Abstract
Research Article| September 01, 1984 Cordilleran metamorphic core complexes: Cenozoic extensional relics of Mesozoic compression Peter J. Coney; Peter J. Coney 1Department of Geosciences, Laboratory of Geotectonics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Tekla A. Harms Tekla A. Harms 1Department of Geosciences, Laboratory of Geotectonics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Peter J. Coney 1Department of Geosciences, Laboratory of Geotectonics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 Tekla A. Harms 1Department of Geosciences, Laboratory of Geotectonics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1984) 12 (9): 550–554. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1984)12<550:CMCCCE>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Peter J. Coney, Tekla A. Harms; Cordilleran metamorphic core complexes: Cenozoic extensional relics of Mesozoic compression. Geology 1984;; 12 (9): 550–554. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1984)12<550:CMCCCE>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Cordilleran metamorphic core complexes form a belt of uplifted metamorphic rock that extends from southern Canada to northwestern Mexico just west of, or astride, the foreland thrust belt of the North American Cordillera. During the past several years the age and tectonic significance of the core complexes have been a topic of considerable controversy. Some geologists view the complexes as an uplifted erogenic core zone that formed behind the thrust belts mainly during Mesozoic regional compression. An opposing view is that they are mainly Tertiary in age and of extensional origin. We support a model that unifies these seemingly inconsistent views by suggesting that Mesozoic crustal telescoping resulted in an overthickened plateaulike crustal welt along the Cordilleran hinterland. During Cenozoic time this gravitationally unstable mass spread laterally, resulting in deep-seated crustal extension. The extension was aided by a thermal pulse of Cenozoic magmatism that reduced crustal viscosity and by a lowering of intraplate convergent stress fields due to changing plate kinematics. The chief advantage of the model is that it reconciles opposing views as to the age and tectonic significance of the complexes and places them in a more comprehensible setting amid Mesozoic-Cenozoic Cordilleran thermotectonic history. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.
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