West Potrillo Mountains
Encyclopedia
The West Potrillo Mountains are a mountain range in south central Dona Ana
County, New Mexico
, United States
. They are located approximately 40 miles (65 km) northwest of El Paso
, Texas
, 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Las Cruces
, New Mexico, and 35 miles (55 km) southeast of Deming
, New Mexico. Most of the mountains are located on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management
, Access to the vicinity is through Dona Ana County Road B-4 South from NM 549, which may be accessed from Interstate 10
Exit 116.
, an area of olivine
basalts covering approximately 400 square miles. In addition to the West Potrillo Mountains, the Potrillo Volcanic Field includes Aden Crater
and the Santo Tomas / Black Mountain basalts near La Mesa, New Mexico. The field includes hundreds of volcanic features, including maars, spatter cones, a shield volcano
, and cinder cones. The most common peaks in the West Potrillos are cinder cones with a height of between 200 and 500 feet. They are relatively undissected by erosion, and have estimated ages of between 3 mya to .5 mya. Some features (like Aden Crater) believed to be as young as twenty thousand years old.
The rocks in the area are extremely diverse, with exposed (non-volcanic) layers ranging in age from Paleozoic
to Holocene
. Marine deposits (carbonates) were deposited during repeated advances of late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic
seas. Folding and faulting of Lower Cretaceous
layers occurred during the Laramide disturbance
in the nearby East Potrillo Mountains
. The area has been above sea level since the Cretaceous period. In the early to middle Tertiary
, the Riley Cox andesitic pluton was emplaced. This activity also seems to be associated with the intrusion of andesitic and quartz latite
dikes in the East Potrillo range. During the middle Tertiary, high angle faulting and uplifting occurred in the East Potrillo range and began to form intermontane basins. In the middle to late Quaternary
, alkali olivine
basalt
was extruded from fissures in the Fitzgerald, Robledo, and Aden faults. During the late Pleistocene
to Holocene, movement occurred along the Fitzgerald and Robledo faults. Holocene deposits are mostly fine blown sand.
. The climate is arid and continental. Weather records in nearby El Paso, Texas show that the average daily maximum temperature over the course of the year is 77.3 degrees Fahrenheit
, with an average daily minimum of 50.1 degrees Fahrenheit. Average monthly maximum temperatures range from 96 degrees in June, to 58 degrees in January. Average monthly minimum temperatures range from 30 degrees in January to 70 degrees in July. Average annual precipitation in El Paso is 8.81 inches, with monthly averages ranging from .2 inches in April to 1.7 in September. Over half of the annual precipitation falls in the form of summer rains between June and September, although some snow can be expected in the winter.
(Larrea tridentata), honey mesquite
(Prosopis glandulosa), soaptree yucca
(Yucca elata), and Fourwing Saltbush (Atriplex canescens
). Common grasses include black grama
(Bouteloua eriopoda), blue grama
(Bouteloua gracilis), sideoats grama
(Bouteloua curtipendula), Bush muhly (Muhlenbergia porteri
), and alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides
).
Common mammals include mule deer
(Odocoileus hemionus), coyotes (Canis latrans), Black-tailed jackrabbit
(Lepus californicus), desert cottontail
(Sylvilagus auduboni), White-Throated Woodrat
(Neotoma albigula), kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami and Dipodomys spectabilis), and cactus mouse
(Peromyscus eremicus).
Common birds include golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), Swainson's hawk
(Buteo swainsoni), Northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), burrowing owl
(Athene cunicularia), roadrunner
(Geococcyx californianus), quail
(Callipepla gambelii and Callipepla squamata), Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris), Meadowlark
(Sturnella neglecta), dove
(Zenaida macroura and Zenaida asiatica), and Black-throated Sparrow
(Amphispiza bilineata).
Common reptiles include Collared lizards (Crotaphytus collaris), Roundtail Horned Lizard
(Phrynosoma modestum), Striped whipsnake
(Masticophis taeniatus), and Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox
).
