OVERVIEW: Late Cenozoic tectonics of the central and southern Coast Ranges of California

Research Article| July 01, 1998 OVERVIEW: Late Cenozoic tectonics of the central and southern Coast Ranges of California Benjamin M. Page; Benjamin M. Page 1Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-2115 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Robert G. Coleman; Robert G. Coleman 2Department of Geophysics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-2215 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar George A. Thompson George A. Thompson 1Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-2115 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1998) 110 (7): 846–876. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1998)110<0846:OLCTOT>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 Benjamin M. Page, Robert G. Coleman, George A. Thompson; OVERVIEW: Late Cenozoic tectonics of the central and southern Coast Ranges of California. GSA Bulletin 1998;; 110 (7): 846–876. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1998)110<0846:OLCTOT>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 central and southern Coast Ranges of California coincide with the broad Pacific–North American plate boundary. The ranges formed during the transform regime, but show little direct mechanical relation to strike-slip faulting. After late Miocene deformation, two recent generations of range building occurred: (1) folding and thrusting, beginning ca. 3.5 Ma and increasing at 0.4 Ma, and (2) subsequent late Quaternary uplift of the ranges. The ranges rose synchronously along the central California margin and are still rising; their long axes are quasiparallel to the plate boundary and strike-slip faults. The upper crustal internal and marginal structures of the ranges are contractional, dominated by folds and thrusts resulting from the convergent component of plate motion. Newly constructed transects using seismic reflection and refraction, plus gravity and magnetic studies, reveal lower crustal basement(s) at depths of 10–22 km. The upper surface of the basement and Moho show no effect of the folding and thrusting observed in the upper crust. We conclude that horizontal shortening is accommodated at depth by slip on subhorizontal detachments, and by ductile shear and thickening. The ranges are marked by high heat flow; weak rocks of the Franciscan subduction complex; high fluid pressure; bounding high-angle reverse, strike-slip, or thrust faults; and uplift at a rate of 1 mm/yr beginning about 0.40 Ma. Transverse compression manifested in folding within the Coast Ranges is ascribed in large part to the well-established change in plate motions at about 3.5 Ma. 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.