Death Valley Geology
Basin and Range
Approximately three million years ago, the dynamics of crustal movement changed, and Death Valley proper began to form. At this time, compressional forces were replaced by extensional forces. This "pulling apart" of the Earth's crust allowed large blocks of land to slowly slide past one another along faults, forming alternating valleys and mountain ranges. Badwater Basin, the Death Valley salt pan and the Panamint mountain range comprise one block that is rotating eastward as a structural unit. The valley floor has been steadily slipping downward, subsiding along the fault that lies at the base of the Black Mountains. Down-dropping continues today. Evidence of this can be seen in the fresh scarps exposed near Badwater.
Looking east across Death Valley
| GLOSSARY | > escarpment |
DEATH VALLEY GEOLOGY
Ancient Seas
Warped Mountains
Traveling Volcanos
Basin and Range
Erosion and Deposit
Lost Lakes
Yesterday's Volcano
Shape of the Future
Also see > Walk Through Time
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