The Cretaceous-Tertiary tectonic evolution of western Canada and the role of the Tintina and Rocky Mountain trench fault system

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There are two basic hypotheses describing the evolution of western North America (NA). The popular hypothesis is that western NA has been stable since the Paleozoic. In this view the lithosphere of western NA is mostly autochthonous (in place) and its mountain belts are the erosional remnants of a lithosphere that has deformed in response to subduction along the active continental margin with the addition of numerous small crustal fragments (terranes) . In this hypothesis the oceanic plates are able to transmit stress, and induce mountain building, deep into the continental interior (e.g. U.S. and Canadian Rockies).