Why is the Valles Caldera important?
Volcanic Landforms Valles Caldera is the premier example of a resurgent, structural caldera on planet earth. Explosive events occurred approximately 1.2 million years ago during an enormous volcanic eruption that blanketed volcanic material over New Mexico.
When did Valles Caldera last erupt?
1.2 million years ago
The 22-km-wide Valles caldera was formed by 2 very large explosive eruptions 1.7 and 1.2 million years ago. Post caldera eruptions formed Redondo Peak dome inside the caldera. The last eruptions of the caldera happened 50,000-60,000 years ago, depositing rhyolite ignimbrite deposits.
Why is the Valles Caldera a perfect example of a caldera formation?
Eventually gas pressure exceeds confining pressure of overlying rocks, and the magma explodes, producing immense pyroclastic falls and flows. Emptying of the magma chamber destabilizes pre-existing rock masses, which collapse into the chamber, forming a circular caldera depression.
What is the origin of a caldera volcano?
A caldera is a large depression formed when a volcano erupts and collapses. During a volcanic eruption, magma present in the magma chamber underneath the volcano is expelled, often forcefully. When the magma chamber empties, the support that the magma had provided inside the chamber disappears.
Is Valles Caldera extinct?
The Valles Caldera is a supervolcano eruption, like Yellowstone, and one of the largest young calderas on Earth. It formed about 1 million years ago when multiple explosive eruptions occurred that produced an immense outpouring of ash, pumice, and pyroclastic flows. It is considered by geologists to be still active.
What is the youngest volcanic feature in the Valles Caldera?
The El Cajete Pumice, Battleship Rock Ignimbrite, and the Banco Bonito obsidian flow were emplaced during the youngest eruption of Valles Caldera, about 68,300 ± 1,500 years ago.
What does the presence of caldera indicate?
A caldera is a volcanic feature formed by the collapse of a volcano into itself, making it a large, special form of volcanic crater. A caldera collapse is usually triggered by the emptying of the magma chamber beneath the volcano, as the result of a large volcanic eruption.
What city is Valles Caldera in?
The highest point in the caldera is Redondo Peak, an 11,253-foot (3,430 m) resurgent lava dome located entirely within the caldera….Valles Caldera.
| Valles Caldera National Preserve | |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Los Alamos, NM |
| Coordinates | 35.9°N 106.533°W |
| Area | 89,766 acres (363.27 km2) |
| Established | July 25, 2000 |
When did Valles Caldera become a national preserve?
Cerro la Jara, an approximately 246-foot (75 m) high forested rhyolite lava dome within the caldera….Valles Caldera.
| Valles Caldera National Preserve | |
|---|---|
| Established | July 25, 2000 |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Valles Caldera National Preserve |
How old is the Valles Caldera volcano eruption?
The Valles Caldera is a supervolcano eruption, like Yellowstone, and one of the largest young calderas on Earth. It formed about 1 million years ago when multiple explosive eruptions occurred that produced an immense outpouring of ash, pumice, and pyroclastic flows. It is considered by geologists to be still active.
How big is the Valles Caldera in New Mexico?
Valles Caldera (or Jemez Caldera) is a 13.7-mile (22.0 km) wide inactive volcanic caldera in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico.
When was the Valles Caldera National Preserve created?
The Valles Caldera Preservation Act of 2000 signed by President Clinton on July 25, 2000, created the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP).
Which is older the Toledo Caldera or the Valles Caldera?
The associated Cerros del Rio volcanic field, which forms the eastern Pajarito Plateau and the Caja del Rio, is older than the Toledo Caldera. The Toledo and Valles Calderas formed during eruptions 1.61 million and 1.2 million years ago, respectively.