Red Hill volcanic field

Red Hill volcanic field, also known as Quemado volcanic field, is a monogenetic volcanic field located in the vicinity of the ghost town of Red Hill in Catron County New Mexico. Red Hill is 24 kilometers (15 mi) east of the larger Springerville volcanic field and includes Zuñi Salt Lake.[1] The area is made up of scoria cone and silicic dome fields.[2][3][4] Over 40 volcanic vents have been identified in the field.[5] These erupted basaltic flows, with no other rock types evident in the field.[6]

Red Hill volcanic field
Zuñi Salt Lake
Geography
LocationCatron County, New Mexico,
United States
Geology
Mountain typeVolcanic field
Volcanic arc/beltBasin and Range Province

The largest crater in the field is Quemado crater, which is 1,170 meters (3,840 ft) across and 33 meters (108 ft) below the surrounding terrain, with a slightly elevated rim. This crater shows evidence of cycles of collapse and explosive eruption. It is surrounded by olivine basalt flows.[7]

The field is part of the Jemez Lineament, a zone of young volcanic fields stretching from central Arizona to northeastern New Mexico. Ar-Ar dating of rock from the Red Hill volcanic field reveals that it was erupted in two pulses, from 7.9-5.2 million years ago (Mya) and from 2.5 to 0.071 Mya. The older activity was along a narrow zone roughly aligned with the lineament, while later activity was across a broad north-south zone, with the focus of activity tending to move south to north. Future activity is most likely in the northern part of the field.[5]

Notable vents
NameElevationCoordinatesLast eruption
Quemado crater[7]-34°13′21″N 108°49′19″W1.55 Mya
Red Hill cone[4]-34°17′36″N 108°53′31″W71 kya
Zuni Salt Lake (maar)[4]1,897 m or 6,224 ft[8]34°27′00″N 108°46′04″W86 kya

See also

References
  1. "Red Hill volcanic field (and Zuni Salt Lake maar)". Volcanoes. New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  2. "Volcanoes of New Mexico". New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on 2007-05-01. Retrieved 2007-06-14.
  3. Crumpler, L. S.; Lucas, S. G. (2001). "Volcanoes of New Mexico: An Abbreviated Guide For Non-Specialists" (PDF). Volcanology in New Mexico. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. 18: 5–15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-03-21. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
  4. Wood, Charles A.; Kienle, Jűrgen, eds. (1990). Volcanoes of North America:United States and Canada. Cambridge University Press. pp. 306–313. ISBN 0-521-43811-X.
  5. McIntosh, William C.; Cather, Steven M. (1994). "40Ar/39Ar geochronology of basaltic rocks and constraints on late Cenozoic stratigraphy and landscape development in the Red Hill-Quemado area, New Mexico" (PDF). New Mexico Geological Society Field Conference Series. 45: 209–224. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  6. Chamberlin, R.M.; Cather, S.M.; Anderson, O.J.; Jones, G.E. (1994). "Reconnaissance geologic map of the Quemado 30 x 60 minute quadrangle, Catron County, New Mexico". New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources Open-File Report. 406. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  7. Hoffer, Jerry M.; Corbitt, L. LeRoy (1989). "A preliminary note on some unusual explosion-collapse craters, Quemado basalt field, Catron County, New Mexico" (PDF). New Mexico Geological Society Field Conference Series. 40: 157–158. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  8. "Zuni Salt Lake". cLocations. Retrieved 2007-07-24.

34°15′N 108°50′W


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