Quaternary tilt of Death Valley determined from landform modelling of alluvial fans
- Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States). Dept. of Geology
Alluvial fans along the east side of central Death Valley are being actively back-tilted along the Death Valley fault zone. Initial modelling of the Copper Canyon and Furnace Creek fans led to recognition of distinct segments. Field reconnaissance and aerial photo mapping were conducted to check model results and improve segment discrimination. Surface roughness, relative position, vegetation distribution, and drainage patterns provided independent evidence for segment discrimination. Subsequent modelling of individual segments produced a range of tilt values from 0.275[degree] to 0.559[degree] down to the northeast. Continued analysis of these fan segments is concentrated on: (1) assigning confidence and error values to the tilt values; and (2) dating individual segments. Further work will compare the tilt rates of east-side fans with those from the west. The mean squared error (MSE) is currently being used as a first order assessment of the quality of the model's fit to data digitized from 1:24,000 scale USGS topographic maps. MSE values of 1 m or less can be expected for relatively young or actively aggrading segments. Previous fan models have found the expected range of misfits to be between 2 m and 5 m. This seven parameter least squares model has produced fits with less than 2 m total range in misfits. Previous models have not accounted for tilt or have relied on simplifying assumptions to fix apex position.
- OSTI ID:
- 5022354
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9305259-; CODEN: GAAPBC
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 25:5; Conference: 89. annual meeting of the Cordilleran Section and the 46th annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Section of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Reno, NV (United States), 19-21 May 1993; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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