Theme Session 24
Geologic Framework of the U.S. Continental Interior
Mary Hubbard, Kansas State University
Daniel Holm, Kent State University
Stephen Marshak, University of Illinois
The GeoFrame initiative is a new geologic venture that focuses on the construction, stabilization, and modification of the conterminous U.S. continental crust through time (Tikoff et al., 2006, June 6 Eos). Its goal is to integrate geologic knowledge with the USArray Earth Imaging program of EarthScope. Three broad segments of the U.S. interior (Black Hills uplift, southern Lake Superior region, and the Ozark Plateau/Illinois Basin region) have been designated focus areas that address many outstanding scientific questions about the growth, evolution, and modification of continental crust. This session will be a forum to share recent geological and geophysical research results that can help to establish GeoFrame priorities in the three focus areas and their borders. Talks will cover the tectonic and crustal evolution from the PreCambrian to the recent, including aspects of continental growth, crustal stabilization, metamorphic history, intrusive modification, fault formation and reactivation, and sedimentary basin evolution. Authors are encouraged to make regional connections between research areas and to discuss the potential role that USArray will have in addressing their research questions.