Jurassic history of the central Sierra Nevada and the "Nevadan' orogeny

Abstract

Recent mapping, combined with published age determinations indicate: the Jurassic arc was, at least in part, formed at the western edge of North America; the "Nevadan' orogeny was a protracted event that lasted at least 20 million years, with volcanism, plutonism, sedimentation and deformation occurring simultaneously, and; displacement along the Melones Fault Zone occurred late in the history of the area and resulted from oblique convergence between North America and oceanic crust to the west. -from Author