The Role of Transtension vs. Extension: Crustal Deformation in the Death Valley

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9706233 Serpa The most well-exposed extensional/transtensional system in North America occurs in close proximity to Death Valley, California. It has been used as a natural laboratory to study large-scale crustal extension. However, two different models have been developed for this extension, one requiring nearly 400% extension and the other only 50-100%. This difference is important because the first model requires large amounts of lower-crustal flow to accommodate supercrustal thinning to reconcile with the observed crustal thickness, and impacts estimates of effective viscosity of the lower crust. The distinction between these two models is clear, and each makes specific predictions that can be tested. This project will attempt to determine the importance of extensional versus transtensional tectonics in the formation of the Wingate Wash basin. Results will significantly improve understanding of this extensional/transtensional area and will help improve estimates of crustal parameters involved in extensional models and processes.