Quiz 13 bonus 3 (9:30 – 9:35 AM) UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA GY 112: Earth History Lecture 35: Cenozoic Tectonics Instructor: Dr. Douglas W. Haywick Last Time A) Cenozoic Overview B) Cenozoic Ocean currents C) Messinian Salinity Crisis (Web notes 33, 34) Cenozoic Time Frame Phanerozoic Era Years Cenozoic (0 to 65 MA) Mesozoic (65 to 245 MA) Paleozoic (245 to 550 MA) Cenozoic Time Frame Cenozoic Period Epoch Quaternary Holocene (10,000 – 0 years) (1.6 - 0 MA) Pleistocene (1,600,000 – 10,000 years) Pliocene (5.0 – 1.6 MA) Tertiary Miocene (24-5.0 MA) (65-1.6 MA) Oligocene (37 - 24 MA) Eocene (58- 37 MA) Paleocene (65-58 MA) Introducing the Epochs (the smallest common divisions of geological time) Mesozoic Climate • Oceans stagnated – Epicontinental black muds when seas spilled over – Normally thin oxygen poor zone expanded This will change in the early Cenozoic (Late Eocene) Cenozoic Climate Paleocene-Middle Eocene: •No circumpolar current Late Eocene-today: •Circumpolar current –Permitted development of glaciers on Antarctica Cenozoic Life • Mammals diversified – Most modern orders present by Early Eocene Today’s Agenda A) Cenozoic Tectonics 1. More orogenies (Laramide) 2. Western North American tectonic provinces 3. Plateaus and canyons (Web notes 36) Cenozoic Tectonic Events Cenozoic Tectonic Events •Final breakup of Gondwanna (Australia separated from Antarctica in the Latest Paleocene – earliest Eocene epochs) •India began to collide with Asia forming the Himalayan Mountain Range (Oligocene to Recent) •Africa started to shift northward, gradually sliding under Europe and uplifting the Alps (Oligocene to Recent) •Continued westward movement of North America and South America formed an on again off again land bridge between the two continents. This gave rise to some interesting animal exchanges (see evolutionary events below). •North American orogenies become dominated by strike-slip faulting and uplift. Mountain building in the northern part of the Cordilleran mountains (mostly Canada) slow down stop during the Oligocene. Activity shifts to the southern part of the mountain chain (Colorado, Nevada etc.). •Major late Tertiary flood basalt eruptions occur in Oregon and Washington state. Hot spot volcanism occurs in the area of Yellowstone (Pliocene to present). Composite volcanic eruptions (some incredibly explosive) periodically occurred and still do (e.g., Mt St Helen’s). Cenozoic Tectonic Events •Final breakup of Gondwanna (Australia separated from Antarctica in the Latest Paleocene – earliest Eocene epochs) •India began to collide with Asia forming the Himalayan Mountain Range (Oligocene to Recent) •Africa started to shift northward, gradually sliding under Europe and uplifting the Alps (Oligocene to Recent) •Continued westward movement of North America and South America formed an on again off again land bridge between the two continents. This gave rise to some interesting animal exchanges (see evolutionary events below). •North American orogenies become dominated by strike-slip faulting and uplift. Mountain building in the northern part of the Cordilleran mountains (mostly Canada) slow down stop during the Oligocene. Activity shifts to the southern part of the mountain chain (Colorado, Nevada etc.). •Major late Tertiary flood basalt eruptions occur in Oregon and Washington state. Hot spot volcanism occurs in the area of Yellowstone (Pliocene to present). Composite volcanic eruptions (some incredibly explosive) periodically occurred and still do (e.g., Mt St Helen’s). Cenozoic Tectonic Events •Final breakup of Gondwanna (Australia separated from Antarctica in the Latest Paleocene – earliest Eocene epochs) •India began to collide with Asia forming the Himalayan Mountain Range (Oligocene