Eventually, the great block of Colorado Plateau crust rose a kilometer higher than the Basin and Range. The Colorado Plateau is a roughly circular microplate of the North American Cordil- lera. Plate Tectonics Although millions of years and a variety of processes have led to today’s view of the Grand Canyon, the process which gave way to its formation is known as plate tectonics. Tectonic elements would include such parameters as structural style, stress orientations, volcanism, heat … Merrill (Editors), Plateau Uplift: Mode and Mechanism.
Tectonophysics, 136: 125-136. McGetchin and R.B. 6 text files include map explanations and keys, construction information 16 pages of references – the sources of data used in constructing the maps. It is made of colorful sedimentary and metamorphosed rocks that have been deposited over almost 2 billion years.

The story of plate tectonics starts deep within the Earth. Yet for some reason not fully understood, the neighboring Colorado Plateau was able to preserve its structural integrity and remained a single tectonic block. The Colorado Plateau is also being pulled by that Pacific Plate, but instead of stretching, that big thick slab is rotating clockwise. I am going to dig around and try to figure out why the Plateau stays in-one piece with all the activities going on all sides, but it is for later. Tectonics of the Colorado Plateau and new interpretation of its eastern boundary. Review of plate movements during Laramide Orogeny 80 Ma: normal high-angle (50 degrees) plate subduction causing Sevier Orogeny 65 Ma: Farallon/Kula plate formed near NA plate, subduction angle decreases, Farallon plate moves horizontally to Colorado 40 Ma: Farallon plate dies A tectonic boundary should be defined by changes in tectonic elements. Tectonophysics, 61: 9702. Citation: Moucha, R., A. M. Forte, D. B. Rowley, J. X.

The massive, tectonically stable region of the western United States has long puzzled geologists. See more ideas about Plate tectonics, Geology, Earth science. Read more about Paleomagnetic data from the Caborca terrane, Mexico: Implications for Cordilleran tectonics and the Mojave-Sonora megashear hypothesis; Paleomagnetism of the Late Triassic Petrified Forest Formation, Chinle Group, western United States: Further evidence of "large" rotation of the Colorado Plateau
As the land rose, the streams responded by cutting ever deeper stream channels. A tectonic boundary for the southern Colorado Plateau. Before discussing the specifics of plate movements, it is important to give credit to one of the contributors to the plate tectonic theory, Alfred Wegener. southern Colorado Plateau, totaling about 1 km, transpired in the last 20 Ma. In: T.R. 2 terrane maps, 16 labeled plate-tectonic maps, and 15 facies maps (at least 1 per geologic period). Since 10 Ma, the center of uplift continued northeastward from the southwestern rim of the plateau consistent with a young Grand Canyon model and eastward sweep of magmatism in the western Colorado Plateau. The Colorado Plateau, famous for its dozens of colorful rock layers in places like the Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches, and Parashant, occupies western Colorado, most of Utah, northern New Mexico, and northern Arizona. Jan 28, 2017 - Explore noviacetus's board "Plate Tectonics", followed by 191 people on Pinterest. The theory of plate tectonics is an important geologic concept as it fills in the gaps to Earth's geologic history—It is not an exaggeration to paraphrase the biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky and say that 'nothing in geology makes sense except in the light of plate tectonics.' A team of scientists led by Rice University has figured out why the Colorado Plateau – a 130,000-square-mile region that straddles Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico — is rising even while parts of its lower crust appear to be falling.