Common amphibians include New Mexico Spadefoot Toad (Spea multiplicata
), Great Plains Toad (Bufo cognatus
), Green Toad (Bufo debilis
), and Red-spotted Toad (Bufo punctatus
).
, Folsom
, and Plano
. These people were thought to have been mobile big game hunters. Beginning in about 6000 BCE, members of the Desert Archaic cultures moved into the area and remained until about 100 ACE. These people were hunters and gatherers, who appear to have begun plant cultivation. From about 200 ACE to about 1450 ACE, the Mogollon culture became predominant. During this period, agriculture became predominant and pottery was introduced. People aggregated into villages and built above-ground residences. There was evidence of trade with other areas. In about 1540, it appears that the ancestors of the Apaches moved into the area and displaced the earlier residents. Apache resistance discouraged use of the area by Spanish Colonial or Mexican settlers. Occupation of the area by the Chiricahua Apache continued until about 1890.
, at 159,972 acres, is the largest in New Mexico. High points in the range include Cox Peak (5,957'), Mt. Riley (5,909'), Potrillo Peak , and Guzman Lookout Mountain . The area is used for ranching, bird hunting, camping, hiking, and foot launched aviation (paragliding and hang gliding). Many campers and hikers, however, look elsewhere because of the absence of trails and dependable water.
In 1928, a fossilized ground sloth
(nothrotherium shastense) was found in a fumarole
in Aden Crater. Its age was estimated at 11,000 mya. It was later acquired by the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University
.
Doña Ana County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*74.1% White*1.7% Black*1.5% Native American*1.1% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.0% Two or more races*18.5% Other races*65.7% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
County, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They are located approximately 40 miles (65 km) northwest of El Paso
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Las Cruces
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
, New Mexico, and 35 miles (55 km) southeast of Deming
Deming, New Mexico
Deming is a city in Luna County, New Mexico, United States, located 60 miles west of Las Cruces. The population was 14,116 at the 2000 census. Deming is the county seat and principal town of Luna County.-History:...
, New Mexico. Most of the mountains are located on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
, Access to the vicinity is through Dona Ana County Road B-4 South from NM 549, which may be accessed from Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
Exit 116.
Geology
The West Potrillo mountains occupy the western part of the Potrillo volcanic fieldPotrillo volcanic field
The Potrillo Volcanic Field is a monogenetic volcanic field located on the Rio Grande Rift, in a portion of its rift valley, in southern New Mexico, USA and northern Chihuahua, Mexico...
, an area of olivine
Olivine
The mineral olivine is a magnesium iron silicate with the formula 2SiO4. It is a common mineral in the Earth's subsurface but weathers quickly on the surface....
basalts covering approximately 400 square miles. In addition to the West Potrillo Mountains, the Potrillo Volcanic Field includes Aden Crater
Aden Crater
Aden Crater is a crater in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. It is located between Santa Teresa, New Mexico and Las Cruces, New Mexico. The crater is a remote location that can be hiked and explored. The area has deep caverns that can be very dangerous to inexperienced hikers and spelunkers. A ground...
and the Santo Tomas / Black Mountain basalts near La Mesa, New Mexico. The field includes hundreds of volcanic features, including maars, spatter cones, a 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...
, and cinder cones. The most common peaks in the West Potrillos are cinder cones with a height of between 200 and 500 feet. They are relatively undissected by erosion, and have estimated ages of between 3 mya to .5 mya. Some features (like Aden Crater) believed to be as young as twenty thousand years old.
The rocks in the area are extremely diverse, with exposed (non-volcanic) layers ranging in age from Paleozoic
Paleozoic
The Paleozoic era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon, spanning from roughly...
to Holocene
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
. Marine deposits (carbonates) were deposited during repeated advances of late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic
Mesozoic
The Mesozoic era is an interval of geological time from about 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. It is often referred to as the age of reptiles because reptiles, namely dinosaurs, were the dominant terrestrial and marine vertebrates of the time...
seas. Folding and faulting of Lower Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
layers occurred during the Laramide disturbance
Laramide orogeny
The Laramide orogeny was a period of mountain building in western North America, which started in the Late Cretaceous, 70 to 80 million years ago, and ended 35 to 55 million years ago. The exact duration and ages of beginning and end of the orogeny are in dispute, as is the cause. The Laramide...
in the nearby East Potrillo Mountains
East Potrillo Mountains
The East Potrillo Mountains are a mountain range in south central Doña Ana County, New Mexico. They are located approximately 25 miles west of El Paso, Texas, 30 miles southwest of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and 30 miles east of Columbus, New Mexico. The southern tip of the range is less than 5...
