Field exercises in the Pinacate volcanic fi eld, Mexico: An analog for planetary volcanism

David Williams, Sarah A. Fagents, Ronald Greeley, John F. McHone

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Pinacate volcanic fi eld is ̃330 km SSW of Phoenix, and it is a popular destination for volcanology and planetary geology fi eld trips. The volcanic fi eld, located on the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve in Sonora, Mexico, is a 1500 km 2 basaltic fi eld including a shield volcano, lava tubes, maars, a tuff cone, cinder cones, pahoehoe and 'a'a lava fl ows as young as 12 ka, and phreatomagmatic constructs as young as 32 ka. We developed an image-based set of exercises for a 2 day fi eld trip focusing on (1) Crater Elegante, a maar crater, (2) pahoehoe and 'a'a fl ows near Tecolote Cone campground, (3) the complex eruptive history of Mayo (cinder) Cone, and (4) Cerro Colorado tuff cone. This paper discusses exercises to teach concepts in visible and radar image interpretation and planetary volcanology, and provides an overview of the fi eld trip.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAnalogs for Planetary Exploration
PublisherGeological Society of America
Pages449-464
Number of pages16
ISBN (Print)9780813724836
DOIs
StatePublished - 2011

Publication series

NameSpecial Paper of the Geological Society of America
Volume483
ISSN (Print)0072-1077

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geology

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