![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIBuU_JrIl4BW-HofEhpWJVJpZPWXN63FD_hQV-LgajZMpdb5umSb1e61sr14X7rM5-Gl1Gd0xGe0zJD-7Pa8qXrKBVR4D92lVm9T9B_OpQjojcpcfc9-KLy_eDsaBvis8rgWNg/s320/oligopalgeo.jpg)
A new technical paper in Nature argues that warming of the lithosphere is a "powerful mechanism" for driving uplift of the Colorado Plateau.
Mousumi et al, say that "warming of the thicker, more iron-depleted Colorado Plateau lithosphere over 35–40 Myr following mid-Cenozoic removal of the Farallon plate from beneath North America, is the primary mechanism driving rock uplift." [right, Middle Tertiary (Early Miocene) Paleogeography, Southwestern US (20 Ma), from Ron Blakey's NAU site].
Ref: Mousumi Roy, Thomas H. Jordan, Joel Pederson, Colorado Plateau magmatism and uplift by warming of heterogeneous lithosphere, Nature 459, 978-982 (18 June 2009) doi:10.1038/nature08052 Letter
No comments:
Post a Comment