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

9706233 Serpa北美暴露最充分的张拉/张拉系统发生在加利福尼亚州死亡谷附近。它已被用作研究大规模地壳伸展的天然实验室。然而，为此扩展开发了两种不同的模型，一种需要近400%的扩展，另一种只需要50-100%的扩展。这种差异很重要，因为第一个模型需要大量的下地壳流动来适应超地壳变薄，以与观测到的地壳厚度相协调，并影响下地壳有效粘度的估计。这两种模型之间的区别是明显的，每一种模型都做出了可以检验的具体预测。该项目将试图确定伸展构造与张拉构造在温盖特盆地形成中的重要性。研究结果将大大提高对这一张拉/张拉区域的认识，并有助于改进对伸展模型和过程中涉及的地壳参数的估计。

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.