The 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of the Pelona schist and related rocks, southern California

Abstract

Seventeen 40Ar/39Ar ages for hornblende, celadonitic muscovite, and biotite from the Pelona, Orocopia, Rand, and Portal Ridge (POR) schists range from 39 to 85 Ma. The 85 Ma is from Portal Ridge, consistent with the proposed correlation of that body with the schist of Sierra de Salinas. Two muscovites and one hornblende from the Rand Schist have ages of 72 to 74 Ma, indistinguishable from the K‐Ar age of 74 Ma for hornblende from a posttectonic granodiorite that intrudes the schist, but younger than the 79 Ma U‐Pb age of the intrusion. Four muscovite and two hornblende ages for schist and mylonite from the East Fork area of the San Gabriel Mountains range from 55 to 61 Ma, similar to K‐Ar ages from nearby upper plate rocks. A third hornblende has an age of 73 Ma but is not well constrained. Concordance of schist and upper plate ages confirms structural and metamorphic evidence that the Vincent thrust in the San Gabriel Mountains has not undergone significant postmetamorphic disruption. Ages from the Orocopia Mountains are 75 Ma for hornblende from nonmylonitic upper plate, 52 Ma for muscovite from structurally high Orocopia Schist that is mylonitic, and 41 Ma for muscovite from nonmylonitic Orocopia Schist. These are consistent with field evidence that the Orocopia “thrust” is a postmetamorphic normal fault. Muscovite and hornblende from the Gavilan Hills have ages of 48 to 50 Ma, younger than ages from the San Gabriel Mountains but similar to schist ages from the Orocopia Mountains. The geochronologic and structural complexities of the Vincent, Chocolate Mountains, Orocopia, and Rand thrusts imply that previously cited northeastward vergence may not relate to prograde metamorphism (subduction) of the POR schists. The 40Ar/39Ar data indicate substantial uplift of the POR schists prior to middle Tertiary detachment faulting, which confirms other geochronologic evidence of uplift in southern California and southern Arizona during the Late Cretaceous‐early Tertiary.