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

有两个基本假设描述了北美西部（NA）的演化。流行的假设是，北美西部自古生代以来一直保持稳定。在这种观点中，北美西部的岩石圈大部分是原地的（就地），其山脉是岩石圈的侵蚀残余物，岩石圈因沿活动大陆边缘的俯冲而变形，并添加了许多小的地壳碎片（地体）。在这个假设中，海洋板块能够传递压力，并诱发造山活动，深入大陆内部（例如美国和加拿大落基山脉）。

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).