Early Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the western Sierra Nevada, California

Abstract

Research Article| October 01, 1975 Early Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the western Sierra Nevada, California RICHARD A. SCHWEICKERT; RICHARD A. SCHWEICKERT 1Department of Geological Sciences and Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, New York, New York 10027 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar DARREL S. COWAN DARREL S. COWAN 2Department of Geological Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information RICHARD A. SCHWEICKERT 1Department of Geological Sciences and Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, New York, New York 10027 DARREL S. COWAN 2Department of Geological Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1975) 86 (10): 1329–1336. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1975)86<1329:EMTEOT>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation RICHARD A. SCHWEICKERT, DARREL S. COWAN; Early Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the western Sierra Nevada, California. GSA Bulletin 1975;; 86 (10): 1329–1336. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1975)86<1329:EMTEOT>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 SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Prebatholithic rocks of Mesozoic age in the Sierra Nevada can be interpreted as remnants of ancient volcanic arcs, subduction complexes, and sequences of oceanic lithosphere. Two partly coeval subparallel volcanic arcs, one in the western foothills and the other in the northern and eastern Sierra Nevada, are juxtaposed. The western arc was an east-facing island-arc complex that evolved through a series of steps including formation of a remnant arc and interarc basin. The eastern arc was a west-facing marginal arc that was constructed on the edge of North America. Both arc-subduction complexes consumed intervening oceanic lithosphere and collided during the Late Jurassic Nevadan orogeny. Generation of magmas in both arcs apparently ceased at about this time, and renewed subduction was initiated west of the island arc in latest Jurassic time, giving birth to the Franciscan-Sierran arc-trench complex. Fault zones and mélanges in the western Sierra Nevada reflect the complex suturing at the collision boundary. Pre-Tithonian ophiolite at the base of the Great Valley sequence in the Coast Ranges originated in a back-arc or marginal basin setting with respect to the coeval Sierran foothills arc. 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.