california- american geosciences（加州——美国地质）（31页）.docVIP

California Californias remarkable geology is the result of volcanic and tectonic activity. Its majestic mountains were shaped by glaciers during the ice ages as well as by wind and rain. The scenic coastline of California is continually shaped by the pounding waves of the Pacific Ocean. California has a wealth of mineral resources, including the rich soil of the Central Valley, the gold of the Sierra, and oil off the coast and in various locations across the state. California can be divided up into 11 Geomorphic Provinces, many which include volcanic features. The Provinces are: The Sierra Nevadas, Cascade Range, Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, Klamath Mountains, Great Valley, Basin and Range, Modoc Plateau, Mojave Desert, and Colorado Desert. Excerpts from: California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES) Website, 2003, California Resources Agency, from the California Coastal Commissions California Coastal Resource Guide, and California State Geological Survey Website, 2002, California Geomorphic Provinces Note 36. Californias Geomorphic Provinces Californias Geomorphic Provinces:17 California can be divided up into 11 Geomorphic Provinces, many which include volcanic features. The Provinces are: Basin and Range The Basin and Range is the westernmost part of the Great Basin. The province is characterized by interior drainage with lakes and playas, and the typical horst and graben structure (subparallel, fault-bounded ranges separated by downdropped basins). Death Valley, the lowest area in the United States (280 feet below sea level at Badwater), is one of these grabens. Another graben, Owens Valley, lies between the bold eastern fault scarp of the Sierra Nevada and Inyo Mountains. Cascade Range The Cascade Range, a chain of volcanic cones, extends through Washington and Oregon into California. It is dominated by Mt. Shasta, a glacier-mantled volcanic cone, rising 14,162 feet above sea level. The southern termination is