Geophysical investigations of the cratonic margin in the Pacific Northwest (USA)

  • Richard L. Thiessen
  • Kent R. Johnson
  • Gregory B. Mohl
Chapter
Part of the Proceedings of the International Conferences on Basement Tectonics book series (ICBT, volume 2)

Abstract

The cratonic margin of North America in west-central Idaho has abeen delineated by strontium isotope and field studies. Outboard is the Blue Mountains Province, a complex amalgamation of arc-related terranes. Gravity studies indicate a classic suture-style paired anomaly with a gradient into a low over North America and isolated maxima within and just outboard of the Mesozoic suture. The latter appear to be due to mafic and ultramafic pods. Magnetic anomalies change from relatively quiet over the continent to noisy over the Blue Mountains Province. These geophysical features change character along the length of the suture and do not trend exactly parallel to it. Near Orofino, Idaho, the suture changes from a N-S-trend to due west and extends under the Miocene Columbia River Basalts into southeastern Washington. The geophysical signature parallels this trend. Near Pomeroy, Washington, this signature again turns northward, but the anomalies split. The magnetic boundary and the minor gravity maxima trend northward into the western edge of the Kootenai Arc — the surface boundary between miogeoclinal North American lithologies and accreted terranes. The gravity gradient trends northeastward and extends far into the craton in northern Idaho, where it corresponds to a change in lower crustal character as observed on COCORP reflection seismic data. In northeastern Washington and southeastern British Columbia, the gravity and magnetic signatures appear to follow the suture, but the gravity effects of local geologic features are overprinted on them.

Keywords

Magnetic Anomaly Gravity Anomaly Geological Society Suture Zone Bouguer Gravity 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 1992

Authors and Affiliations

  • Richard L. Thiessen
    • 1
  • Kent R. Johnson
    • 1
    • 2
  • Gregory B. Mohl
    • 3
  1. 1.Geology DepartmentWashington State UniversityPullmanUSA
  2. 2.Aquila GeosciencesPotlatchUSA
  3. 3.Conoco Inc.CasperUSA

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