Isostatic rebound, active faulting, and potential geomorphic effects in the Lake Lahontan basin, Nevada and California

Research Article| December 01, 1999 Isostatic rebound, active faulting, and potential geomorphic effects in the Lake Lahontan basin, Nevada and California Kenneth D. Adams; Kenneth D. Adams 1Center for Neotectonic Studies and Department of Geological Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557-0135 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Steven G. Wesnousky; Steven G. Wesnousky 1Center for Neotectonic Studies and Department of Geological Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557-0135 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Bruce G. Bills Bruce G. Bills 2Institute for Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0208 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Kenneth D. Adams 1Center for Neotectonic Studies and Department of Geological Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557-0135 Steven G. Wesnousky 1Center for Neotectonic Studies and Department of Geological Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557-0135 Bruce G. Bills 2Institute for Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0208 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1999) 111 (12): 1739–1756. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1999)111<1739:IRAFAP>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 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 Kenneth D. Adams, Steven G. Wesnousky, Bruce G. Bills; Isostatic rebound, active faulting, and potential geomorphic effects in the Lake Lahontan basin, Nevada and California. GSA Bulletin 1999;; 111 (12): 1739–1756. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1999)111<1739:IRAFAP>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 SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The high shoreline of the late Pleistocene (Sehoo) lake in the Lahontan basin is used as a passive strain marker to delineate the magnitude and character of regional deformation since 13 ka. The elevations of 170 high shoreline sites document that the once horizontal (equipotential) shoreline, which traverses almost 4° of latitude and 3° of longitude, is now deflected vertically about 22 m. Most of the deformation is attributed to isostatic rebound, but a small down-to-the-north regional tilting also appears to contribute to the overall deformation pattern. Active faults locally offset the high shoreline, but cannot explain the regional upwarping attributed to isostatic rebound since 13 ka. Preliminary models of the rebound yield an upper mantle viscosity of 1018 Pa s that implies a Maxwell relaxation time of about 300 yr. The rapid Earth response, coupled with the rapid fall in lake level at the end of Pleistocene time, may have acted to divert some of the major rivers flowing into the basin from one terminal subbasin to another. The regional deformation caused by the rebound may also have acted to control the present location of Honey Lake. These shoreline data, therefore, support the potential for a link between climate change, deep Earth processes, and surficial processes. 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.