. The area has been above sea level since the Cretaceous period. In the early to middle Tertiary
Tertiary
The Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
, the Riley Cox andesitic pluton was emplaced. This activity also seems to be associated with the intrusion of andesitic and quartz latite
Latite
Latite is an igneous, volcanic rock, with aphanitic-aphyric to aphyric-porphyritic texture. Its mineral assemblage is usually alkali feldspar and plagioclase in approximately equal amounts. Quartz is less than five percent and is absent in a feldspathoid-bearing latite, and olivine is absent in a...
dikes in the East Potrillo range. During the middle Tertiary, high angle faulting and uplifting occurred in the East Potrillo range and began to form intermontane basins. In the middle to late Quaternary
Quaternary
The Quaternary Period is the most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows the Neogene Period, spanning 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present...
, alkali olivine
Olivine
The mineral olivine is a magnesium iron silicate with the formula 2SiO4. It is a common mineral in the Earth's subsurface but weathers quickly on the surface....
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...
was extruded from fissures in the Fitzgerald, Robledo, and Aden faults. During the late Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
to Holocene, movement occurred along the Fitzgerald and Robledo faults. Holocene deposits are mostly fine blown sand.
Climate
The West Potrillo Mountains lie within the Chihuahuan DesertChihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert is a desert, and an ecoregion designation, that straddles the U.S.-Mexico border in the central and northern portions of the Mexican Plateau, bordered on the west by the extensive Sierra Madre Occidental range, and overlaying northern portions of the east range, the Sierra...
. The climate is arid and continental. Weather records in nearby El Paso, Texas show that the average daily maximum temperature over the course of the year is 77.3 degrees Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit is the temperature scale proposed in 1724 by, and named after, the German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit . Within this scale, the freezing of water into ice is defined at 32 degrees, while the boiling point of water is defined to be 212 degrees...
, with an average daily minimum of 50.1 degrees Fahrenheit. Average monthly maximum temperatures range from 96 degrees in June, to 58 degrees in January. Average monthly minimum temperatures range from 30 degrees in January to 70 degrees in July. Average annual precipitation in El Paso is 8.81 inches, with monthly averages ranging from .2 inches in April to 1.7 in September. Over half of the annual precipitation falls in the form of summer rains between June and September, although some snow can be expected in the winter.
Ecology
The plant communities found in the West Potrillos can be generally characterized as Chihuahuan desert scrublands, creosotebush desert, and desert grasslands. The dominant shrub species include creosote bushCreosote bush
Larrea tridentata is known as Creosote bush as a plant, chaparral as a medicinal herb, and as "gobernadora" in Mexico, Spanish for "governess," due to its ability for inhibiting the growth of nearby plants to have more water. In Sonora, it is more commonly called "hediondilla." It is a flowering...
(Larrea tridentata), honey mesquite
Honey Mesquite
Prosopis glandulosa, commonly known as honey mesquite, is a species of small to medium-sized flowering tree in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is native to the Southwestern United States and Mexico, growing as far north as southern Kansas and as far east as the eastern fifth of Texas, where...
(Prosopis glandulosa), soaptree yucca
Soaptree yucca
The Soaptree yucca is a perennial plant in the genus Yucca. It is native to southwestern North America, in the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Desert in the United States , and northern Mexico .This plant grows from 1.2-4.5 m tall, with a sparsely branched trunk...
(Yucca elata), and Fourwing Saltbush (Atriplex canescens
Atriplex canescens
Atriplex canescens, Chamiso, Chamiza, Four wing saltbush, Four-wing saltbush, and Fourwing saltbush, is a species of evergreen shrub in the Amaranthaceae family, which is native to the western and mid-western United States....
