Neotectonics of the southern Amargosa Desert, Nye County, Nevada and Inyo County, California (open access)

Neotectonics of the southern Amargosa Desert, Nye County, Nevada and Inyo County, California

A complex pattern of active faults occurs in the southern Amargosa Desert, southern Nye, County, Nevada. These faults can be grouped into three main fault systems: (1) a NE-striking zone of faults that forms the southwest extension of the left-lateral Rock Valley fault zone, in the much larger Spotted Range-Mine Mountain structural zone, (2) a N-striking fault zone coinciding with a NNW-trending alignment of springs that is either a northward continuation of a fault along the west side of the Resting Spring Range or a N-striking branch fault of the Pahrump fault system, and (3) a NW-striking fault zone which is parallel to the Pahrump fault system, but is offset approximately 5 km with a left step in southern Ash Meadows. These three fault zones suggest extension is occurring in an E-W direction, which is compatible with the {approximately}N10W structural grain prevalent in the Death Valley extensional region to the west.
Date: May 1, 1991
Creator: Donovan, D.E.
System: The UNT Digital Library