Sedimentary facies and gravity anomaly across master faults of the Rio Grande rift in New Mexico

Research Article| April 01, 1979 Sedimentary facies and gravity anomaly across master faults of the Rio Grande rift in New Mexico Lindrith Cordell Lindrith Cordell 1U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Lindrith Cordell 1U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1979) 7 (4): 201–205. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1979)7<201:SFAGAA>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Lindrith Cordell; Sedimentary facies and gravity anomaly across master faults of the Rio Grande rift in New Mexico. Geology 1979;; 7 (4): 201–205. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1979)7<201:SFAGAA>2.0.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 Detailed gravity profiles across linear gravity gradients 20 to 30 km long indicate 1 to 2 km of structural relief in zones more than 5 km wide. The gravity anomaly is attributed to low-density alluvial basin fill, the density of which is assumed to decrease basinward from the fault as a result of blending of piedmont-slope alluvial with fluvial sedimentary facies. A direct inverse solution of gravity for lateral density variation is derived. The gravity data are compatible with a single large fault and a density contrast increasing from 0 to 0.4 g/cm3 in a 5-km-wide zone. The data are also compatible with a constant density contrast and a gently dipping fault, although this seems unlikely, geologically, because most observed faults are high angle. Geologic and gravity data considered together suggest the presence of a relatively few, widely spaced, long, steeply dipping (at shallow levels), mostly buried “master” faults, to which most observed faults are secondary and sympathetic. 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.