Jornada del Muerto Volcano
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| Jornada del Muerto Volcano | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 5,136 ft (1,565 m) |
| Location | New Mexico, USA |
| Coordinates | |
| Topo map | USGS Harriet Ranch |
| Type | Shield volcano |
| Age of rock | 760,000 years |
| Last eruption | 760,000 years |
| Easiest route | Scrambling over rough aa lava |
| Translation | Journey of the Dead Man (Spanish) |
The Jornada del Muerto Volcano is a small shield volcano and lava field in central New Mexico, about 10 miles (16.1 km) by 15 miles (24.1 km) in size and reaching an elevation of 5,136 ft (1,565 m). It is located at the northern end of the desert basin named the Jornada del Muerto ("Journey of the Dead Man" in Spanish). The Jornada del Muerto basin runs between the Oscura and San Andres Mountains on the east, with the Caballo Mountains and the Fray Cristóbal Range on the west.
The volcano erupted about 760,000 years ago in a series of basaltic flows. It produced a slow and viscous aa lava which has a very rough surface, making travel across it extremely difficult. The total volume of erupted material is about 3 cu mi (13 km³) and the lava fields cover an area of over 170 sq mi (440 km²). The largest individual flow field extends from a center in extreme southeastern Socorro County and extends into Sierra County. Currently the flow forms the east bank of the Rio Grande from Fra Cristóbal north to Fort Craig, but at the time of eruption it temporarily dammed the Rio Grande.[1]
The main vent is located slightly to the east of the center of the flows rising about 150 feet (46 m) in a broad but conspicuous cone about a mile (1.6 km) in diameter. Within the outer cone are a series of nested spatter cones interspersed with lava pools. On the south side the innermost cone rises to nearly 90 feet (27 m) above the surrounding lava pools, and surrounds an intact symmetrical crater 245 feet (75 m) across and about 30 ft (9 m) deep.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Kottlowski, Frank E. et al. (1956) Stratigraphic Studies of the San Andres Mountains, New Mexico Memoir No. 1, State Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM, OCLC 2206053
[edit] References
- Crumpler, L. S., and J. C. Aubele, (1990), Jornada del Muerto, New Mexico, in Volcanoes of North America, C. A. Wood and J. Kienle. eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p. 309-310.
- Volcanoes of New Mexico: Jornada del Muerto Volcano. Retrieved on 2007-03-27.
[edit] External links
- Jornada del Muerto Volcano is at coordinates Coordinates:
