Pacific-North America Plate Tectonics of the Neogene Southwestern United States: An Update

Atwater, Tanya; Stock, J. M.

doi:10.1080/00206819809465216

Cited by 705 publications

(651 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…However, dextral deformation was initiated in the study area at about 9 Ma, coincident with the acceleration of dextral deformation along the central Walker Lane (Hardyman and Oldow, 1991;Dilles and Gans, 1995), and immediately following the first independent motion of the Sierra Nevada microplate at ~10 Ma (e.g., Saleeby et al, 2009). This was closely followed by the northward passage of the Mendocino triple junction (MTJ) at this latitude (Atwater and Stock, 1998). As the MTJ migrated northward, both the San Andreas fault system and the Walker Lane lengthened with lesser total displacements toward the north (e.g., Faulds et al, 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the central Wassuk Range, western Nevada, USA

Surpless

2011

International Geology Review

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the central Wassuk Range, western Nevada, USA

Surpless

2011

International Geology Review

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“…Wernicke and Snow (1998) document a change in Sierra Nevada motion relative to stable North America, from westerly between 16 Ma and 10 Ma, to northwest or north-northwest beginning about 10 Ma, presumably marking the initiation of ECSZ motion. Atwater and Stock (1998) document a change in Pacific plate motion relative to North America at around 8 Ma, from WNW to NW. Reheis and Sawyer (1997) suggest that right lateral motion on the Fish Lake Valley fault, the northern continuation of the Death Valley-Furnace Creek fault zone, also began about 10 Ma (bracketed between 11.9 Ma and 8.2 Ma).…”

Section: Geologic Background and Previous Workmentioning

confidence: 92%

Acceleration and evolution of faults: An example from the Hunter Mountain–Panamint Valley fault zone, Eastern California

Gourmelen

Dixon

Amelung

et al. 2011

Earth and Planetary Science Letters

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We present new space geodetic data indicating that the present slip rate on the Hunter Mountain-Panamint Valley fault zone in Eastern California (5.0±0.5 mm/yr) is significantly faster than geologic estimates based on fault total offset and inception time. We interpret this discrepancy as evidence for an accelerating fault and propose a new model for fault initiation and evolution. In this model, fault slip rate initially increases with time; hence geologic estimates averaged over the early stages of the fault's activity will tend to underestimate the present-day rate. The model is based on geologic data (total offset and fault initiation time) and geodetic data (present day slip rate). The model assumes a monotonic increase in slip rate with time as the fault matures and straightens. The rate increase follows a simple Rayleigh cumulative distribution. Integrating the rate-time path from fault inception to present-day gives the total fault offset.

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“…Atwater and Stock (1998) used global plate circuit reconstructions to demonstrate that the Pacific plate has been transported 640-720 km to the northwest relative to stable North America since ca. 12.3 Ma.…”

Section: Evidence For a Clockwise Rotation Of Pacific Plate Motion Atmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying the forces needed for the rapid change of Pacific plate motion at 6Ma

Austermann¹,

Ben‐Avraham²,

Bird³

et al. 2011

Earth and Planetary Science Letters

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Editor: Y. Ricard Keywords:Pacific plate motion plate driving forces slab detachment oceanic plateau collision northern Melanesian arc Studies have documented several rapid changes along the Pacific-North American, Pacific-Antarctic and Pacific-Australian plate boundaries in latest Miocene to earliest Pliocene time consistent with a sudden clockwise rotation of Pacific plate velocity relative to hotspots during this period. We test the hypothesis that this change in plate motion was initiated by cessation of subduction along the northern Melanesian arc due to the collision between the arc and the Ontong Java plateau. This hypothesis has long been formulated but never tested quantitatively. We use a geomechanical model of the lithosphere to determine the changes in plate boundary forces that are necessary to obtain the observed change in the Pacific plate motion. Our model results show that the change in motion can be explained by a clockwise rotation of the slab-related (basal-strength) component of plate driving force. The change of slab-related force from a post-6 Ma to a pre-6 Ma setting is perpendicular to the arc and points towards the Australian plate. The force per unit length is in the range of currently accepted values for subduction zones. Since there have been no other relevant changes at subduction zones along the Pacific plate boundary during the latest Miocene, we relate this change in slab-related force to the former southward-dipping Pacific plate slab along the northern Melanesian arc system which is now detached. Our model results suggest that rapid changes in plate motion can be triggered by slab detachment, with consequences for plate boundary processes even at great distances from the event.

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Pacific-North America Plate Tectonics of the Neogene Southwestern United States: An Update

Cited by 705 publications

References 72 publications

Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the central Wassuk Range, western Nevada, USA

Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the central Wassuk Range, western Nevada, USA

Acceleration and evolution of faults: An example from the Hunter Mountain–Panamint Valley fault zone, Eastern California

Quantifying the forces needed for the rapid change of Pacific plate motion at 6Ma

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