Faults--Offshore of Point Reyes Map Area, California

• Main Authors: Janet T. Watt, Michael W. Manson, H. Gary Greene
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: USGS Science Data Catalog 2014
• Subjects: Oceans > Bathymetry/SeafloorTopography > Bathymetry; Oceans > Bathymetry/SeafloorTopography > Seafloor Topography; geoscientificInformation; environment; oceans; imageryBaseMapsEarthCover; Multibeam bathymetry; Benthic marine habitat; Seafloor mapping; Offshore geology; GIS; Pacific Ocean; State of California; Point Reyes; Drakes Bay; Marin County; Drakes Estero; Baja; Pacific; Greene; Andreas; Hicks; Hoskins; Western Point; Double Point; Beaufort Sea
• Online Access: https://search.dataone.org/view/a13a26a9-5cd2-408a-b518-6d2aa5cbcacc

This part of DS 781 presents data for the geologic and geomorphic map of the Offshore of Point Reyes map area, California. The vector data file is included in "Faults_OffshorePointReyes.zip," which is accessible from http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/781/OffshorePointReyes/data_catalog_OffshorePointReyes.html. Faults in the Point Reyes map area are identified on seismic-reflection data based on abrupt truncation or warping of reflections and (or) juxtaposition of reflection panels with different seismic parameters such as reflection presence, amplitude, frequency, geometry, continuity, and vertical sequence. The Point Reyes Fault Zone runs through the map area and is an offshore curvilinear reverse fault zone with predominantly north-side-up motion (Hoskins and Griffiths, 1971; McCulloch, 1987; Heck and others, 1990; Stozek, 2012) that likely connects with the western San Gregorio fault further to the south (Ryan and others, 2008), making it part of the San Andreas Fault System. The Point Reyes Fault Zone is characterized by a 5 to 11 km-wide zone of deformation in the shallow subsurface that is associated with two main fault structures, the Point Reyes Fault and the western Point Reyes Fault. Near the Point Reyes headland, vertical displacement of granitic basement across the Point Reyes Fault is at least 1.4 km (McCulloch, 1987). Offshore Double Point, vertical displacement on the Point Reyes Fault is difficult to assess because subsurface age constraints from nearby wells are lacking, and there are few offset horizons across the fault imaged on available seismic data. However, warping and folding of Neogene strata are clearly visible on high-resolution seismic data . The western Point Reyes Fault is defined by a broad anticlinal structure visible in both industry and high-resolution seismic datasets that exhibits that same sense of vergence (north-side-up) as the Point Reyes Fault. Faults were primarily mapped by interpretation of seismic reflection profile data (see field activity S-8-09-NC). The seismic reflection profiles were collected in 2009. References Cited Heck, R.G., Edwards, E.B., Kronen, J.D., Jr., and Willingham, C.R., 1990, Petroleum potential of the offshore outer Santa Cruz and Bodega basins, California, in Garrison, R.E., Greene, H.G., Hicks, K.R., Weber, G.E., and Wright, T.L., eds. Geology and tectonics of the central California coastal region, San Francisco to Monterey: Pacific Section, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin GB67, p. 143-164. Hoskins E.G., Griffiths, J.R., 1971, Hydrocarbon potential of northern and central California offshore: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 15, p. 212-228. McCulloch, D.S., 1987, Regional geology and hydrocarbon potential of offshore central California, in Scholl, D.W., Grantz, A., and Vedder, J.G., eds., Geology and Resource Potential of the Continental Margin of Western North America and Adjacent Oceans Beaufort Sea to Baja California: Houston, Texas, Circum-Pacific Council for Energy and Mineral Resources, Earth Science Series, v. 6., p. 353-401. Ryan, H.F., Parsons, T., and Sliter, R.W., 2008, Vertical tectonic deformation associated with the San Andreas Fault offshore of San Francisco, California: Tectonophysics, v. 475, p. 209-223. Stozek, B.A., 2012, Geophysical evidence for Quaternary deformation within the offshore San Andreas fault system, northern California: Masters Thesis, San Francisco State University, 141 p.