Part C
Geology of the Death Valley Area
Death Valley is located in the Basin and Range physiographic province, just to the west of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The present landscape tells a story of crustal extension, volcanism, and basin sedimentation. Mountain ranges of varying size are composed of rocks both geologically young and old, which tell stories from as far back as 1700 Ma. Flanking the mountains are huge alluvial debris aprons, which feather out onto the low, broad playas at the center of the basins. These areas record a more recent geologic history of erosion and sedimentation.
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Figure 15-4. Death Valley is part of the Basin and Range province and includes parts of the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts. A geologic map of the Death Valley area of California (left). |
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Geologic Map of the Death Valley area
Answer Quiz Me! questions C19 through C25 using the Geologic Map California - Death Valley sheet (see the PDF link below). Look carefully at the geologic map and cross section, the Explanation, and make use of any other provided hints. Also, feel free to refer to your rock identification charts.
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Geologic Map California - Death Valley sheet |
Map Scale & Contour Interval
Explanation
Geologic Map
Rock Formations
Go to the Wikipedia's Table of formations part of the Geology of the Death Valley area web page to answer Quiz Me! questions C31 and C32.
Geologic History
Use the Wikipedia's Geology of the Death Valley area web page to answer Quiz Me! questions C33 through C35.