LATE CENOZOIC CRUSTAL DEFORMATION OF THE NORTH-CENTRAL BASIN AND RANGE PROVINCE, WESTERN US

Late Cenozoic (mid-Miocene and younger) deformation of the Basin and R ange Province in north-central Nevada is studied by an analysis of mes oscopic faults. Correlations between fault strikes, fault types and se nses of displacement were found for this area. Normal faults strike N- S, and right-lateral and left-lateral faults strike NNW and NNE respec tively. The existence of strike-slip faulting, mainly right-lateral, i s consistent with vertical-axis counterclockwise rotation interpreted from paleomagnetic declination data. These data suggest that mid-Mioce ne and younger crustal deformation in north-central Nevada was accompa nied by both E-W extension, and N-S compression and shortening. Moreov er, the contribution of strike-slip faulting to the net extension of t his area, although hard to estimate, is significant.