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:

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:

• describe the evidence for the break-up of Pangea

2. Western Cordillera

You should be able to:

• describe the evidence for the assembly of the Cordillera by collisions
• describe the evidence for the Jurassic-Eocene subduction complex and its changes over time

3. Craton

You should be able to:

• describe the changes in cratonic rocks throughout the Mesozoic
• relate the changes on the craton to the changes on the continental boundaries