Geologic Mapping in the Black Mountain Area, Northern Eastern California Shear Zone: Testing a Kinematic and Geometric Fault Slip Transfer Model

Author

Kevin M. DeLano, Central Washington UniversityFollow

Document Type

Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Fall 2015

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Geological Sciences

Committee Chair

Jeffrey Lee

Second Committee Member

Anne Egger

Third Committee Member

Chris Mattinson

Abstract

New geologic mapping, structural, kinematic, and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology studies in the Black Mountain area, northern eastern California shear zone, are used to test a kinematic fault slip transfer model for the Owens Valley fault-Mina deflection transition. In the Black Mountain area, range bounding ~NNW- to ~NS-striking and lesser NW- to NE-striking normal faults cut Mesozoic, Miocene (22.42 ± 0.05 Ma), Pliocene (3.53 ± 0.06 to 3.29 ± 0.02 Ma), and early-middle Pleistocene (1936 ± 12.7 to 766 ± 3.1 ka) rocks. Palinspastically restored cross-sections show that offset Pliocene markers record 1.5 +0.7/-0.6 km of ~ENE-WSW extension since ~3.29 Ma, indicating an extension rate of ≥0.5 ± 0.2 mm/yr. We combine our new rates with slip rates on nearby fault zones to refine a kinematic fault slip transfer model for the Owens Valley fault-Mina deflection transition and address the discrepancy between geodetic strain rates and geologic slip rates across the region.

Recommended Citation

DeLano, Kevin M., "Geologic Mapping in the Black Mountain Area, Northern Eastern California Shear Zone: Testing a Kinematic and Geometric Fault Slip Transfer Model" (2015). All Master's Theses. 277.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/277

Language

English