I've watched and listened to so many programs explaining the geologic history of the western part of the U.S. but none have enlightened me so as this little, yet hugely informative video has. The wonderful morphing graphics superbly captured and focused on the pulling, stretching, dragging effect the tectonics wreaked on this part of the Earth in a way I hadn't seen portrayed so well before. Thank you for sharing your knowledge in this way.
Simple yet to the point! I often find it can be hard to visualize the "tearing" or separation of land in the south to the uplift and push of the Sierras and Cascades in the North. Movement from EAST to WEST seems so strange to visualize since we all think of the coast as "start" of California, really its all due to the Farallon Plate creating uplift that we even have the Coastal Ranges.Thanks Wendy Van Norden! :)
I live in the Chatsworth Formation of the Transverse Range at an elevation of 1900' in the Santa Susanna Mountains. It's rugged and rocky and I read that all the rocky outcroppings were created by underwater landslides off the coast of Central America 65 million years ago. Did the Chatsworth Formation migrate along the edge of the continent, raising it 2000' above sea level here?
You are correct about the Chatsworth Formation. It did move along the continent via the San Andreas Fault, and the compression and rotation of the Santa Monica block helped to raise the ocean sediments above sea level.
Very good! The only thing at the very beginning that is misleading, however, is the arrow showing the motion of North America toward the southeast. North America is heading southWEST! While it is 'relatively' moving SE compared to the motion of the Pacific Plate side of the San Andreas, my understanding is that this is due to the difference in speed where the Pacific Place is moving 3-4 inches per year NW while the North American plate is moving 1-2 inches per years SW.
I agree. i think this is one of the most confusing aspects of teaching this concept. It confuses students when learning about the Yellowstone Hotspot -- no, the North American plate is not moving the direction those arrows seem to imply. It's important that educators make it clear that "single-sided" arrows should be used to indicate RELATIVE MOTION. "Normal" arrows technically indicate vectors, which imply both magnitude AND direction. The point I'm trying to make is that relative motion needs to be properly indicated using appropriate symbology. This can easily be incorporated into a discussion of plate movement RATE.
OK completely get it. Some years ago while visiting the Grand Canyon somebody ask where did all the dirt go? To which the guide explained Thais formed “Baja California peninsula. Could it be a combination of both?
Much of the sediment ended up in the Salton Trough, a pull-apart basin, now containing the Salton Sea. Also, most of the Colorado Delta comes from the sediment of the Grand Canyon. The Baja California peninsula is older rock that started pulling apart before much of the Grand Canyon was excavated.
Brilliant! I was finally able to locate the the massive caldera that is now Ladyface mountain in Agoura Hills. I interpreted it as the original upwelling of magma that helped to create the Santa Monica Mountains and a huge number of other minor to major mountain building events.
Thanks for the great upload Wendy! If you are taking requests, can you make a video of San Luis Obispo/Morro Rock origin? Its fascinating and interesting!
So possibly an earthquake tomorrow from hurricane ORLENE in the California channel at Cat 2 to 3 land fall like a 2×4 you stomp on one end it vibrates on the other end
@Charles Richter then a tropical storm hits Dom Republic in 2022 they asked me will this cause and earthquake tomorrow I said I don't know it's not even a cat 1 it happens in 2022
I've watched and listened to so many programs explaining the geologic history of the western part of the U.S. but none have enlightened me so as this little, yet hugely informative video has. The wonderful morphing graphics superbly captured and focused on the pulling, stretching, dragging effect the tectonics wreaked on this part of the Earth in a way I hadn't seen portrayed so well before. Thank you for sharing your knowledge in this way.
all hail the UC system
Excellent presentation and animation. It makes the geology of the region much more understandable. Thank you for posting it.
I concur. 12 years on; Wendy Van Norden is still killing it!
NOW I get the Basin and Range stretching!
Great video! Thanks for posting. BTW, Nevada is pronounced just like you spell it with "ad" in the middle, not "odd" in the middle.
