1. Cenozoic -The development of the Earth as we know it today
At only 66 million years long,
the Cenozoic is only 1.4% of all geologic time

2. Age of Ocean Basins Is Well Constrained

3. The Circum-Pacific Orogenic Belt

4. Geological Provinces of the U.S

5. The North American Cordillera
The North American Cordillera is one large segment of the circum-Pacific orogenic belt extending from Alaska to central Mexico
In the United States it widens to 1200 km, stretching east-west from the eastern flank of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean

6. Cordilleran Mobile Belt
Antler Orogeny in Devonian

7. Change from Subduction
As the North American Plate overrode the Pacific–Farallon Ridge, its margin became transform faults
the San Andreas
and the Queen Charlotte
alternating with subduction zones

8. Plate Interactions Continue

9. The Laramide Orogeny Most active in Late Cretaceous to Eocene
Formation of the Rockies

10. Cascade Range
Some of the highest mountains in the Cordillera are the Cascades
California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia
Thousands of volcanic vents are present
dozen large volcanoes
Lassen Peak in California
world's largest lava dome
Related to subduction of the Juan de Fuca plate

11. Colorado Plateau

12. Colorado Plateau Paleozoic rocks exposed in the Grand Canyon, Arizona
Mesozoic sedimentary rocks in the Valley of the Gods, Utah

13. The Continental Interior
A vast area called the Interior Lowlands
the Great Plains
and the Central Lowlands

14. The Southern and Eastern Continental Margins
The Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Gulf Coastal Plain form a continuous belt from the Northeastern United States to Texas

15. Coastal Plain Similarities
Both areas have horizontal or gently seaward-dipping strata deposited mostly on land or in shallow water them
Seaward of the coastal plains lie the continental shelf, slope and rise, which are areas of notable Mesozoic and Cenozoic deposition

16. Gulf-Coastal-Plain Deposition
Cenozoic Deposition on the Gulf Coastal Plain
Depositional provinces and surface geology
Cross section showing seaward thickening
O strata

17. Global climate of the Cenozoic was controlled by plate motions, and associated changes in ocean circulation, and by glaciation in Antarcitca

18. The Ice Volume Record for the Cenozoic
Isotope record records ocean temperature and ice volume
Eustatic record derived from seismic stratigraphic studies
When did glaciation begin?

19. Pleistocene Fluctuations
You Are Here!
Northern Hemisphere Glaciation Cyclicity

20. Closing of the Isthmus of Panama
Shut off E/W global ocean flow
American plates collided ~ 3.5 Ma

21. This may have resulted in glaciation in the northern hemisphere
Caribbean warms
Gulf Stream moves warm water north
Increases ocean evaporation and precipitation on land

22. The Last Glacial Maximum