Detached strata in a Tertiary low-angle normal fault terrane, southeastern California: A sedimentary record of unroofing, breaching, and continued slip

Abstract

Research Article| July 01, 1988 Detached strata in a Tertiary low-angle normal fault terrane, southeastern California: A sedimentary record of unroofing, breaching, and continued slip Julia M.G. Miller; Julia M.G. Miller 1Department of Geology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Barbara E. John Barbara E. John 2Department of Earth Sciences, Cambridge University, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, England Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (1988) 16 (7): 645–648. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1988)016<0645:DSIATL>2.3.CO;2 Article history first online: 02 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 Julia M.G. Miller, Barbara E. John; Detached strata in a Tertiary low-angle normal fault terrane, southeastern California: A sedimentary record of unroofing, breaching, and continued slip. Geology 1988;; 16 (7): 645–648. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1988)016<0645:DSIATL>2.3.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 Miocene sedimentary strata exposed in the eastern Chemehuevi Mountains, southeastern California, record development of an evolving low-angle normal fault system. The sequence includes more than 1 km of conglomerate and sandstone with rare interbedded monolithologic breccia and volcanic flows. Clasts of Peach Springs Tuff in basal units indicate that this succession is younger than 18 Ma. These rocks have been displaced by a regionally extensive low-angle normal fault, the Chemehuevi detachment, and are folded and faulted. Structural reconstructions and the character of associated fault rocks indicate that the Chemehuevi fault was initiated at a low angle and that the footwall was progressively unloaded through thinning and displacement of its cover during extensional deformation. The syntectonic sedimentary rocks described here provide evidence that movement continued on the gently dipping (< 15°) fault even after part of the fault was breached and the footwall eroded.The conglomerates and sandstones were deposited by stream flow and debris flow on alluvial fans. Synsedimentary faulting is suggested by angular discordance below one monolithologic breccia bed and by local coarsening-upward sequences. Clast types reveal progressive unroofing of hanging-wall rocks to expose the Chemehuevi fault zone, from which chloritic, brecciated granite clasts were derived. Clasts were then derived from both the hanging wall and the footwall, footwall debris being dominant high in the section. Distinctive clasts show that late displacement on this evolving fault system was on the order of 1 to 5 km. 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.