Jornada del Muerto Volcano

Infobox Mountain
Name= Jornada del Muerto Volcano
Photo=
Caption=.
Elevation= Convert|5136|ft|m|0|abbr=on
Location=New Mexico, USA
Range=
Prominence =
Coordinates = coord|33|32|N|106|52|W|type:mountain_region:US
Topographic
USGS Harriet Ranch
Type=Shield volcano
Age= 760,000 years
Last eruption= 760,000 years
First ascent=
Easiest route=Scrambling over rough aa lava
Translation = Journey of the Dead Man
Language = Spanish

The Jornada del Muerto Volcano is a small shield volcano and lava field in central New Mexico, about Convert|10|mi|km|1 by Convert|15|mi|km|1 in size and reaching an elevation of Convert|5136|ft|m|0|abbr=on|abbr=on|abbr=on. 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 Unit cbmi|3|0 and the lava fields cover an area of over Convert|170|sqmi|km2|0|abbr=on. 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. [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, [http://worldcat.org/oclc/2206053 OCLC 2206053] ]

The main vent is located slightly to the east of the center of the flows rising about Convert|150|ft|m|0 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 Convert|90|ft|m|0 above the surrounding lava pools, and surrounds an intact symmetrical crater Convert|245|ft|m|0 across and about Convert|30|ft|m|0|abbr=on|abbr=on|abbr=on|abbr=on deep.

Notes

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.
*cite web| title = Volcanoes of New Mexico: Jornada del Muerto Volcano| url = http://www.nmnaturalhistory.org/volcano/jornada.html | accessdate=2007-03-27

External links