Geology 12 - Historical Geology
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Mesozoic

Reading: Chapter 14

Don't worry if you can't find all the answers to the questions in the chapter. We'll fill in the blanks in class.

We don't need the section on Life in the Mesozoic yet.

Background

Terms you should know:

exotic terrane -

 

Key Concepts and Questions:

1. Pangea breaks up

What is the evidence that Pangea began to break up in Triassic time?

 

 

 

2. Western Cordillera

What is an "exotic terrane"? How do we recognize them, and what evidence tells us where they may have started out?

 

 

What evidence tells us that a well-developed subduction complex was operating by the Jurassic?

 

 

How did subduction change in the latest Cretaceous through Eocene? What is the evidence for this unusual plate boundary?

 

 

What are the plate tectonic events or settings that go with each of these traditionally named mountain-building events?

Sonoma Orogeny:

Nevadan Orogeny:

Sevier Orogeny:

Laramide Orogeny:

 

 

 

3. Cratonic rocks:

Find examples of rocks representing each of these:

Triassic: nonmarine and evaporites

 

Jurassic desert, then transgression

 

Cretaceous foreland basin and seaway

 

Assessment

1. Pangea breaks up

You should be able to:

2. Western Cordillera

You should be able to:

3. Craton

You should be able to: