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Stratigraphic record of Triassic-Jurassic collisional tectonics in the Blue Mountains province, northeastern Oregon

Department of Geological Sciences, 1272 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403-1272

rdorsey{at}uoregon.edu

Sedimentary and volcanic rocks in the Blue Mountains province (BMP) of northeastern Oregon preserve a well studied record of Triassic–Jurassic magmatism, basin evolution, and terrane accretion. Terranes of the BMP represent two magmatic arcs (Wallowa and Olds Ferry terranes), an intervening oceanic subduction and accretionary complex (Baker terrane), and a complex thick succession of sedimentary rocks commonly known as the Izee terrane. We divide volcanic and sedimentary rocks into two regionally correlative, unconformity-bounded megasequences: (1) MS-1, Late Triassic to Early Jurassic deposits that change up section from (1a) older volcanic and volcaniclastic deposits of the Wallowa and Olds Ferry arcs to (1b) marine turbidites, shale, and argillite with chert-clast conglomerate and olistostromes derived from the emergent Baker terrane; and (2) MS-2, Early to Late Jurassic marine deposits that overlap older rocks and structures and record 20 to 40 m.y. of deep crustal subsidence in a large marine basin. Many of the known stratigraphic relationships in the Blue Mountains cannot be explained using the existing model for a Middle Triassic to Late Jurassic west-facing, non-collisional volcanic arc and forearc basin.

We propose a new tectonic model for the BMP based on prior studies and comparison to modern analogues, which includes: (1) Middle Triassic magmatism in the Wallowa and Olds Ferry arcs during subduction and progressive closure of an ocean basin; (2) Late Triassic collision between facing accretionary wedges of the Wallowa and Olds Ferry arcs, and growth of marine basins on both sides of the emergent Baker terrane thrust belt; (3) Early to Middle Jurassic terrane-continent collision which resulted in closure of a wide back-arc basin, crustal thickening and loading in Nevada, and growth of a large marine collisional basin in the BMP; and (4) Late Jurassic thrusting, regional shortening, and final accretion of the basin and underlying terranes to western North America. This analysis suggests that collisional tectonics may have played a significant role in plate interactions that drove Triassic–Jurassic crustal thickening, mountain building, and basin development in the western North American Cordillera.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. A. LaMaskin, R. J. Dorsey, and J. D. Vervoort Tectonic Controls on Mudrock Geochemisry, Mesozoic Rocks of Eastern Oregon and Western Idaho, U.S.A.: Implications for Cordilleran Tectonics Journal of Sedimentary Research, December 1, 2008; 78(12): 765 - 783. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]