Origin and evolution of extensional faults within the ductile-to-brittle transition, Badwater Turtleback, Death Valley, CA

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5505152

Miller, M G ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States). Geological Sciences

Field relations in the footwall of the Badwater Turtleback suggest a model for two geometrically distinct sets of brittle faults. The model shows how extensional brittle faults may (1) initiate within mylonite zones as a result of strain incompatibilities, and (2) become inactive as a function of decreased dip angles. Cross-cutting relations indicate that, as the footwall cooled, late stages of ductile strain concentrated in calcite marble shear zones while brittle faults formed within the other rocks. These faults fall into two groups: decollement-style faults (DSF) and high angle faults (HAF). They must have formed concurrently with calcite mylonitization because they locally terminate at the calcite shear zones. DSF are subparallel to mylonitic foliation and locally re-occupy calcite shear zones. They are moderately nonplanar, discontinuous at scales of 10--100m, and show limited evidence for transport parallel to stretching lineations in adjacent mylonites. HAF cut foliation at high angles. These faults either (1) end downwards into unfractured calcite mylonite, (2) cut calcite mylonite and join underlying DSF, or (3) cut calcite mylonite and DSF. Where they join DSF, HAF are strongly listric and maintain integrity as distinct slip surfaces within the DSF zone (see inset). DSF formed at rheological boundaries and at places where actively deforming calcite marble pinched out into brittle rocks. HAF formed in brittle upper plates of calcite marble shear zones to accommodate differences in strain between brittle and nonbrittle rock. With continued strain and consequent cooling and eastward tilting of the footwall, calcite shear zones stopped deforming ductility, became occupied by DSF, and gradually rotated to lower angles.

• OSTI ID: 5505152
• Report Number(s): CONF-921058--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 24:7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
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DEFORMATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC MODELS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MINERALS
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NORTH AMERICA
ORIGIN
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USA