Elisabeth Nadin, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, 2007.

Thesis: Structure and history of the Kern Canyon fault system, southern Sierra Nevada, California

I study a ductile shear zone that was active during the initial stages of
unroofing of the southern Sierra Nevada (ca. 90 Ma). The Proto
Kern Canyon Fault (PKCF) deformed metasedimentary rocks as
well as plutons that were intruding during fault activity.

I have also examined recent activity along the Kern Canyon Fault. Thanks to an
awesome helicopter trip over the northern end of the fault, (thank you Ronn
Rose, Bill Page, and Dave Simpson!), I was able to take some amazing aerial
photos (click on image):

Publications

Disruption of regional primary structure of the Sierra Nevada batholith by the Kern Canyon fault system, California 2008

Chronology of pluton emplacement and regional deformation in the southern Sierra Nevada batholith, California 2008

Quaternary Scarps of the Kern Canyon Fault System, Sierra Nevada, CA in review

Abstracts from meetings at which I have presented:

AGU 2001

GSA 2004

GSA 2005

AGU 2005 (poster .pdf)

GSA 2007

Contact:
enadin_@_caltech.edu


View south along the Kern River:
the PKCF has a clear geomorphic
expression just east of the canyon.


Marble, quartzite, phyllonite, and
granodiorite are sheared along the 130
km long, 1-2 km wide ductile zone.

 

Along the PKCF , crystalline (annealed) protoliths become sheared. Heterogeneous rocks fail
easier than homogeneous ones. Above you see (l to r) annealed marble and sheared marble,
annealed quartzite with mica, and sheared mica-rich quartzite.

 

Curriculum Vitae, Elisabeth Nadin
(download pdf)