Here is a geologic map of North America. We are going to map only a small speck on this map, so why do we do it? When we map we are not just collecting data for data’s sake or just to understand what kind of rocks are there. We select our field areas carefully so that they provide an opportunity to research a question that has important implications on the larger question of the tectonic assemblage of western North America. Thus, in order to do effective mapping that has the potential to answer questions that address larger questions and geologic concepts, we must have some context for what we see in the field. -------------------That is what the next set of 5-6 lectures are all about: establishing the 600 million years of context for what we will observe in the field. This way our mapping fits into this larger map and helps contribute to our understanding of how continents are created and deformed.--------------------In this image, we see the Cordilleran mountain belt or what is often referred to in geologic terms as the Cordilleran Orogen. The eastern limit is at the front range of the Rockies and it stretches West all the way to the Pacific Coast.
Created with Web Album Generator