PHYSIOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF THE PANAMINT RANGE, CALIFORNIA

The Panamint Range, California, exemplifies many of the characteristic geomorphic features of basin ranges. The central part of the range was an inselberg on a pre-faulting surface of generally low to moderate relief developed in an arid climate. The Panamint block was brought into strong relief presumably by late Pliocene and early Pleistocene downfaulting of adjacent basin blocks on faults of variable dip. Movement was in part strike-slip; the Panamint Valley block moved northward and down with respect to the mountain block. In addition the Panamint block and adjacent depressed Death Valley block were rotated eastward. Fan remnants were uplifted on the Panamint Valley scarp, and alluvial fans were entrenched in Death Valley. Streams in the southern part of the west flank of the range cut valleys of V in V cross profile, and their longitudinal profiles developed convexities at and near the margin of the range because of successive uplifts or accelerations in uplift.