The Deming axis, southeastern Arizona, New Mexico and Trans-Pecos Texas

The Deming axis is a major linear tectonic element extending from southeastern Arizona to Trans-Pecos Texas. The trend of this axis is partially expressed by a chain of five lesser structural units; the Van Horn uplift in western Texas, the Florida and Burro uplifts in southwestern New Mexico, and the Graham and Florence uplifts in southeastern Arizona. The Deming axis seems to have been initiated during Mississippian time, and its presence has had a significant effect on the subsequent sedimentary and structural patterns of this area. These features are illustrated by paleogeographic maps of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic, and paleogeologic maps of outcrop patterns developed during intervals of major tectonism and erosion. The general north-south strike of Tertiary structures and present-day topographic features in this region are deflected to a northwest-southeast trend across the Deming axis, and this is the basis for the concept of the Texas lineament. Lateral continuations of the Deming axis beyond the area of investigation are open to speculation. An analysis of the regional structure and stratigraphy of southern Arizona and New Mexico, western Texas and northern Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico, has revealed the presence of a major linear tectonic element which is here termed the Deming axis. This feature can be traced from the vicinity of the town of Florence in south-central Arizona to the area of Van Horn in Trans-Pecos Texas, and has been named from Deming, New Mexico, which is near the center of the area of investigation. The Deming axis seems to have been initially developed during Mississippian time and its presence has had a, significant effect on the sedimentary and structural patterns of the late Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Tertiary. The evolution of the Deming axis can best be observed through the construction of paleogeologic and paleotec-tonic maps for critical parts of the stratigraphic sequence.