Unruh, Jeffrey R. and Hauksson, Egill and Monastero, Francis C. and Twiss, Robert J. and Lewis, Jonathan C. (2002) Seismotectonics of the Coso Range–Indian Wells Valley region, California: Transtensional deformation along the southeastern margin of the Sierran microplate. In: Geologic Evolution of the Mojave Desert and Southwestern Basin and Range. Geological Society of America Memoir. No.195. Geological Society of America , Boulder, CO, pp. 277-294. ISBN 9780813711959. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20180717-103017008
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Abstract
Space-based geodetic observations show that the Coso Range and Indian Wells Valley lie along the southeastern margin of the Sierra Nevada–Central Valley (i.e., “Sierran”) microplate, which moves ~13–14 mm/yr northwest with respect to stable North America. Detailed kinematic analysis of seismicity indicates that active crustal extension in the Coso Range occurs in a right-lateral transtensional regime along the eastern border of the Sierran microplate. The Airport Lake fault in the northern Indian Wells Valley and the Owens Valley fault are the major strike-slip faults along the eastern margin of the Sierran microplate south and north, respectively, of the Coso Range. Patterns of seismogenic deformation and Quaternary faulting indicate that dextral shear passes through the Coso Range in a right-releasing stepover between the Airport Lake and Owens Valley faults. Extension within the stepover region is accommodated in part by opening of CosoWash as a pull-apart basin. The stepover is bounded on the east by a blind, northwest-striking dextral fault that is well expressed by patterns of microseismicity. Comparison with analogue sandbox models of pull-apart basins suggests that the Coso stepover is a relatively immature structure, consistent with models for a westward step in the locus of dextral shear along the eastern margin of the Sierran microplate to the IndianWells Valley and Owens Valley in the past 2–3 m.y.
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Additional Information: | © 2002 Geological Society of America. Accepted MAY 9, 2001. This work was funded by the U.S. Navy Geothermal Program Office (contract number N68936-98-M-0621). We thank Michael Hasting of the USN GPO for logistical assistance and discussions about the seismotectonics of the Coso Range. David Benner (University of California, Davis) assisted in the preparation of Figure 9. The manuscript was improved by critical reviews from Timothy Dixon, Joydeep Bhattacharyya, and John Bartley. Stereograms were produced by using R.W. Allmendinger’s “Stereonet 4.9.6.” Caltech, Division of Geology and Planetary Sciences, publication number 8744. | ||||||
Group: | Seismological Laboratory | ||||||
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Series Name: | Geological Society of America Memoir | ||||||
Issue or Number: | 195 | ||||||
DOI: | 10.1130/0-8137-1195-9.277 | ||||||
Record Number: | CaltechAUTHORS:20180717-103017008 | ||||||
Persistent URL: | https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20180717-103017008 | ||||||
Official Citation: | Unruh, J.R., Hauksson, E., Monastero, F.C., Twiss, R.J., and Lewis, J.C., 2002, Seismotectonics of the Coso Range–Indian Wells Valley region, California: Transtensional deformation along the southeastern margin of the Sierran microplate, in Glazner, A.F., Walker, J.D., and Bartley, J.M., eds., Geologic Evolution of the Mojave Desert and Southwestern Basin and Range: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Memoir 195, p. 277–294 | ||||||
Usage Policy: | No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided. | ||||||
ID Code: | 87921 | ||||||
Collection: | CaltechAUTHORS | ||||||
Deposited By: | Tony Diaz | ||||||
Deposited On: | 17 Jul 2018 21:35 | ||||||
Last Modified: | 16 Nov 2021 00:22 |
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