Name of fly-through:  SanGregorioFault

  Red line shows flight path

File Size:  129.4 Mb; web version:  7.8 Mb

Run Time: 1 minute,  42 seconds; web version:  36 seconds

Window Size:  800 X 500 pixels; web version:   300 X 182 pixels

Vertical Exaggeration: 1.5

Flight Altitude:  Flight starts at 3,000 meters (9,800 ft) above sea level and drops to 600 meters (1,970 ft) below sea level as we descend along the channel of Carmel Canyon, then rise up the north side of Monterey Canyon ending at an altitude of 1,500 meters (4,900 ft) above sea level.

Distance Over Ground:  200 kilometers  (60 miles)

Average Speed Over Ground:  3,390 km/hr (2,120 mph); web version: 9,600 km/hr (6,000 mph)

Description of flight:

 This flight begins over the coast at Big Sur, then heads north following the San Gregorio-Hosgri Fault. The trace of the fault makes up the western boundary of the Salinian Block and is believed to come on land north of Pt. Sur at Garapata Beach, but this is still a topic of discussion.

  Folds in the sedimentary bedrock of the shelf off Sobranes Point and Pt. Lobos mark the trace of the fault where it crosses the continental shelf before diving into Carmel Canyon.

 

 The linear morphology of Carmel Canyon is caused in large part by preferential erosion along the fault zone.

  Mass wasting is prevalent along the trace of the fault on the north side of Monterey Canyon.  The main channel of Monterey Canyon is seen here in the foreground.  Note the large horseshoe shaped slump scar on the left hand side, on the flank of Smooth Ridge.