to Recent) •Africa started to shift northward, gradually sliding under Europe and uplifting the Alps (Oligocene to Recent) •Continued westward movement of North America and South America formed an on again off again land bridge between the two continents. This gave rise to some interesting animal exchanges . •North American orogenies become dominated by strike-slip faulting and uplift. Mountain building in the northern part of the Cordilleran mountains (mostly Canada) slow down stop during the Oligocene. Activity shifts to the southern part of the mountain chain (Colorado, Nevada etc.). •Major late Tertiary flood basalt eruptions occur in Oregon and Washington state. Hot spot volcanism occurs in the area of Yellowstone (Pliocene to present). Composite volcanic eruptions (some incredibly explosive) periodically occurred and still do (e.g., Mt St Helen’s). Cenozoic Tectonic Events •Final breakup of Gondwanna (Australia separated from Antarctica in the Latest Paleocene – earliest Eocene epochs) •India began to collide with Asia forming the Himalayan Mountain Range (Oligocene to Recent) •Africa started to shift northward, gradually sliding under Europe and uplifting the Alps (Oligocene to Recent) •Continued westward movement of North America and South America formed an on again off again land bridge between the two continents. This gave rise to some interesting animal exchanges (see evolutionary events below). •North American orogenies become dominated by strike-slip faulting and uplift. Mountain building in the northern part of the Cordilleran mountains (mostly Canada) slow down stop during the Oligocene. Activity shifts to the southern part of the mountain chain (Colorado, Nevada etc.). •Major late Tertiary flood basalt eruptions occur in Oregon and Washington state. Hot spot volcanism occurs in the area of Yellowstone (Pliocene to present). Composite volcanic eruptions (some incredibly explosive) periodically occurred and still do (e.g., Mt St Helen’s). Cenozoic Tectonic Events •Final breakup of Gondwanna (Australia separated from Antarctica in the Latest Paleocene – earliest Eocene epochs) •India began to collide with Asia forming the Himalayan Mountain Range (Oligocene to Recent) •Africa started to shift northward, gradually sliding under Europe and uplifting the Alps (Oligocene to Recent) •Continued westward movement of North America and South America formed an on again off again land bridge between the two continents. This gave rise to some interesting animal exchanges (see evolutionary events below). •North American orogenies become dominated by strike-slip faulting and uplift. Mountain building in the northern part of the Cordilleran mountains (mostly Canada) slows down stop during the Oligocene. Activity shifts to the southern part of the mountain chain (Colorado, Nevada etc.). •Major late Tertiary flood basalt eruptions occur in Oregon and Washington state. Hot spot volcanism occurs in the area of Yellowstone (Pliocene to present). Composite volcanic eruptions (some incredibly explosive) periodically occurred and still do (e.g., Mt St Helen’s). Cenozoic Tectonic Events •Final breakup of Gondwanna (Australia separated from Antarctica in the Latest Paleocene – earliest Eocene epochs) •India began to collide with Asia forming the Himalayan Mountain Range (Oligocene to Recent) •Africa started to shift northward, gradually sliding under Europe and uplifting the Alps (Oligocene to Recent) •Continued westward movement of North America and South America formed an on again off again land bridge between the two continents. This gave rise to some interesting animal exchanges (see evolutionary events below). •North American orogenies become dominated by strike-slip faulting and uplift. Mountain building in the