The layout of landforms on the map of southern California seems chaotic, with mountain ranges, coastlines, and islands intersecting at odd angles. In this workshop participants will develop a model that explains how this whole collection is, in fact, a coherent set, being formed and reorganized by the San Andreas plate boundary as it was superimposed upon the rim of the continent, then evolved to its present configuration.
About Tanya Atwater
Dr. Atwater's research has concerned many aspects of tectonics, ranging from the fine details of sea floor spreading to global implications of plate tectonics. She is especially well known for her research on the plate tectonic history of the San Andreas fault and western North America. She has received many honors (including an Emmy!). She was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1997.
Dr. Atwater's research has concerned many aspects of tectonics, ranging from the fine details of sea floor spreading to global implications of plate tectonics. She is especially well known for her research on the plate tectonic history of the San Andreas fault and western North America. She has received many honors (including an Emmy!). She was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1997.