges; •(5) through designation of national monuments by Presidential proclamation, through enactment of general public land statutes (including section 601 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, 90 Stat.
    [Show full text]
  • California Essential Habitat Connectivity Plan
    CALIFORNIA ESS E NTIAL HABITAT CONN ec TIVITY PROJ ec T : A STRAT E GY FOR CONS E RVING A CONN ec T E D CALIFORNIA FE BRUARY 2010 PR ep AR E D FOR : CALIFORNIA Dep ARTM E NT OF TRANS P ORTATION CALIFORNIA Dep ARTM E NT OF FIS H AND GAM E WIT H FUNDING FROM : FE D E RAL HIG hw AYS ADMINISTRATION California Essential Habitat Connectivity Project “A Strategy for Conserving a Connected California” Funding for this project was provided by the California Department of Transportation, State Planning and Research program (80% Federal Highway Administration and 20% State transportation funds). In-kind services were provided by the California Department of Fish and Game. Disclaimer The statements and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and advisory committees and not necessarily those of the Federal Highways Administration, California Department of Transportation or Department of Fish and Game. The mention of commercial products, their source or their use in connection with material reported herein is not to be construed as either an actual or implied endorsement of such products. The user accepts sole responsibility for the correct interpretation of this report and the correct use of its accompanying data sets in environmental documents. No statement or data set shall by itself be considered an official response from a state agency regarding impacts to wildlife resulting from a management action subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Copyright Information The text of this document and any images (e.g., photos, graphics, figures, and tables) that are specifically attributed (in full, or in coordination with another group) to the California Department of Transportation may be freely distributed or copied, so long as full credit is provided.
    [Show full text]
  • County of Riverside General Plan Land Use Element
    County of Riverside General Plan Land Use Element TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 3: Land Use Element INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................................. LU-1 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................................... LU-1 FORMAT OF THE LAND USE PLAN ....................................................................................................................... LU-1 SETTING ............................................................................................................................................................... LU-3 LAND USE CONCEPT ....................................................................................................................................... LU-11 CONCEPTS OF THE GENERAL PLAN ................................................................................................................... LU-11 GENERAL PLAN LAND USE MAP ...................................................................................................................... LU-12 AREA PLAN SYSTEM ......................................................................................................................................... LU-14 ISSUES AND POLICIES .................................................................................................................................... LU-17 COUNTYWIDE POLICIES ...................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Mesozoic Thrusting and Tertiary Detachment Faulting in the Moon Mountains, West-Central Arizona
    Mesozoic Thrusting and Tertiary Detachment Faulting in the Moon Mountains, West-central Arizona Authors Knapp, J.H. Citation Knapp, J.H., 2018, Mesozoic Thrusting and Tertiary Detachment Faulting in the Moon Mountains, west-central Arizona. Arizona Geological Survey Contributed Report CR-18-I, 56 p Publisher Arizona Geological Survey (Tucson, AZ) Rights Arizona Geological Survey. All rights reserved. Download date 04/10/2021 06:04:55 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/630262 Mesozoic Thrusting and Tertiary Detachment Faulting in the Moon Mountains, West-central Arizona James H. Knapp September 2018 CONTRIBUTED REPORT CR-18-I Arizona Geological Survey azgs.arizona.edu | repository.azgs.az.gov Arizona Geological Survey Phil A. Pearthree, Director Manuscript approved for publication in September 2018 Printed by the Arizona Geological Survey All rights reserved For an electronic copy of this publication: www.repository.azgs.az.gov For information on the mission, objectives or geologic products of the Arizona Geological Survey visit azgs.arizona.edu This publication was prepared by a department of the University of Arizona. The Univer- sity of Arizona, or any department thereof, or any of their employees, makes no warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this report. Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the University of Arizona Arizona Geological Survey Contributed Report series provides non-AZGS authors with a forum for publishing documents concerning Arizona geology.
    [Show full text]
  • Highlights of the Geologic Evolution of the Colorado River Extensional Corridor and Its River: a Field Guide Honoring the Life and Legacy of Warren Hamilton
    The Geological Society of America Field Guide 55 A river is born: Highlights of the geologic evolution of the Colorado River extensional corridor and its river: A field guide honoring the life and legacy of Warren Hamilton Keith A. Howard* U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA P. Kyle House* U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001, USA Barbara E. John* Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, USA Ryan S. Crow* U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001, USA Philip A. Pearthree* Arizona Geological Survey, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85701, USA ABSTRACT The Colorado River extensional corridor, which stretched by a factor of 2 in the Miocene, left a series of lowland basins and intervening bedrock ranges that, at the dawn of the Pliocene, were flooded by Colorado River water newly diverted from the Colorado Plateau through Grand Canyon. This water and subsequent sediment gave birth, through a series of overflowing lakes, to an integrated Colorado River flowing to the newly opened Gulf of California. Topock Gorge, which the river now follows between the Chemehuevi and Mohave Mountains, is a major focus of this field guide, as it very nicely exposes structural, stratigraphic, and magmatic aspects of the Miocene extensional corridor, a core complex, and detachment faults as well as a pre-Cenozoic batholith. Topock Gorge also is the inferred site of a paleodivide between early Pliocene basins of newly arrived Colorado River water.
    [Show full text]
  • Geologic Map of the West Half of the Blythe 30'By 60'Quadrangle
    Geologic Map of the West Half of the Blythe 30’ by 60’ Quadrangle, Riverside County, California and La Paz County, Arizona Compiled by Paul Stone1 Pamphlet to accompany Scientific Investigations Map 2922 1U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 2006 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey INTRODUCTION This report presents a geologic map of bedrock and surficial geologic materials in the west half of the Blythe 30’ by 60’ quadrangle, which is located along the Colorado River between southeastern California and western Arizona. The map area is a desert terrain consisting of mountain ranges surrounded by extensive alluvial fans and plains. The flood plain of the Colorado River forms the east margin of the area. Mountainous parts of the area are underlain by rocks that range in age from Proterozoic to Miocene; these rocks record a complex geologic history that includes a major episode of Late Cretaceous deformation and metamorphism and Miocene detachment faulting. Surficial deposits of the flanking alluvial fans and plains range in age from late Miocene to Holocene and include deposits of the Colorado River in the eastern part of the area. Large parts of the area are covered by eolian sand. The geologic map presented here was prepared as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Southern California Areal Mapping Project, the area of which extends from the southern California coast inland to the Colorado River. The map is updated from the west half of a previously published, preliminary geologic map of the Blythe 30’ by 60’ quadrangle (Stone, 1990). The present map was compiled digitally, in contrast to the earlier analog map, and it contains more detailed information on the late Cenozoic surficial materials than the earlier map.
    [Show full text]