Evidence for 40–41 km of dextral slip on the southern Death Valley fault: Implications for the Eastern California shear zone and extensional tectonics

Abstract Recognition of a pair pre-Neogene markers together with analysis published data indicate ?40 km dextral slip across the southern Death Valley fault zone, California, USA. Stratigraphic overlaps on rocks much predates late Miocene, placing significant fraction in same time window as regional extension and challenging interpretations that modern strike-slip system became active post–6–3 Ma. However, these results are consistent evidence transtension began by ca. 12