Geological-geophysical interpretation of Mono Basin, California-Nevada

Christensen, Mark N.; Gilbert, Charles M.; Lajoie, K.R.; Al-Rawi, Yehya T.

doi:10.1029/jb074i022p05221

Cited by 28 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Early gravity investigations suggested that the magmatic source was under the west side of Mono Craters, which was interpreted as a collapsed caldera [ Pakiser et al , ], but no such structure was found from seismic data [ Gilbert et al , ; Christensen et al , ; Hill et al , ] nor MT data [ Hermance et al , ]. Hermance et al [] did not find a low resistivity anomaly below Mono Craters and suggested that if there is one, it has to be at least 8 km deep.…”

Section: Previous Geophysical Work In Mono Basinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Imaging the magmatic system of Mono Basin, California, with magnetotellurics in three dimensions

et al. 2015

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A three‐dimensional (3‐D) electrical resistivity model of Mono Basin in eastern California, unveils a complex subsurface filled with zones of partial melt, fluid‐filled fracture networks, cold plutons, and regional faults. In 2013, 62 broadband magnetotelluric stations were collected in an array around southeastern Mono Basin from which a 3‐D electrical resistivity model was created with a resolvable depth of 35 km. Multiple robust electrical resistivity features were found that correlate with existing geophysical observations. The most robust features are two 300 ± 50 km3 near‐vertical conductive bodies (3–10 Ω m) that underlie the southeast and northeastern margin of Mono Craters below 10 km depth. These features are interpreted as magmatic crystal‐melt mush zones of 15 ± 5% interstitial melt surrounded by hydrothermal fluids and are likely sources for Holocene eruptions. Two conductive east dipping structures appear to connect each magma source region to the surface. A conductive arc‐like structure (< 0.9 Ω m) links the northernmost mush column at 10 km depth to just below vents near Panum Crater, where the high conductivity suggests the presence of hydrothermal fluids. The connection from the southernmost mush column at 10 km depth to below South Coulée is less obvious with higher resistivity (200 Ω m) suggestive of a cooled connection. A third, less constrained conductive feature (4–10 Ω m) 15 km deep, extending to 35 km is located west of Mono Craters near the eastern front of the Sierra Nevada escarpment and is coincident with a zone of sporadic, long‐period earthquakes that are characteristic of a fluid‐filled (magmatic or metamorphic) fracture network. A resistive feature (103–105 Ω m) located under Aeolian Buttes contains a deep root down to 25 km. The eastern edge of this resistor appears to structurally control the arcuate shape of Mono Craters. These observations have been combined to form a new conceptual model of the magmatic system beneath Mono Craters to a depth of 30 km.

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Section: Previous Geophysical Work In Mono Basinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Imaging the magmatic system of Mono Basin, California, with magnetotellurics in three dimensions

et al. 2015

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“…Model l 's basement is shallower than that proposed by Pakiser (1970), but Model 2's basement is locally deeper than that analyzed by Christensen et al (1969). Because the calculated gravity anomaly is strongly influenced by the low-density lacustrine sediments, the proposed gravity inversion process with more detailed information about this sediment's density variation may provide a better understanding of the tectonic setting of the basin.…”

Section: Real Casementioning

confidence: 79%

“…Pakiser et al (1960) and Pakiser (1968Pakiser ( , 1970) (Model 1) assumed that the basin is a deeply downfaulted structural block. Christensen et al (1969) (Model 2) considered a broad, shallow downwarp. In both cases, the associated gravity anomaly was modeled by forward computations based on a variety of possible density distributions.…”

Section: Real Casementioning

confidence: 99%

Three‐dimensional Fourier gravity inversion with arbitrary density contrast

Guspí

1992

GEOPHYSICS

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“…Here we argue that the region between the Excelsior Mountains and White Mountains served, and continues to serve, as a “zone of weakness” to funnel deformation across the Mono Basin into the central Mina Deflection due to crustal anisotropy (Figure ). Recent and historic magnetic and gravity data in the area between Excelsior Mountain and the White Mountain structural blocks show gradients in both total field magnetic and isostatic residual gravity data (Bursik et al, ; Christensen et al, ; Gilbert et al, ; McDonell, ; Pakiser et al, ; Roberts & Jachens, ). A pronounced magnetic high occurs just west of the Adobe Hills (Adobe Flats) at the California‐Nevada border that increases rapidly into the western Mina Deflection just south of Huntoon Valley (Appendix Ca).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical Axis Rotation Across the Eastern Mono Basin and West‐Central Walker Lane Revealed by Paleomagnetic Data From the Jack Springs Tuff

Petronis

Zebrowski

Shields

et al. 2019

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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The mid‐Miocene Jack Springs Tuff (JST) outcrops from the Bodie Hills of eastern California into the western Mina Deflection, Nevada. Distal outcrops of the JST occur northwest of Mono Lake, CA, on a minimally rotated structural block. This provides a reference location for our paleomagnetic study to estimate relative vertical‐axis rotation. A new 40Ar/39Ar age places the eruption of the JST at 12.114 ± 0.006 Ma. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility data, once corrected for local tilt and vertical axis rotation, yields a mean imbrication that trends 178°. The probable source of the JST is located in the Huntoon Valley/Queens Valley region. Eighteen paleomagnetic sites constrain mid‐Miocene to recent vertical axis rotation within the region. All sites are discordant to the reference location with variable amounts of clockwise vertical axis rotation ranging from 25° to 104°. We hypothesize that a previously unrecognized early phase of deformation occurred that predates the deformation in the central Mina Deflection. These new data support the hypothesis that transtensional faulting associated with North American and Pacific plate interaction transferred deformation across the Mono Basin region that was partially accommodated by vertical axis rotation. By late Miocene, deformation had stepped east developing the Silver Peak‐Lone Mountain detachment system followed by the structures that presently define the central Mina deflection. This study further demonstrates that deformation occurred east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at the latitude of the Mono Basin in western‐most Nevada, a region previously thought to be undeformed in terms of clockwise vertical axis rotation.

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Geological-geophysical interpretation of Mono Basin, California-Nevada

Cited by 28 publications

References 22 publications

Imaging the magmatic system of Mono Basin, California, with magnetotellurics in three dimensions

Imaging the magmatic system of Mono Basin, California, with magnetotellurics in three dimensions

Three‐dimensional Fourier gravity inversion with arbitrary density contrast

Vertical Axis Rotation Across the Eastern Mono Basin and West‐Central Walker Lane Revealed by Paleomagnetic Data From the Jack Springs Tuff

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