Flexural subsidence and basement tectonics of the Cretaceous Western Interior basin, United States

Research Article| February 01, 1995 Flexural subsidence and basement tectonics of the Cretaceous Western Interior basin, United States Ming Pang; Ming Pang 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803-4101 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Dag Nummedal Dag Nummedal 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803-4101 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Ming Pang 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803-4101 Dag Nummedal 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803-4101 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1995) 23 (2): 173–176. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1995)023<0173:FSABTO>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 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 Ming Pang, Dag Nummedal; Flexural subsidence and basement tectonics of the Cretaceous Western Interior basin, United States. Geology 1995;; 23 (2): 173–176. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1995)023<0173:FSABTO>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 SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The flexural subsidence history recorded in Cenomanian to early Campanian (97 to 80 Ma) strata in the Cretaceous U.S. Western Interior basin was studied with two-dimensional flexural backstripping techniques. Results indicate that the flexural subsidence resulting from thrust loading was superimposed on epeirogenic subsidence in the foreland basin. The flexural component exhibits significant spatial and temporal variations along both the strike and dip relative to the Sevier thrust belt. The greatest cumulative subsidence occurred in southwestern Wyoming and northern Utah. Concurrent subsidence in northwestern Montana and southern Utah was insignificant. Temporal trends in subsidence also show a distinct regional pattern. From the Cenomanian to late Turonian (97 to 90 Ma), subsidence rates were high in Utah and much lower in Wyoming and Montana. In contrast, during the Coniacian and Santonian (90 to 85 Ma) subsidence accelerated rapidly in Wyoming, increased slightly in Montana, and decreased in Utah. We suggest that these spatially and temporally varying subsidence patterns reflect the interplay of several geodynamic factors, including: (1) temporal and spatial variation in emplacement of the thrust loads, (2) segmentation of the basement into adjacent blocks with different rheological properties, (3) reactivation of basement fault trends, and (4) regional dynamic topographic effects. 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.