Click the picture at right to take a guided geologic tour down the Colorado River through the Chemehuevi Mountains. Once the Google Earth file opens, double click on "TopockTour" in the lefthand menu to begin.
You must have GoogleEarth downloaded to your home computer to open this file. Download Google Earth HERE |
WHY ARE WE HERE? The Chemehuevi Mountains, home to the the Chemehuevi Wilderness Area, are a prominent feature in the Mojave Desert between Needles, CA, and Lake Havasu City, AZ. They are centrally located in a region known to geologists as the Colorado River Extensional Corridor (CRED) (see figure at left). Approximately 23-12 million years ago, the CREC was being stretched and pulled apart by underlying tectonic forces, resulting in the formation of geologic faults and volcanic activity. Geologic faulting and earthquakes go hand-in-hand, and understanding how the crust of the Earth breaks in response to stresses is a fundamental question addressed by geologists. The CREC is an excellent region to study geologic faults because ancient examples are exposed right at the Earth's surface and can be sampled directly. By mapping in the field, and carefully analyzing the chemistry and microscopic structures preserved in these rocks, our team of geologists working in the Chemehuevi Mountains, SE California, hopes to learn how these geologic faults operated. Our team originates from four universities and two continents, and will work to improve our understanding of the Earth processes, hazards, and resources associated with geologic faulting. The research is being funded by the National Science Foundation.
Part of this desert landscape is also designated as a Wilderness Area, and harbors extraordinary flora and fauna in addition to the geologic formations. This website has been assembled in an effort to make accessible these aspects of the Chemehuevi Mountains, and perhaps serve as a guide for what one might see if traveling down the Colorado River. The Topock Gorge is an amazingly scenic section of the Colorado River, and a canoeing / kayaking destination rich in geological and biological intrigue. |
The Basics
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Rocks of the Chemehuevi Mountains
Flora of the Chemehuevi Mountains
Fauna of the Chemehuevi Mountains
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The information provided on this website was assembled by graduate and undergraduate students at Ohio University (overseen by Dr. Craig B. Grimes), in conjunction with collaborative research with scientists at the University of Wyoming (led by Dr. Barbara E. John). It is intended to provide general educational outreach for an ongoing geologic study of low angle normal fault initiation and crustal extension in the Colorado River Extensional Corridor.
Last Updated: May 14, 2014