Award Date

1-1-2000

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Geoscience

First Committee Member

Eugene Smith

Number of Pages

129

Abstract

Basaltic volcanism is common in the transition zone from the Basin and Range to the Colorado Plateau. This study focuses on an 80 km long transect containing seven separate basalt fields spaced less than 20 km apart. The transect extends from eastern Nevada through northwestern Arizona and into southwestern Utah, across the crustal boundary defined as the transition zone; Geochemistry and geographic information systems (GIS) define the geometry and orientation of a mantle boundary trending approximately E-W, almost perpendicular to the crustal boundary. This study suggests that there is no genetic link between the mantle boundary and crustal boundary between the Colorado Plateau and the Basin and Range. This evidence supports the hypothesis that the mantle boundary may be an older more fundamental feature. Geochemical variability within each volcanic field is best explained by fractional crystallization. Field evidence, petrography, geochemistry and new dates support separate evolution of each volcanic field.

Keywords

Geochemistry; Geographic; Imaging; Information; Mantle; Southwestern; System; Utah

Controlled Subject

Geochemistry; Geology

File Format

pdf

File Size

3379.2 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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