The Tuolumne Intrusive Suite is the youngest and most extensive of the intrusive suites of Yosemite National Park, and also comprises about 1/3 of the park's area. The Suite includes Half Dome Granodiorite, Cathedral Peak Granite, and Kuna Crest Granodiorite.[1]
| Tuolumne Intrusive Suite | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Late Cretaceous, | |
| Type | Suite |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Granodiorite |
| Location | |
| Region | Yosemite National Park |
| Country | United States |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Tuolumne Meadows |
 The Tuolumne Intrusive Suite contains the words Yosemite National Park | |
The largest pluton of the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite is Cathedral Peak Granodiorite, which extends long distances both the north and south of Tuolumne Meadows.[2] The southwestern part of the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite is made up of Half Dome Granodiorite.[2] The youngest, smallest, and most central rock body is of the Johnson Granite Porphyry[2]
Age
editFrom oldest to youngest, the rock units are[3]
- Kuna Crest Granodiorite 91-88 Ma[4]
- Half Dome Granodiorite 85–83.4 Ma[5]
- Cathedral Peak Granodiorite 83.7 Ma[5]
- Johnson Granite Porphyry 82.4 Ma[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Granite". NPS. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
- ^ a b c Huber, N. King (1987). "The Geologic Story of Yosemite National Park (1987)". yosemite.ca.us. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
- ^ Peck, DL (1980). Geologic map of the Merced Peak quadrangle, central Sierra Nevada, California (Map). 1:62,500. U.S. Geological Survey. Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-1531.
- ^ Bateman, PC (1992). "Plutonism in the central part of the Sierra Nevada batholith". California: U.S. Geological Survey. Professional Paper 1483.
- ^ a b c Evernden, JF; Curtis, GH; Lipson, J (1957). "Potassium-argon dating of igneous rocks". American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin. 41 (9): 2120–2127. doi:10.1306/0BDA596C-16BD-11D7-8645000102C1865D.