This figure demonstrates the continued progression of the development of the San Andreas fault from 10ma to present. The northern fragment of the Farallon plate is called the Juan de Fucca plate and the southern portion is called the Coccos plate. As this new plate boundary develops there are numerous off shore extensional basins that develop in response to the oblique convergence. ----------------------------------The extension in the Basin and Range is considered to be the consequence of three potential drivers. First, the high topography created by the fold and thrust belt would have been unstable as slab rollback occurs and a large amount of heat is passed to the crust. Second, the roll-back itself could have released some compressional forces that where holding up the fold and thrust belt. Third, the transition from subduction to transform boundary could have changed the forces on the continental margin, facilitating extension.
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