). Common grasses include black grama
Black grama
Bouteloua eriopoda, commonly known as Black Grama, is a perennial prairie grass that is native to the Southwestern United States. Its main means of reproduction is by stolons, as its ratio of viable seeds to sterile ones is naturally low. The disparity may play a role in its lack of tolerance to...
(Bouteloua eriopoda), blue grama
Blue grama
Blue Grama, Bouteloua gracilis, is a long-lived, warm season, C4 perennial grass native to North America. It is most commonly found from Alberta east to Manitoba and south across the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, and Midwest states to Mexico...
(Bouteloua gracilis), sideoats grama
Sideoats grama
Bouteloua curtipendula, commonly known as sideoats grama, is a perennial, short prairie grass that is native throughout the temperate and tropical Western Hemisphere, from Canada south to Argentina.-Description:...
(Bouteloua curtipendula), Bush muhly (Muhlenbergia porteri
Muhlenbergia porteri
Muhlenbergia porteri is a species of grass known by the common name Bush muhly. It is native to North America, where it can be found throughout the Southwestern United States, California desert, and parts of Mexico. It grows in rocky, shrubby habitat....
), and alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides
Sporobolus airoides
Sporobolus airoides is a species of grass known by the common name alkali sacaton. It is native to western North America, including the Western United States west of the Mississippi River, British Columbia and Alberta in Canada, and northern and central Mexico...
).
Common mammals include mule deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
(Odocoileus hemionus), coyotes (Canis latrans), Black-tailed jackrabbit
Black-tailed Jackrabbit
The black-tailed jackrabbit , also known as the american desert hare, is a common hare of the western United States and Mexico, where it is found at elevations from sea level to up to...
(Lepus californicus), desert cottontail
Desert Cottontail
The Desert Cottontail , also known as Audubon's Cottontail, is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae....
(Sylvilagus auduboni), White-Throated Woodrat
White-Throated Woodrat
The white-throated woodrat is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found from central Mexico north to Utah and Colorado in the United States. It is primarily a western species in the United States, extending from central Texas west to southeastern California...
(Neotoma albigula), kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami and Dipodomys spectabilis), and cactus mouse
Cactus Mouse
The Cactus Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae.It is found in Mexico and the United States....
(Peromyscus eremicus).
Common birds include golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), Swainson's hawk
Swainson's Hawk
The Swainson's Hawk , is a large buteo hawk of the Falconiformes, sometimes separated in the Accipitriformes like its relatives. This species was named after William Swainson, a British naturalist...
(Buteo swainsoni), Northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), burrowing owl
Burrowing Owl
The Burrowing Owl is a tiny but long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing Owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, such as those excavated...
(Athene cunicularia), roadrunner
Roadrunner
Roadrunners are birds of the genus Geococcyx.Roadrunner or Road Runner may also refer to:* Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, an animated character based on the bird** The Road Runner Show, compiled cartoons including the character...
(Geococcyx californianus), quail
Quail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...
(Callipepla gambelii and Callipepla squamata), Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris), Meadowlark
Meadowlark
Meadowlarks are birds belonging to the genus Sturnella in the New World family Icteridae.This genus includes seven species of largely insectivorous grassland birds...
(Sturnella neglecta), dove
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
(Zenaida macroura and Zenaida asiatica), and Black-throated Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
The Black-throated Sparrow is a small sparrow primarily found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is sometimes referred to as the Desert Sparrow, due to its preferred habitat of arid desert hillsides and scrub...
(Amphispiza bilineata).
Common reptiles include Collared lizards (Crotaphytus collaris), Roundtail Horned Lizard
Roundtail Horned Lizard
The roundtail horned lizard is one of the smaller species of horned lizard. Their specific epithet is from the Latin word modestum meaning modest or calm...
(Phrynosoma modestum), Striped whipsnake
Striped Whipsnake
The Striped Whipsnake is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake that is closely related to the California Whipsnake . It is native to the western United States and northern Mexico....
