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Title: Late Cenozoic volcanism, geochronology, and structure of the Coso Range, Inyo County, California

Abstract

The Coso Range lies at the west edge of the Great Basin, adjacent to the southern part of the Sierra Nevada. A basement complex of pre-Cenozoic plutonic and metamorphic rocks is partly buried by approx.35 km/sup 3/ of late Cenozoic volcanic rocks that were erupted during two periods, as defined by K-Ar dating: (1) 4.0--2.5 m.y., approx.31 km/sup 3/ of basalt, rhyodacite, dacite, andesite, and rhyolite, in descending order of abundance, and (2) < or =1.1 m.y., nearly equal amounts of basalt and rhyolite, most of the rhyolite being < or =0.3 m.y. old. Vents for the volcanic rocks of the younger period are localized on and near a horst of basement rocks within a concavity defined by the distribution of vents of the older period. The alignment of many vents and the presence of a considerable number of roughly north-trending normal faults of late Cenozoic age reflect basin and range tectonics dominated by roughly east-west lithospheric extension. Fumaroles, intermittently active thermal springs, and associated altered rocks occur within and immediately east of the central part of the field of Quaternary rhyolite, in an area characterized by various geophysical anomalies that are evidently related to an active hot-water geothermal system.more » This system apparently is heated by a reservoir of silicic magma at > or =8-km depth, itself produced and sustained through partial melting of crustal rocks by thermal energy contained in mantle-derived basaltic magma that intrudes the crust in repsonse to lithospheric extension.« less

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025
OSTI Identifier:
5285918
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 85:B5
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY; COSO HOT SPRINGS; GEOLOGIC HISTORY; GEOLOGIC STRATA; ANDESITES; BASALT; CENOZOIC ERA; FUMAROLIC FLUIDS; GEOLOGIC FAULTS; GEOTHERMAL FIELDS; RHYOLITES; VOLCANISM; CALIFORNIA; FLUIDS; GEOLOGIC AGES; GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES; GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS; IGNEOUS ROCKS; NORTH AMERICA; ROCKS; USA; VOLCANIC ROCKS; WESTERN REGION; 150201* - Geology & Hydrology of Geothermal Systems- USA- (-1989)

Citation Formats

Duffield, W A, Bacon, C R, and Dalrymple, G B. Late Cenozoic volcanism, geochronology, and structure of the Coso Range, Inyo County, California. United States: N. p., 1980. Web. doi:10.1029/JB085iB05p02381.
Duffield, W A, Bacon, C R, & Dalrymple, G B. Late Cenozoic volcanism, geochronology, and structure of the Coso Range, Inyo County, California. United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/JB085iB05p02381
Duffield, W A, Bacon, C R, and Dalrymple, G B. 1980. "Late Cenozoic volcanism, geochronology, and structure of the Coso Range, Inyo County, California". United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/JB085iB05p02381.
@article{osti_5285918,
title = {Late Cenozoic volcanism, geochronology, and structure of the Coso Range, Inyo County, California},
author = {Duffield, W A and Bacon, C R and Dalrymple, G B},
abstractNote = {The Coso Range lies at the west edge of the Great Basin, adjacent to the southern part of the Sierra Nevada. A basement complex of pre-Cenozoic plutonic and metamorphic rocks is partly buried by approx.35 km/sup 3/ of late Cenozoic volcanic rocks that were erupted during two periods, as defined by K-Ar dating: (1) 4.0--2.5 m.y., approx.31 km/sup 3/ of basalt, rhyodacite, dacite, andesite, and rhyolite, in descending order of abundance, and (2) < or =1.1 m.y., nearly equal amounts of basalt and rhyolite, most of the rhyolite being < or =0.3 m.y. old. Vents for the volcanic rocks of the younger period are localized on and near a horst of basement rocks within a concavity defined by the distribution of vents of the older period. The alignment of many vents and the presence of a considerable number of roughly north-trending normal faults of late Cenozoic age reflect basin and range tectonics dominated by roughly east-west lithospheric extension. Fumaroles, intermittently active thermal springs, and associated altered rocks occur within and immediately east of the central part of the field of Quaternary rhyolite, in an area characterized by various geophysical anomalies that are evidently related to an active hot-water geothermal system. This system apparently is heated by a reservoir of silicic magma at > or =8-km depth, itself produced and sustained through partial melting of crustal rocks by thermal energy contained in mantle-derived basaltic magma that intrudes the crust in repsonse to lithospheric extension.},
doi = {10.1029/JB085iB05p02381},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5285918}, journal = {J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 85:B5,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat May 10 00:00:00 EDT 1980},
month = {Sat May 10 00:00:00 EDT 1980}
}