history of arizona’s basin and range and related landforms gcu 221
TRANSCRIPT
History of Arizona’s History of Arizona’s Basin and RangeBasin and Range
and Related Landforms and Related Landforms
GCU 221GCU 221
Game Plan:Game Plan:
Cenozoic history of the Basin and RangeCenozoic history of the Basin and Range- Time step 1 – Compression - Time step 1 – Compression (Thrust Faults)(Thrust Faults)
- Time step 2 – Extension - Time step 2 – Extension (Fault Block / Metamorphic Core (Fault Block / Metamorphic Core Complexes)Complexes)
- Time step 3 – Basin filling - Time step 3 – Basin filling (Playas)(Playas)
- Time step 4 – Drainage integration- Time step 4 – Drainage integration
Cenozoic Cenozoic History of History of the Basin the Basin
RangeRange
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step Time Step 11 - 70 to 20 million years ago - 70 to 20 million years ago
Arizona COMPRESSED from North Arizona COMPRESSED from North America overriding the Pacific PlateAmerica overriding the Pacific Plate
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 1Time Step 1 - 70 to 20 million years ago - 70 to 20 million years ago
How compression works…
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 1Time Step 1 - 70 to 20 million years ago - 70 to 20 million years ago
“Keystone Thrust Fault”
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 1Time Step 1 - 70 to 20 million years ago - 70 to 20 million years ago
“Arizona Thrust Faults”
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step Time Step 22 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
Arizona EXTENDED because North Arizona EXTENDED because North America overrode a “spreading center”America overrode a “spreading center”
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
“San Andreas Fault”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxPTLmg0ZCw
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
“Compressionto extension”
Two major features:1. Fault Block
Mountains2. Metamorphic Core
Complexes
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
Fault Block Mountains
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
“Little More Complicated”
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
Arizona Fault Block Mountains
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
“Sierra Estrella Mountains”
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
“Camelback Mountain” – Red Tertiary deposits and very old granite, typical Fault Block
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
Death Valley Normal Fault
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
Metamorphic Core Complexes
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
South Mountain
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
Tempe Butte – A fault block that rotated away from South Mountain
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
Catalina Mountains
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
Catalina Mountains
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
Can you find a fault block mountain and a metamorphic core complex? How can you tell?
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 2Time Step 2 - 20 to 10 million years ago - 20 to 10 million years ago
Bonus, Bear Claw Mountains or a detachment fault.
Harcuvar Mountains.
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step Time Step 33 – 10 to ~5 million years ago – 10 to ~5 million years ago
Extension shuts down, Arizona dominated Extension shuts down, Arizona dominated by interior drainageby interior drainage
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 3Time Step 3 – 10 to ~5 million years ago – 10 to ~5 million years ago
Arizona kinda looked like numerous Death Valleyshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEOYyjYVkR0
Interior drainage in arid locations forms playas or dry lakes
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 3Time Step 3 – 10 to ~5 million years ago – 10 to ~5 million years ago
Death Valley… again
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 3Time Step 3 – 10 to ~5 million years ago – 10 to ~5 million years ago
Arizona’s old Death Valleys
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step 3Time Step 3 – 10 to ~5 million years ago – 10 to ~5 million years ago
Wilcox Playa
Cenozoic History of the Basin RangeCenozoic History of the Basin Range Time Step Time Step 44 – ~5 to the present – ~5 to the present
Arizona’s drainages become mostly Arizona’s drainages become mostly integratedintegrated
Development and integration of the Salt, Verde, and Gila Rivers
Things to know:Things to know: Basin and Range History Basin and Range History
- Time step 1 – Compression (Thrust Faults)- Time step 1 – Compression (Thrust Faults)- Time step 2 – Extension (Fault Block / - Time step 2 – Extension (Fault Block /
Metamorphic Core Complexes)Metamorphic Core Complexes)- Time step 3 – Basin filling (Playas)- Time step 3 – Basin filling (Playas)- Time step 4 – Drainage integration (basin - Time step 4 – Drainage integration (basin
spillover)spillover)
If you have questions, ask Dr. Douglass