Taos Plateau volcanic field
Encyclopedia
The Taos Plateau volcanic field is an area of extensive volcanism
in Taos County, New Mexico
, United States
. It is the second largest volcanic field in the Rio Grande Rift
, spreading over 7,000 km2. The age of most of the vents and associated lava flows in the field is estimated to be between 1.8 and 4 million years, with a few 22 million year old vents. The composition of the lavas varies from tholeiitic basalt
to rhyolite
. Landforms include sheet flows, cinder cone
s, and shield volcano
es. The sheet flows are well-exposed in the Rio Grande Gorge
carved by the Rio Grande
.
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
in Taos County, New Mexico
Taos County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*68.7% White*0.4% Black*6.2% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.9% Two or more races*20.1% Other races*55.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the second largest volcanic field in the Rio Grande Rift
Rio Grande Rift
The Rio Grande Rift is a north-trending continental rift zone. It separates the Colorado Plateau in the west from the interior of the North American craton on the east. The rift extends from central Colorado in the north to the state of Chihuahua, Mexico in the south. The rift zone consists of four...
, spreading over 7,000 km2. The age of most of the vents and associated lava flows in the field is estimated to be between 1.8 and 4 million years, with a few 22 million year old vents. The composition of the lavas varies from tholeiitic basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
to rhyolite
Rhyolite
This page is about a volcanic rock. For the ghost town see Rhyolite, Nevada, and for the satellite system, see Rhyolite/Aquacade.Rhyolite is an igneous, volcanic rock, of felsic composition . It may have any texture from glassy to aphanitic to porphyritic...
. Landforms include sheet flows, cinder cone
Cinder cone
According to the , Cinder Cone is the proper name of 1 cinder cone in Canada and 7 cinder cones in the United States:In Canada: Cinder Cone In the United States:...
s, and shield volcano
Shield volcano
A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. They are named for their large size and low profile, resembling a warrior's shield. This is caused by the highly fluid lava they erupt, which travels farther than lava erupted from more explosive volcanoes...
es. The sheet flows are well-exposed in the Rio Grande Gorge
Rio Grande Gorge
The Rio Grande Gorge runs from northwest to southeast of Taos, New Mexico, through the basalt flows of the Taos Plateau volcanic field. The gorge depth is 800 feet just south of the Gorge Bridge, which spans the gorge ten miles northwest of Taos....
carved by the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
.