Abstract
Results from the San Francisco Bay area seismic imaging experiment (BASIX) reveal the presence of a prominent lower crustal reflector at a depth of ~ 15 kilometers beneath San Francisco and San Pablo bays. Velocity analyses indicate that this reflector marks the base of Franciscan assemblage rocks and the top of a mafic lower crust. Because this compositional contrast would imply a strong rheological contrast, this interface may correspond to a lower crustal detachment surface. If so, it may represent a subhorizontal segment of the North America and Pacific plate boundary proposed by earlier thermomechanical and geological models.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1436-1439 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Science |
Volume | 265 |
Issue number | 5177 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 2 1994 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- General