Re: Geology Behind Those Mudpots Near Niland
Author: FUD
Date: 07-04-2021 - 09:45
South end of the Lane? Yeah, technically. Also north end of the Gulf.
The Landers quake in the 90s was an eye-opener for a lot of geologists. It and related quakes sure look like a connection is opening up between the Gulf rift (which extends up to about Palm Springs) and the Walker Lane (east side of the Sierra). The Lane currently accommodates about 25% of the movement between the continent and the Pacific Plate; the rest is on the San Andreas system (mostly) and distributed through the Great Basin (a little). The portion of the movement on the Lane has been growing over the last 10 million years (since Baja broke away from Mexico), and there's enough evidence to make a theory popular that the whole Sierra microplate (California, inland, north of the Mojave Desert) will break off geologically "soon" extending the Gulf northward. Yes, someday, Reno will be beachfront property (if not actually in the ocean). Don't wait on it, though, could take another 10 million years.