New K-Ar dates and the late Pliocene to Holocene geomorphic history of the central Rio Grande region, New Mexico

Abstract

Research Article| February 01, 1978 New K-Ar dates and the late Pliocene to Holocene geomorphic history of the central Rio Grande region, New Mexico G. O. BACHMAN; G. O. BACHMAN 1U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar H. H. MEHNERT H. H. MEHNERT 1U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information G. O. BACHMAN 1U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225 H. H. MEHNERT 1U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1978) 89 (2): 283–292. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1978)89<283:NKDATL>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 MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation G. O. BACHMAN, H. H. MEHNERT; New K-Ar dates and the late Pliocene to Holocene geomorphic history of the central Rio Grande region, New Mexico. GSA Bulletin 1978;; 89 (2): 283–292. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1978)89<283:NKDATL>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 The aerial distribution, dissection, and stratigraphic relations of Pliocene and younger mafic volcanic flows indicate that the Rio Grande in central New Mexico became a throughflowing drainage system during late Pliocene time (between about 3.0 and 4.5 m.y. ago). K-Ar dates indicate that the course of the Rio Grande was established more than 4.0 m.y. ago in central New Mexico and about 3.0+ m.y. ago in north-central New Mexico. The Ortiz geomorphic surface was probably graded to the ancestral Rio Grande about 3 m.y. ago and is considerably older than the Llano de Albuquerque surface. The central Rio Grande region has been warped and faulted since late Pliocene time. A complex fault block in the southeastern part of the Albuquerque-Belen Basin includes volcanic rocks more than 20 m.y. old that originated from southwestern New Mexico before rifting of the Rio Grande depression. 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.