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| Image Credit - Left: California Department of Conservation; Right: Google Earth |
After investigating the provided geologic map of California,
I quickly noticed a formation that stood out from the rest. According to this
map, there appears to be a circular rock formation towards the center of northern
California.
Having nothing more than this unlabeled geologic map as a
reference, I turned to Google Earth for more information. After matching the
location of the formation on both services, I was able to determine that this geologic
formation in California is referred to as “Sutter Buttes”. A 3-D investigation of the formation via Google Earth
revealed that the Buttes are a circular mountainous formation, with dense
vegetation at their center and a mostly arid landscape around the perimeter.
While the conditional existence of vegetation does present
an extra set of questions, my primary concern is the circular shape of the formation.
Most mountainous regions are linear in nature, so my assumption is that this
particular formation is not the result of tectonic folding, but rather
volcanic activity.
In order to ascertain an accurate assessment of the
surrounding area, it is important to gather the following information: First, what types of rock does this formation consist of? A
confirmation that most of the rocks are igneous would help confirm the
hypothesis that Sutter Buttes is the result of volcanic activity. Second, when
were the surrounding rocks formed? Examining the layering of these rocks may
provide clues related to geological activity in the surrounding area. Third, is
there evidence of cross-cutting relationships in the formation? Cross-cutting
relationships can be used to help determine if any significant geological activity
(such as a volcanic eruption) occurred in this region.
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