Sierra Nevada Plutonic Cycle: Part I, Origin of Composite Granitic Batholiths

Abstract

Research Article| April 01, 1971 Sierra Nevada Plutonic Cycle: Part I, Origin of Composite Granitic Batholiths R. W KISTLER; R. W KISTLER U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, California 94025 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar J. F EVERNDEN; J. F EVERNDEN Nuclear Monitoring Research Office, ARPA, Washington, D.C. 20301 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar H. R SHAW H. R SHAW U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C. 20242 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1971) 82 (4): 853–868. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1971)82[853:SNPCPI]2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 09 Feb 1970 rev-recd: 08 Dec 1970 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation R. W KISTLER, J. F EVERNDEN, H. R SHAW; Sierra Nevada Plutonic Cycle: Part I, Origin of Composite Granitic Batholiths. GSA Bulletin 1971;; 82 (4): 853–868. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1971)82[853:SNPCPI]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 SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Intrusion of Mesozoic batholiths in California and the western North America Cordillera began in the Late Triassic 210 m.y. ago and ended in the Late Cretaceous 80 m.y. ago. Emplacement of granitic rocks was apparently not continuous but was accomplished during five major epochs of intrusion at approximately 30 m.y. intervals, each epoch taking 10 to 20 m.y. to complete. A progressive transgression of epicontinental seas onto the midcontinent occurred during the same interval of time as the batholithic emplacement to the west. A penecontemporaneous deformation near the loci of granitic emplacement and a temporary regression during the major progressive transgression of seas onto the midcontinent are correlated with each intrusive epoch. The locus of Mesozoic granitic rocks was a source of sediments during most of the period of time required to emplace the batholiths; the origin of the batholithic magmas cannot be related only to localized down-warping of geosynclines. The source of the major proportion of the mobile granodioritic magmas of the Sierra Nevada was within the mantle, as is indicated by Sr isotope data. All plutons now exposed in the Sierra Nevada, whether of Cretaceous age or older, were emplaced at depths of a very few kilometers, the shallowest having been emplaced at depths of 4 km or less. The spatial relationships among these synchronous geologic phenomena and the geochemical and geophysical data from the same region are accounted for by a northwestward drift of North America in the region of the western Cordillera of the United States onto and across a Mesozoic feature that had characteristics like present-day oceanic rises. 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.