Triassic plutonism in southern California: Southward younging of arc initiation along a truncated continental margin

Tectonics
By: , and 

Metrics

45
Crossref references
Web analytics dashboard Metrics definitions

Links

Abstract

Earliest Cordilleran magmatism in the southwestern United States is recorded by a belt of Triassic plutons that intrude Proterozoic basement of the Mojave crustal province and its cratonal/miogeoclinal cover. The belt extends from the western Mojave Desert through the Transverse Ranges to the Colorado River trough. Triassic plutons are predominantly alkali-calcic, Fe- and Sr-enriched quartz monzodiorites and monzonites. The northern part of the belt is composed of two older plutonic suites (241–231 Ma) which are high K to shoshonitic; the southern part of the belt is a younger (218–213 Ma), sodic-alkalic suite. The plutonic record in southern California suggests a short-lived, southward younging continental margin arc setting for emplacement of Triassic plutons, superimposed on a continental margin modified by sinistral transform faulting. Triassic plutonism in this region was followed by a magmatic lull prior to the onset of voluminous Middle to Late Jurassic Cordilleran arc magmatism.

Suggested Citation

Barth, A.P., Tosdal, R., Wooden, J.L., Howard, K.A., 1997, Triassic plutonism in southern California: Southward younging of arc initiation along a truncated continental margin: Tectonics, v. 16, no. 2, p. 290-304, https://doi.org/10.1029/96TC03596.

Study Area

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Triassic plutonism in southern California: Southward younging of arc initiation along a truncated continental margin
Series title Tectonics
DOI 10.1029/96TC03596
Volume 16
Issue 2
Year Published 1997
Language English
Publisher American Geophysical Unioin
Description 15 p.
First page 290
Last page 304
Country United States
State California
Other Geospatial southern California
Additional publication details