Old Readings, GEOL 5700-7 Uplift and Denudation of the Rockies and Surroundings

Readings for 9/1/05:

• Li A.B., D. W. Forsyth, and K. M. Fischer, Evidence for shallow isostatic compensation of the southern Rocky
  Mountains from Rayleigh wave tomography, Geology, 30 (8): 683-686 2002. View at GeoscienceWorld
• Sheehan A.F., G. A. Abers, C. H. Jones, and A. L. Lerner-lam, Crustal Thickness Variations Across the Colorado Rocky Mountain from Teleseismic Receiver Functions, Journal of Geophysical Research-Solid Earth, 100 (B10): 20391-20404, 1995. From AGU

Readings for 9/8/05:

• Garzione, C.N., Dettman, D.L., Quade, J., DeCelles, P.G., and Butler, R.F., 2000, High times on the Tibetan Plateau: paleoelevation of the Thakkhola graben, Nepal.  Geology v. 28(4): 339-342 (Geoscience World link)
• Gregory, K.M., and Chase, C.G., 1992, Tectonic Significance of Paleobotanically Estimated Climate and Altitude of the Late Eocene Erosion Surface, Colorado: Geology, v. 20, p. 581-585. (GeoscienceWorld link)
• Sahagian, D., Proussevitch, A., and Carlson, W., 2002, Timing of Colorado Plateau uplift: Initial constraints from vesicular basalt-derived paleoelevations: Geology, v. 30, p. 807-810. (GeoscienceWorld link) (Note also comment and reply, Feb. 2003 Geology)

Additional Background 9/8 :

• Dettman, D.L., and Lohmann, K.C., 2000, Oxygen isotope evidence for high-altitude snow in the Laramide Rocky Mountains of North America during the Late Cretaceous and Paleogene: Geology, v. 28, p. 243-246.
• Gregory, K.M., and Chase, C.G., 1994, Tectonic and Climatic Significance of a Late Eocene Low-Relief, High-Level Geomorphic Surface, Colorado: Journal of Geophysical Research-Solid Earth, v. 99, p. 20141-20160.

Readings for 9/22:

• Eaton, G. P., 1987, Topography and origin of the southern Rocky Mountains and Alvarado Ridge, in Coward, M. P., Dewey, J. F., and Hancock, P. L., eds., Continental extensional tectonics: Geological Society Special Publications, 28, p. 355-369.
• Roy, M., Kelley, S., Pazzaglia, F., Cather, S., and House, M., 2004, Middle Tertiary buoyancy modification and its relationship to rock exhumation, cooling, and subsequent extension at the eastern margin of the Colorado Plateau: Geology, v. 32, no. 10, p. 925-928.

Others:

• Eaton, G. P., 1986, A tectonic redefinition of the Southern Rocky Mountains: Tectonophysics, v. 132, no. 1-3, p. 163-193.

Readings for 9/29:

Required: (copies are in the BESC mailroom, upper left box near copier)

• Izett, G.A., Late Cenozoic sedimentation and deformation in northern Colorado and adjoining areas, in Curtis, B.F., ed., Cenozoic history of the southern Rocky Mountains: Geological Society of America Memoir 144, p. 179–209, 1975.
• Curtis, B. F., Sedimentary Rocks of the Denver Basin, in Sloss, L.L., (editor), Sedimentary Cover--North American Craton: U.S., Boulder Colorado, Geol. Soc. Am., The Geology of North America, vol. D-2, pp. 182-196, 1988. (also a single page (p. 254) from Bunker, B. J., B. J. Witzke, W. L. Watney, and G. A. Ludvigson, Phanerozoic history of the central midcontinent, United States in Sloss, L.L., (editor), Sedimentary Cover--North American Craton: U.S., Boulder Colorado, Geol. Soc. Am., The Geology of North America, vol. D-2, pp. 243-260, 1988). [focus on the post-Laramide part]

Others of relevance:

• Epis, R.C., and Chapin, C.E., Geomorphic and tectonic implications of the post-Laramide, late Eocene erosion surface in the southern Rocky Mountains, in Curtis, B.F., ed., Cenozoic history of the southern Rocky Mountains: Geological Society of America Memoir 144, p. 45–74, 1975. (copy in mailroom)
• Gustavson T.C., and D.A. Winkler ,Depositional Facies of the Miocene-Pliocene Ogallala Formation, Northwestern Texas and Eastern New Mexico, Geology, 16 (3): 203-206, 1988. [describes fluvial to eolian transition and development of modern rivers]
• Trimble, D.E., Cenozoic history of the Great Plains contrasted with that of the southern Rocky Mountains: A synthesis: The Mountain Geologist, v. 17p. 59-69, 1980 [old-school view of uplift and tectonism with precious little data; in mailroom].

Readings for 10/6:

Required:

• Young, R.A., 2001, Geomorphic, structural, and stratigraphic evidence for Laramide Uplift of the southwestern Colorado Plateau margin in northwestern Arizona, in Erskine, M.C., Faulds, J.E., Bartley, J.M., and Rowley, P.D., eds., The Geologic Transition, High Plateaus to Great Basin: The Mackin Volume , Volume 30: Utah Geological Association Publication: Salt Lake City, Utah, Utah Geological Association, p. 227-237.
• Cather, S. M., L. Peters, N. W. Dunbar, and W. C. McIntosh, Genetic stratigraphy, provenance, and new age constraints for the Chuska Sandstone (Upper Eocene - Lower Oligocene), New Mexico-Arizona, in S. G. Lucas, S. C. Semken, W. R. Berglof, and D. S. Ulmer-Scholle (eds), Geology of the Zuni Plateau, New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 54th field conference, pp. 397-412, 2003.

Others of interest:

• Holm, R.F., Cenozoic paleogeography of the central Mogollon Rim-southern Colorado Plateau region, Arizona, revealed by Tertiary gravel deposits, Oligocene to Pleistocene lava flows, and incised streams: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 113, p. 1467-1485, 2001. (at Geoscienceworld)
• Elston, D. P., and Young, R. A., Cretaceous-Eocene (Laramide) landscape development and Oligocene-Pliocene drainage reorganization of transition zone and Colorado Plateau, Arizona: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 96, no. 7, p. 12,389-12,406, 1991. (copy will be in mailroom)
• Gross, E. L., P. J. Patchett, T. A. Dallegge, and J. E. Spencer, The Colorado River system and Neogene sedimentary formations along its course: Apparent Sr isotopic connections, J. Geol., 109, 449-461, 2001. (pdf from journal)

(Some other pieces of High Plains details that might be of interest:

• Gustavson, T.C., and Winkler, D.A., 1988, Depositional facies of the Miocene-Pliocene Ogallala Formation, northwestern Texas and eastern New Mexico: Geology, v. 16, p. 203-206. (at Geoscienceworld)
• Raynolds, R.G., 2002, Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary stratigraphy of the Denver Basin, Colorado: Rocky Mountain Geology, v. 37, p. 111-134. (This is really the Laramide story but gets into the later sediments briefly) (at Geoscienceworld)
• Diffendal, R.F., 1982, Regional Implications of the Geology of the Ogallala Group (Upper Tertiary) of Southwestern Morrill-County, Nebraska, and Adjacent Areas: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 93, p. 964-976. (basis for some later interpretations of the Ogallala).

Readings for 10/20:

• Dickinson, W.R., Klute, M.A., Hayes, M.J., Janecke, S.U., Lundin, E.R., Mckittrick, M.A., and Olivares, M.D., Paleogeographic and paleotectonic setting of Laramide sedimentarybasins in the central Rocky Mountain region: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 100, p. 1023-1039, 1988. (local pdf)

Readings for 10/27:

• Humphreys, E., Hessler, E., Dueker, K., Farmer, C.L., Erslev, E., and Atwater, T., How Laramide-age hydration of North American lithosphere by the Farallon slab controlled subsequent activity in the western United States: International Geology Review, v. 45, p. 575-595, 2003. (preprint pdf from Univ. Oregon)
• Bird, P., Laramide crustal thickening event in the Rocky Mountain foreland and Great Plains: Tectonics, v. 3, p. 741-758. 1984.

