Palmdale Road Cut
The San Andreas Fault is one of the most remarkable faults in California which can be observed while going down the road in Palmdale, California. Thus, the Palmdale road cut demonstrates the significant San Andreas Fault and a range of minor faults in this region. That is why these remarkable territories where different faults can be found are known as the San Andreas Fault zone. Palmdale road cut represents not only the faults that are typical for the zone but also different types of the folded rocks.
While discussing the San Andreas Fault, it is important to note that it is a strike-slip fault, which can also be characterized as the horizontal right lateral fault which was formed because of the active movement of two blocks. These two fault blocks moved past each other according to the principle of the strike-slip fault. The fault appeared as a result of the plates’ movement past each other at the territory where there is the boundary of the Pacific and North American plates. If the San Andreas Fault is the major fault observed while exploring the Palmdale road cut, minor faults are not easily observed because they are reshaped as a result of the erosional processes. These territories are the regions with the great risk of earthquakes because of the observed boundary between the Pacific and North American plates.
Palmdale road cut is interesting to be explored because its main part demonstrates different types of folds. The observed folds can be characterized as plunging anticlines, monoclines, and synclines. The most remarkable fold which is easily observed by specialists and tourists is the anticline formed in the central part of the Palmdale road cut. This up-arched fold attracts the attention of many examiners of Palmdale road cut. The observed synclines of the Palmdale road cut can be discussed as asymmetrical.
The Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area
The Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area is located within Los Angeles County in California. This area is crucial to be examined because it is possible to observe the Punchbowl Fault there. The Punchbowl Fault is discussed as part of the San Andreas Fault zone, and it is parallel to the San Andreas Fault while moving southwest. The Punchbowl Fault is the largest in the park, and it can be discussed as the right-lateral strike-slip fault. The movement of the plates which formed the Punchbowl Fault can also be characterized as oblique and reverse. However, there are also several subsidiary faults found in the region which are connected with the system of the Punchbowl Fault. The correlation between the Punchbowl Fault and other subsidiary faults is also noted by the specialists, and these structures affect the forms observed on the surface. Thus, it is possible to observe two main fault strands within the territory of the Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area.
While discussing the folds observed in the Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area about the Punchbowl Fault, it is possible to note asymmetric folds which can be characterized as mainly plunging synclines. These folds are not remarkable, but they are vital to be explored because they provide the necessary information about the internal structure of the Punchbowl Fault. That is why these folds should be examined to learn the aspects of the sedimentary rocks in the region known as the San Andreas Fault zone.