Origins of the Cottonwood Canyon fault rock in the Catalina Schist

Abstract

This is a proposal for research conducted on a fault in the Catalina Schist on Santa Catalina Island, California. By analyzing samples from the fault via geochemical, petrographic, petrological, and structural methods, the origins of the rock within the fault will be compared to the rock containing the fault in order to understand implications regarding the mechanisms by which the fault formed as well as the origin of the fault rock. Methods include X-ray fluorescence, electron probe microanalysis, highly siderophile element geochemistry using thermal ionization mass spectrometry and inductively couple plasma mass spectrometry, and petrography.