northern part of the Cordilleran mountains (mostly Canada) slows down stop during the Oligocene. Activity shifts to the southern part of the mountain chain (Colorado, Nevada etc.). •Major late Tertiary flood basalt eruptions occur in Oregon and Washington state. Hot spot volcanism occurs in the area of Yellowstone (Pliocene to present). Composite volcanic eruptions (some incredibly explosive) periodically occurred and still do (e.g., Mt St Helen’s). Tectonic Events • Cordilleran region – Laramide orogeny – New tectonic style Laramide Orogeny • Northern segment • Active igneous activity – Active fold and thrust belt inland – Quiescent from Great Valley to Colorado Plateau • Low angle of subduction Laramide Orogeny • Thrust sheets exposed in Rockies Laramide Orogeny • Yellowstone hot spot – Buried trees in lavas • Over 20 successive forests buried Regional Events–Caribbean • Caribbean plate isolated Land Bridges • Isthmus of Panama – North and South American mammals developed separately – Pliocene uplift of isthmus allowed for exchange of terrestrial fauna Other US Cenozoic Events • Scablands – Bare rock scoured by floods – Water-carved channels – 20,000–11,000 years ago – Bretz, 1923 http://www.airphotona.com/image.asp?imageid=16899&catnum=0&keyword=&country=&state= &pagenum=6 Other US Cenozoic Events • Scablands – Bare rock scoured by floods – Water-carved channels – 20,000–11,000 years ago – Bretz, 1923 http://hugefloods.com/Ellensburg.html Other US Cenozoic Events • Scablands – Depositional features – Giant ripples • 5 m tall • 100 m apart Other US Cenozoic Events • Water source – Lake Missoula (Waitt, 1980) Himalayan Mountains • Indian craton collided with Eurasia Himalayan Mountains • Miocene clastic sediments overlying Eocene limestone • Most uplift during last 15 million years Himalayan Mountains • Broad Tibetan plateau – 3 miles above sea level Himalayan Mountains • Indian plate subducted • Continental collision – Fold and thrust belt – Modern motion along main boundary fault Cenozoic Tectonic Events • Cordilleran region – Laramide orogeny – New tectonic style Cenozoic Tectonics First a recap: The tectonic style in the Mesozoic is best described as “accretionary” Mesozoic Tectonics Jurassic Mesozoic Tectonics Cretaceous Mesozoic Tectonics Cretaceous Mesozoic Tectonics Cretaceous Cenozoic Tectonics But that’s not all. In the southwest during the Cenozoic (Oligocene to Recent), compression is gradually replaced by shear and then by uplift Cenozoic Tectonics But that’s not all. In the southwest during the Cenozoic, compression is gradually replaced by shear and then by uplift Uplift Cenozoic Tectonics Compression is gradually replaced by shear and then by uplift 60 MA Cenozoic Tectonics Compression is gradually replaced by shear and then by uplift 35 MA Cenozoic Tectonics Compression is gradually replaced by shear and then by uplift 25 MA Cenozoic Tectonics Compression is gradually replaced by shear and then by uplift 10 MA Cenozoic Tectonics Compression is gradually replaced by shear and then by uplift Uplift 10 MA Cenozoic Tectonics ? Cenozoic Tectonics Eocene Tectonic elements: http://www.geology.wisc.edu/courses/g109/Additional/plate_motions.htm Cenozoic Tectonics Miocene Tectonic elements: http://www.geology.wisc.edu/courses/g109/Additional/plate_motions.htm Cenozoic Tectonics Modern Tectonic elements: http://www.geology.wisc.edu/courses/g109/Additional/plate_motions.htm Cenozoic Tectonics As North America drifts to the WNW, we eventually run over the leading edge of the East Pacific Rise Eocene http://www.geology.wisc.edu/courses/g109/Additional/plate_motions.htm Cenozoic Tectonics As North America drifts to the WNW, we eventually run over the leading edge of the East Pacific Rise Oligocene