Nature of Paleozoic Crust of Western Nevada Deduced From Paleozoic Island Arc Rocks: Implications for Tectonic Evolution of Western Nevada

在美国西部的大部分地区，深部前中生代地壳的性质尚不清楚，但对埋藏的地壳岩石的了解对于评估该地区许多现有的构造模型至关重要。该项目将试图通过对来自基底的上古生代火山和火山碎屑岩的研究，确定前中生代基底是单一的、广泛的大陆化学弧形地体，还是更具海洋成分的较小地体的拼贴。油田关系、年龄和结构将是内华达大学研究人员的重点；广泛的地球化学分析将是法国合作者的重点，由法国国家科学研究中心资助。预计结果将有助于查明前中生代基底的性质，从而澄清影响该地区的主要中、新生代构造事件的起始物质。

The nature of the deep pre-Mesozoic crust is unknown in a large part of the western U.S., yet knowledge of the buried crustal rocks is critical to evaluating many of the existing tectonic models of the region. This project will attempt to determine if the pre-Mesozoic basement is a single, extensive arc terrane of continental chemistry or is a collage of smaller terranes of more oceanic composition by examination of volcanic and volicaniclastic rocks of upper Paleozoic age that were derived form the basement. Field relationships, ages and structures will be the focus of the University of Nevada researchers; extensive geochemical analyses will be the focus of the French collaborators, funded by the French CNRS. Results are expected to help resolve the nature of the pre- Mesozoic basement and therefore clarify the starting material for the major Mesozoic and Cenozoic tectonic events that affected the area.