Simple yet to the point! I often find it can be hard to visualize the "tearing" or separation of land in the south to the uplift and push of the Sierras and Cascades in the North. Movement from EAST to WEST seems so strange to visualize since we all think of the coast as "start" of California, really its all due to the Farallon Plate creating uplift that we even have the Coastal Ranges.Thanks Wendy Van Norden! :)
I live in the Chatsworth Formation of the Transverse Range at an elevation of 1900' in the Santa Susanna Mountains. It's rugged and rocky and I read that all the rocky outcroppings were created by underwater landslides off the coast of Central America 65 million years ago. Did the Chatsworth Formation migrate along the edge of the continent, raising it 2000' above sea level here?
You are correct about the Chatsworth Formation. It did move along the continent via the San Andreas Fault, and the compression and rotation of the Santa Monica block helped to raise the ocean sediments above sea level.
Very good! The only thing at the very beginning that is misleading, however, is the arrow showing the motion of North America toward the southeast. North America is heading southWEST! While it is 'relatively' moving SE compared to the motion of the Pacific Plate side of the San Andreas, my understanding is that this is due to the difference in speed where the Pacific Place is moving 3-4 inches per year NW while the North American plate is moving 1-2 inches per years SW.
I agree. i think this is one of the most confusing aspects of teaching this concept. It confuses students when learning about the Yellowstone Hotspot -- no, the North American plate is not moving the direction those arrows seem to imply. It's important that educators make it clear that "single-sided" arrows should be used to indicate RELATIVE MOTION. "Normal" arrows technically indicate vectors, which imply both magnitude AND direction. The point I'm trying to make is that relative motion needs to be properly indicated using appropriate symbology. This can easily be incorporated into a discussion of plate movement RATE.
The Transverse Ranges are of great interest to me. This short video presented a clear picture of their formation.
thank you! great graphics and information that establishes the CA coast formation in under 6 minutes!
OK completely get it.
Some years ago while visiting the Grand Canyon somebody ask where did all the dirt go? To which the guide explained Thais formed “Baja California peninsula. Could it be a combination of both?
Much of the sediment ended up in the Salton Trough, a pull-apart basin, now containing the Salton Sea. Also, most of the Colorado Delta comes from the sediment of the Grand Canyon. The Baja California peninsula is older rock that started pulling apart before much of the Grand Canyon was excavated.
YT really can't help but put Grammarly here can't they?
I totally agree with Christopher.
Thank you Wendy. Please make some more lectures.
Holy smokes, that was amazing! Thank you so much! Fantastic explanation that I haven't seen anywhere else.
Your timeing is off thats the only issue i have
I like going to Gorman CA and seeing the two plates meet
Very well put together presentation 🤝🏼
Brilliant! I was finally able to locate the the massive caldera that is now Ladyface mountain in Agoura Hills. I interpreted it as the original upwelling of magma that helped to create the Santa Monica Mountains and a huge number of other minor to major mountain building events.
So much for plate tectonics and the underlying mantle
METHANE: the sixth mass extinction
Thanks for the great upload Wendy! If you are taking requests, can you make a video of San Luis Obispo/Morro Rock origin? Its fascinating and interesting!
No is "Baja", is Baja California.
So possibly an earthquake tomorrow from hurricane ORLENE in the California channel at Cat 2 to 3 land fall like a 2×4 you stomp on one end it vibrates on the other end
@Charles Richter I will prove you wrong hurricane Irma's 2017 and hurricane Marie 2017 same day created and earthquake in Mexico almost 3 weeks apart
@Charles Richter there is a fault line wrap's around the Coco's plate out to the Caribbean sea it ends at Dom Republic
@Charles Richter look at 2022 Hurricane Ian hits Dom Republic Mexico has that earthquake the same day and or next morning
@Charles Richter As I have already given 3 notices to my Mexican family in Mexico I was 3 for 3
@Charles Richter then a tropical storm hits Dom Republic in 2022 they asked me will this cause and earthquake tomorrow I said I don't know it's not even a cat 1 it happens in 2022