http://www.geology.wisc.edu/courses/g109/Additional/plate_motions.htm Cenozoic Tectonics As North America drifts to the WNW, we eventually run over the leading edge of the East Pacific Rise Miocene http://www.geology.wisc.edu/courses/g109/Additional/plate_motions.htm Cenozoic Tectonics As North America drifts to the WNW, we eventually run over the leading edge of the East Pacific Rise Today http://www.geology.wisc.edu/courses/g109/Additional/plate_motions.htm Cenozoic Tectonics As North America drifts to the WNW, we eventually run over the leading edge of the East Pacific Rise Uplift And uplift now affects the SW Today http://www.geology.wisc.edu/courses/g109/Additional/plate_motions.htm Cenozoic Tectonics Key tectonic elements: 1) Farallon Plate (east of East Pacific Rise; east drift) 2) Pacific Plate (west of East Pacific Rise; west drift) Cenozoic Tectonics Key tectonic elements: 1) Farallon Plate (east of East Pacific Rise; east drift) 2) Pacific Plate (west of East Pacific Rise; west drift) 3) Juan de Fuca Plate (east of East Pacific Rise; east drift) 4) Cocos Plate (east of East Pacific Rise; east drift) Cenozoic Tectonics Key tectonic style: simple uplift Laramide Orogeny Cenozoic Tectonics One explanation for the uplift and high heat flow is shown here… ... low thrust angle shifts heat/magma generation eastward. Cenozoic Tectonics One explanation for the uplift and high heat flow is shown here… Another consideration is that we have increased convection associated with the East Pacific Rise that we ran over starting 20 million years ago Cenozoic Tectonics Several important basins and tectonic provinces are recognized in the western USA Cenozoic Tectonics Important Basins 1) Green River Basin 2) Uinta Basin 3) Washakie/Sandwash Basins 4) Piceance Creek Basin 1 3 2 4 Cenozoic Tectonics 1 3 2 4 Cenozoic Tectonics Important Basins 1) Green River Basin 2) Uinta Basin 3) Washakie/Sandwash Basins 4) Piceance Creek Basin All are rich in oil shale 1 3 2 4 Cenozoic Tectonics Important Tectonic Provinces http://www.huttoncommentaries.com/subs/PSResearch/Strain/Fig8.gif Cenozoic Tectonics 1) Basin and Range Cenozoic Tectonics 1) Basin and Range 2) Colorado Plateau Cenozoic Tectonics 1) Basin and Range 2) Colorado Plateau 3) Columbia River Plateau Cenozoic Tectonics 1) 2) 3) 4) Basin and Range Colorado Plateau Columbia River Plateau Rio Grande Rift Cenozoic Tectonics 1) Basin and Range 2) Colorado Plateau 3) Columbia River Plateau Basin and Range Cenozoic Tectonics Basin and Range: Uplifted deformed strata Cenozoic Tectonics 1) Basin and Range 2) Colorado Plateau 3) Columbia River Plateau Colorado Plateau Cenozoic Tectonics Colorado Plateau: Uplifted undeformed strata Cenozoic Tectonics • Miocene – Columbia Plateau basalts • Up to 5 km thick Cenozoic Tectonics Columbia River Plateau: Basalt lava flow covered terrain Cenozoic Tectonics Rio Grande Rift: Uplifted rifting strata Cenozoic Tectonics Rio Grande Rift: Uplifted rifting strata Cenozoic Tectonics Other interesting Cenozoic (Recent) Tectonics: 1) Yellowstone http://people.uwec.edu/ERICKSKM/histor1.jpg Cenozoic Tectonics Other interesting Cenozoic (Recent) Tectonics: 1) Yellowstone 2) Crater Lake http://people.uwec.edu/ERICKSKM/histor1.jpg Cenozoic Tectonics Other interesting Cenozoic (Recent) Tectonics: 1) Yellowstone 2) Crater Lake 3) Composite Volcanoes http://people.uwec.edu/ERICKSKM/histor1.jpg http://www.sfu.ca/~qgrc/subduction.JPG Cenozoic Tectonics Today’s Homework 1. Time Chart 3 due Thursday April 30th Next Time 1. Last Official Lecture: Sea Level Change 2. Review Session GY 112: Earth History Lectures 35: Cenozoic Tectonics Instructor: Dr. Doug Haywick dhaywick@southalabama.edu This is a free open access lecture, but not for commercial purposes. For personal use only.