Readings for 11/3:

• Leonard, E.M., 2002, Geomorphic and tectonic forcing of late Cenozoic warping of the Colorado piedmont: Geology, v. 30, p. 595-598.(GeoScienceWorld record)
• McMillan, M.E., Angevine, C.L., and Heller, P.L., 2002, Postdepositional tilt of the Miocene-Pliocene Ogallala Group on the western Great Plains: Evidence of late Cenozoic uplift of the Rocky Mountains: Geology, v. 30, p. 63-66. (GeoScienceWorld record)

Related:

• Heller, P.L., Dueker, K., and McMillan, M.E., 2003, Post-Paleozoic alluvial gravel transport as evidence of continental tilting in the US Cordillera: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 115, p. 1122-1132. (GeoScienceWorld record)

Readings for 11/17:

• Mitrovica, J. X., C. Beaumont, and G. T. Jarvis (1989), Tilting of Continental Interiors by the Dynamical Effects of Subduction, Tectonics, 8 (5), 1079-1094.
• Heller, P.L., Dueker, K., and McMillan, M.E., 2003, Post-Paleozoic alluvial gravel transport as evidence of continental tilting in the US Cordillera: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 115, p. 1122-1132. (GeoScienceWorld record)

Additional papers of interest:

• Pysklywec, R. N., and M. H. Shahnas (2003), Time-dependent surface topography in a coupled crust-mantle convection model, Geophysical Journal International, 154 (2), 268-278. (Blackwell page for this article)
• Pysklywec, R. N., and J. X. Mitrovica (1998), Mantle flow mechanisms for the large-scale subsidence of continental interiors, Geology, 26 (8), 687-690. (pdf from GSA)

Readings for 11/22:

• Poulson, S. R., and B. E. John (2003), Stable isotope and trace element geochemistry of the basal Bouse Formation carbonate, southwestern United States: Implications for the Pliocene uplift history of the Colorado Plateau, Geological Society of America Bulletin, 115 (4), 434-444. (GeoScienceWorld link)
• Dallegge, Todd A; Ort, Michael H.; McIntosh, William C., (2003) Mio-Pliocene chronostratigraphy, basin morphology and paleodrainage relations derived from the Bidahochi Formation, Hopi and Navajo Nations, northeastern Arizona, The Mountain Geologist, 40 (3), pp.55-82.

Also of interest:

• Gross, E. L., P. J. Patchett, T. A. Dallegge, and J. E. Spencer (2001), The Colorado River system and Neogene sedimentary formations along its course: Apparent Sr isotopic connections, Journal of Geology, 109 (4), 449-461. [this one in particular is of interest] (Journal page for this article)
• Spencer, J. E., and P. J. Patchett (1997), Sr isotope evidence for a lacustrine origin for the upper Miocene to Pliocene Bouse Formation, lower Colorado River trough, and implications for timing of Colorado Plateau uplift, Geological Society of America Bulletin, 109 (6), 767-778. (GeoScienceWorld link)
• Dallegge, T.A., M. H. Ort, W.C. McIntosh, M. E. Perkins (2000), Age constraints and depositional basin morphology for the Mio-Pliocene Bidahochi Formation, northeastern Arizona, presentation at the Grand Canyon symposium, extended online abstract (pdf online)
• Ort, M. H., T. A. Dallegge, J. A. Vazquez, J.D.L. White (1998) Volcanism and sedimentation in the Mio-Pliocene Bidahochi Formation, Navajo Nation, northeastern Arizona, in Geologic Excursions in Northern and Central Arizona, E. M. Duebendorfer (ed.), Northern Arizona Univ., Flagstaff, Ariz., 35-58

Rockies Home | C. H. Jones | R. S. Anderson | Dept. of Geological Sciences | Univ. of Colorado at Boulder

Last modified at November 26, 2005 11:09 PM