Sierra la Primavera

Sierra la Primavera is a Late Pleistocene volcanic centre in Jalisco of central-western Mexico, located immediately west of Guadalajara in La Primavera Biosphere Reserve. It consists of a caldera, lava domes and lava flows that have formed in the last 200,000 years, with the latest known volcanic eruption having occurred about 30,000 years ago.

Sierra la Primavera
Cerro el Colli lava dome
Highest point
Elevation2,270 m (7,450 ft)
Coordinates20.62°N 103.52°W / 20.62; -103.52
Geography
Sierra la Primavera is located in Mexico
Sierra la Primavera
Sierra la Primavera
Location in Mexico
LocationJalisco, Mexico
Geology
Age of rockPleistocene
Volcanic arc/beltTrans-Mexican Volcanic Belt

Geology

The formation of Sierra la Primavera commenced about 120,000 years ago with the eruption of rhyolitic flows and domes. This was followed by a VEI-6 eruption about 95,000 years ago that deposited 20 km3 (4.8 cu mi) of tephra with the creation of an 11 km (6.8 mi) wide caldera.[1] The tephra forms a volcanic deposit known as the Tala Tuff and consists of voluminous pumice flows.[2][1]

Subsequent filling of the caldera with water resulted in the formation of a lake through which several lava domes were created. Several lava domes were emplaced along the caldera about 95,000 years ago, which was followed by the eruption of a younger series of ring domes about 75,000 years ago.[1]

After uplift and sedimentation filled the lake, a final series of lava domes were erupted along the southern margin of the caldera about 60,000 to 30,000 years ago. Although volcanic eruptions are not known to have occurred from Sierra la Primavera in recorded history, it is still potentially active, containing a series of fumaroles and hot springs.[1]

Subfeatures

Sierra la Primavera contains 29 named subfeatures:[1]

Name Type Coordinates
Cerro AltoDome20°42′0″N 103°32′0″W
Arroyo ColoradoDome20°35′0″N 103°30′0″W
Arroyo IxtahuatonteDome20°38′0″N 103°30′0″W
Arroyo la CuartillaDome20°43′0″N 103°31′0″W
Arroyo las AnimasDome20°37′0″N 103°35′0″W
Arroyo los PilasDome20°39′0″N 103°29′0″W
Arroyo SaucilloVent20°32′0″N 103°33′0″W
Cañón de las FloresVent20°42′0″N 103°35′0″W
Cerro el ChapulínDome20°41′0″N 103°29′0″W
Cerro ChatoDome20°42′0″N 103°34′0″W
Cerro el ColliDome20°39′0″N 103°28′0″W
Cerro la CuestaDome20°37′0″N 103°30′0″W
Cerro el CulebreadoDome20°37′0″N 103°33′0″W
Dos CoyotesDome20°40′0″N 103°29′0″W
Llano GrandeVent20°35′0″N 103°36′0″W
El MadrónDome20°37′0″N 103°31′0″W
Mesa el BurroDome20°43′0″N 103°35′0″W
Mesa el ChiquihuitilloDome20°43′0″N 103°36′0″W
Mesa el LeónDome20°41′0″N 103°36′0″W
Mesa el NajahueteDome20°40′0″N 103°31′0″W
Mesa la LoberaDome20°43′0″N 103°30′0″W
Cerro el PedernalDome20°40′0″N 103°35′0″W
Pinar de la VentaDome20°43′0″N 103°25′0″W
Cerro las PlanillasVent20°35′0″N 103°33′0″W
La PuertaDome20°37′0″N 103°35′0″W
Río SaladoDome20°41′0″N 103°35′0″W
Cerro San MiguelVent20°36′0″N 103°36′0″W
Cerro el TajoVent20°36′0″N 103°29′0″W
Cerro el TuleDome20°38′0″N 103°32′0″W

See also

References
  1. "Sierra la Primavera". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  2. Ceballos, Giovanni Sosa; Vázquez, José Luis Macías; Cruz, Diego Miguel (2016), "IAVCEI Commission on Volcano Geology 3rd International Workshop, Etna-Aeolian Islands" (PDF), Petrology of La Primavera caldera magmas; the Tala Tuff case study, p. 50
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