TESTING HYPOTHESES ABOUT GEOLOGIC PROCESSES IN THE COLORADO PLATEAU-BASIN AND RANGE TRANSITION ZONE USING AN INTEGRATED GEOSPATIAL DATA SYSTEM

Integrated analysis of diverse geospatial earth science data covering the southern regions of the Colorado Plateau/Arizona Transition Zone/Basin and Range in Arizona and New Mexico provides important insights into the geologic history, geodynamics, surface processes, and human-earth system interactions in the region. The datasets and tools that we have assembled are highlighted and accessible through an ARCIMS interface: http://aspen.asu.edu/website/Geoinformatics/viewer.htm. In addition, most of the data are downloadable and further explained at the SWGEONET website: http://www.geoinformaticsnetwork.org/swgeonet. We have built a system for user defined imaged processing, described a new GIS-driven geophysical data system for the region, developed a simple conceptualization for how geoinformatics can help studies in active tectonics, tectonic geomorphology, and fault system dynamics, and enhanced high resolution geological mapping datasets so that they may be best used for numerous geological, geomorphological, and urban ecological applications in a rapidly urbanizing region (Phoenix).

The data sets are divided thematically into remote sensing (NASA ASTER system), political (cities and counties), geophysics point data, geophysics grids, geology and tectonics (mostly shape files), and digital elevation models. The topography, active faults, and seismicity for Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah are displayed with ARCIMS and illustrate the localization of faulting, earthquakes and higher topographic gradients along the margins of the Colorado Plateau. We have also put considerable effort into the geophysics and geodynamics datasets and have developed a number of case studies such as comparing the gravity versus elevation to evaluate both data processing issues as well as the degree of isostatic compensation of the regional lithosphere, crustal thickness variation as manifest by several seismological techniques, crustal stress versus inferred upper mantle flow patterns (shear wave splitting), and stress orientation versus topographic gradient.