Editing Transverse Ranges (section)

===Tectonics===
The Transverse Ranges result from a complex of tectonic forces and [[Southern California faults|faulting]] stemming from the interaction of the [[Pacific Plate]] and the [[North American Plate]] along the dextral (right slip) [[San Andreas Fault]] system. Their orientation along an east–west axis as opposed to the general northwest–southeast trend of most California ranges results from a pronounced left step in the San Andreas Fault that occurred in the [[Pliocene]] ({{circa|4}} million years ago) when southern reaches of the fault moved east to open the [[Gulf of California]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Larson|first1=Roger L.|last2=Menard|first2=H. W.|last3=Smith|first3=S. M.|date=1968-08-23|title=Gulf of California: A Result of Ocean-Floor Spreading and Transform Faulting|journal=Science|language=en|volume=161|issue=3843|pages=781–784|doi=10.1126/science.161.3843.781|issn=0036-8075|pmid=17802622|bibcode=1968Sci...161..781L |s2cid=31863250 }}</ref> The crust within the Pacific Plate south of the ranges can not easily make the left turn westward as the entire plate moves northwestward, forcing pieces of the crust to compress and lift.

Prior to this shift of the fault to create the left bend, northwest–southeast trending rock belts in all of the Transverse Ranges began to rotate clockwise in the right shear of Pacific Plate – North American Plate motion.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last1=LUYENDYK|first1=BRUCE P.|last2=KAMERLING|first2=MARC J.|last3=TERRES|first3=RICHARD|date=1980-04-01|title=Geometric model for Neogene crustal rotations in southern California|journal=GSA Bulletin|language=en|volume=91|issue=4|pages=211|doi=10.1130/0016-7606(1980)91<211:gmfncr>2.0.co;2|bibcode=1980GSAB...91..211L |issn=0016-7606}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Luyendyk|first1=Bruce P.|last2=Kamerling|first2=Marc J.|last3=Terres|first3=Richard R.|last4=Hornafius|first4=J. Scott|date=1985|title=Simple shear of southern California during Neogene time suggested by paleomagnetic declinations|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research|language=en|volume=90|issue=B14|pages=12454|doi=10.1029/jb090ib14p12454|bibcode=1985JGR....9012454L |issn=0148-0227}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=LUYENDYK|first=BRUCE P.|date=1991-11-01|title=A model for Neogene crustal rotations, transtension, and transpression in southern California|journal=GSA Bulletin|language=en|volume=103|issue=11|pages=1528|doi=10.1130/0016-7606(1991)103<1528:amfncr>2.3.co;2|bibcode=1991GSAB..103.1528L |issn=0016-7606}}</ref> This tectonic rotation began in Early Miocene Time and continues today.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=HORNAFIUS|first1=J. SCOTT|last2=LUYENDYK|first2=BRUCE P.|last3=TERRES|first3=R. R.|last4=KAMERLING|first4=M. J.|date=1986-12-01|title=Timing and extent of Neogene tectonic rotation in the western Transverse Ranges, California|journal=GSA Bulletin|language=en|volume=97|issue=12|pages=1476|doi=10.1130/0016-7606(1986)97<1476:taeont>2.0.co;2|bibcode=1986GSAB...97.1476S |issn=0016-7606}}</ref> The total rotation is about 90° in the Western Transverse Ranges and less (about 40°) in the eastern ranges.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=CARTER|first1=JAMES N.|last2=LUYENDYK|first2=BRUCE P.|last3=TERRES|first3=RICHARD R.|date=1987-02-01|title=Neogene clockwise tectonic rotation of the eastern Transverse Ranges, California, suggested by paleomagnetic vectors|journal=GSA Bulletin|language=en|volume=98|issue=2|pages=199|doi=10.1130/0016-7606(1987)98<199:nctrot>2.0.co;2|bibcode=1987GSAB...98..199C |issn=0016-7606}}</ref> [[Santa Catalina Island (California)|Catalina Island]] shows the most rotation: almost 120°.<ref name=":0" />

A mechanism proposed for the rotation event is capture of the subducting Monterey plate by the outboard Pacific plate. Because the Monterey plate was then beneath southern California, the capture resulted in pulling of the overlying crust out and northward from the rest of California.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Nicholson|first1=Craig|last2=Sorlien|first2=Christopher C.|last3=Atwater|first3=Tanya|last4=Crowell|first4=John C.|last5=Luyendyk|first5=Bruce P.|date=1994-06-01|title=Microplate capture, rotation of the western Transverse Ranges, and initiation of the San Andreas transform as a low-angle fault system|journal=Geology|language=en|volume=22|issue=6|pages=491|doi=10.1130/0091-7613(1994)022<0491:mcrotw>2.3.co;2|bibcode=1994Geo....22..491N |issn=0091-7613}}</ref>