(Masticophis taeniatus), and Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox
Crotalus atrox
Crotalus atrox, the "western diamondback rattlesnake", is a venomous rattlesnake species found in the United States and Mexico. It is likely responsible for the majority of snakebite fatalities in northern Mexico and the second greatest number in the USA after C. adamanteus. No subspecies are...
).
Common amphibians include New Mexico Spadefoot Toad (Spea multiplicata
Spea multiplicata
The New Mexico Spadefoot Toad is a species of American spadefoot toad found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other species of spadefoot toad, they get their name from a distinctive spade-like projections on their hind legs which enable them to dig in sandy soils...
), Great Plains Toad (Bufo cognatus
Bufo cognatus
The Great Plains Toad is a relatively large species of toad. It ranges from southern Alberta, throughout the midwest United States and the inland western United States into northern Mexico....
), Green Toad (Bufo debilis
Bufo debilis
Anaxyrus debilis, also classified as Bufo debilis, is a species of toad found in the Southwestern United States in the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Texas, as well as in northern Mexico in the states of Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Durango and Zacatecas...
), and Red-spotted Toad (Bufo punctatus
Bufo punctatus
The Red-spotted toad is a small toad species growing to 3.7 to 7.5 centimeters in length. It has a flattened head and body, and a light grey, olive or reddish brown dorsum with reddish or orange skin glands. It has a whitish or buff venter with or without faint dark spotting, and round parotoid...
).
Human use
Archeological studies indicate that there have been at least three distinct periods of prehistoric human usage of the West Potrillos. The Paleo-Indian period began in about 9,500 BCE and ended in about 6,000 BCE. This period is itself divided into three traditions: ClovisClovis culture
The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleo-Indian culture that first appears 11,500 RCYBP , at the end of the last glacial period, characterized by the manufacture of "Clovis points" and distinctive bone and ivory tools...
, Folsom
Folsom tradition
The Folsom Complex is a name given by archaeologists to a specific Paleo-Indian archaeological culture that occupied much of central North America...
, and Plano
Plano cultures
The Plano cultures is a name given by archaeologists to a group of disparate hunter-gatherer communities that occupied the Great Plains area of North America during the Paleo-Indian period in the United States and the Paleo-Indian or Archaic period in Canada....
. These people were thought to have been mobile big game hunters. Beginning in about 6000 BCE, members of the Desert Archaic cultures moved into the area and remained until about 100 ACE. These people were hunters and gatherers, who appear to have begun plant cultivation. From about 200 ACE to about 1450 ACE, the Mogollon culture became predominant. During this period, agriculture became predominant and pottery was introduced. People aggregated into villages and built above-ground residences. There was evidence of trade with other areas. In about 1540, it appears that the ancestors of the Apaches moved into the area and displaced the earlier residents. Apache resistance discouraged use of the area by Spanish Colonial or Mexican settlers. Occupation of the area by the Chiricahua Apache continued until about 1890.
Points of Interest
The West Potrillo Mountains Wilderness Study AreaWilderness study area
A wilderness study area contains undeveloped United States federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, and managed to preserve its natural conditions...
, at 159,972 acres, is the largest in New Mexico. High points in the range include Cox Peak (5,957'), Mt. Riley (5,909'), Potrillo Peak , and Guzman Lookout Mountain . The area is used for ranching, bird hunting, camping, hiking, and foot launched aviation (paragliding and hang gliding). Many campers and hikers, however, look elsewhere because of the absence of trails and dependable water.
In 1928, a fossilized ground sloth
Ground sloth
Ground sloths are a diverse group of extinct sloths, in the mammalian superorder Xenarthra. Their most recent survivors lived in the Antilles, where it has been proposed they may have survived until 1550 CE; however, the youngest AMS radiocarbon date reported is 4190 BP, calibrated to c. 4700 BP...
(nothrotherium shastense) was found in a fumarole
Fumarole
A fumarole is an opening in a planet's crust, often in the neighborhood of volcanoes, which emits steam and gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen sulfide. The steam is created when superheated water turns to steam as its pressure drops when it emerges from...
in Aden Crater. Its age was estimated at 11,000 mya. It was later acquired by the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.