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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

The Timing Of Deformation In The Four Peaks Area, Central Arizona, And Relevance For The Mazatzal Orogeny, Calvin A. Mako Nov 2014

The Timing Of Deformation In The Four Peaks Area, Central Arizona, And Relevance For The Mazatzal Orogeny, Calvin A. Mako

Masters Theses

The Mazatzal orogeny (1.66-1.60 Ga) is a key element of the tectonic evolution of the North American continent during the Proterozoic (Whitmeyer and Karlstrom, 2007). Recently, Mesoproterozoic detrital zircon grains (1.55-1.45 Ga) have been found in metasedimentary rocks that were thought to have been deformed during the Paleoproterozoic Mazatzal orogeny (Jones et al. 2011; Doe et al. 2012, 2013; Daniel et al. 2013). Some type examples Mazatzal deformation now seem to be too young to have been deformed in the accepted time of that orogeny (1.66-1.60 Ga) and may have been deformed in the younger, newly defined, Picuris orogeny. This …


Evolution Of Off-Fault Deformation Along Analog Strike-Slip Faults, Alexandra E. Hatem Nov 2014

Evolution Of Off-Fault Deformation Along Analog Strike-Slip Faults, Alexandra E. Hatem

Masters Theses

Strike-slip faults evolve to accommodate more fault slip, resulting in less off-fault deformation. In analog experiments, the measured fault slip to off-fault deformation ratios are similar to those measured in crustal strike-slip systems, such as the San Andreas fault system. Established planar faults have the largest fault slip to off-fault deformation ratio of ~0.98. In systems without a pre-existing fault surface, crustal thickness and basal detachment conditions affect shear zone width and roughness. However, once the applied plate displacement is 1-2 times the crustal thickness, partitioning of deformation between fault slip and off-fault distributed shear is >0.90, regardless of the …


From ~1.5 Ma To Today: Insights Into The Southern San Andreas Fault System From 3d Mechanical Models, Laura Fattaruso Nov 2014

From ~1.5 Ma To Today: Insights Into The Southern San Andreas Fault System From 3d Mechanical Models, Laura Fattaruso

Masters Theses

Three-dimensional mechanical simulations of the San Andreas fault (SAF) within the Coachella Valley in California produce deformation that match geologic observations and demonstrate the impact of fault geometry on uplift patterns. Most models that include the Coachella Valley segment of the SAF have assumed a vertical orientation, but recent studies suggest that this segment dips 60-70° northeast. We compare models with varied fault geometry and evaluate how well they reproduce observed uplift patterns. Our model with a dipping SAF matches geologic observations, while models containing a vertical fault do not. This suggests that the active Coachella Valley segment of the …