Geometry of Inyo-White Mountains Allochthon, Eastern California: ABSTRACT

Approximately 750 sq mi of the northern Inyo and southern White Mountains, eastern California, are cut from a relatively simple, well-exposed, allochthonous mass consisting primarily of late Precambrian and Cambrian rocks. The thrust surface is exposed on both the eastern and western flanks of the Inyo Mountains where mainly Mississippian rocks underlie the allochthon. Although igneous rocks along the north and southeast have intruded the thrust zone, its position can be inferred from great differences in the stratigraphy (on the north) and structure (on the southeast) across the interpreted thrust. On the southwest, however, the allochthon is structurally continuous with the southern autochthon. The entire eastern and southern margins of the allochthon are folded down an under, suggesting eastward and southward movement. Apparently rotation occurred, probably in the Late Triassic, east of Independence, California, in the vicinity of the connection between the allochthon and autochthon. Movement northeast of Independence in the latitude of Tinemaha Reservoir has been a minimum of 15 mi. A large N-S-trending anticline and an adjacent syncline (which parallel most of the small folds) are the major structures within the allochthon. Superimposed on these north-south folds are E-W-trending warps involving the thrust plane. End_of_Article - Last_Page 872------------