Marysvale volcanic field

Last updated
Marysvale volcanic field
UtahVolcanism.JPG
Indian Peak caldera complex, and Caliente, Three Creeks, Mount Belknap, Big John and Monroe Peak calderas.
Highest point
Coordinates 38°30′N112°30′W / 38.500°N 112.500°W / 38.500; -112.500
Geography
USA Utah relief location map.svg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Marysvale volcanic field
Utah
Location Utah, United States
Geology
Rock age Middle Cenozoic
Mountain type Volcanic field

The Marysvale volcanic field is located in southwestern Utah, United States.

Contents

One of the largest volcanic fields in the western United States, the Marysvale straddles the Colorado Plateau-Great Basin transition zone. Most igneous rocks belong to a middle Cenozoic (~32 to 22 million years old) calc-alkaline sequence, although about 5% are related to an upper Cenozoic (23 million years to Holocene) bimodal (basalt and rhyolite) sequence. The Marysvale contains a variety of volcanic features, including stratovolcanoes, calderas, lava domes, and cinder cones.

The field is an example of intraplate volcanism; its earlier deposits are thought to be related to Farallon plate subduction, while the later bimodal assemblage (especially the basalts) have been linked to Basin and Range extension.

Notable calderas

NameSize Coordinates Age
Monroe Peak Caldera20 x 16 km 38°29′00″N112°03′30″W / 38.483333°N 112.058333°W / 38.483333; -112.058333 [1] 23  Ma
Big John Caldera10 x 6 km 38°19′06″N112°23′00″W / 38.318225°N 112.383333°W / 38.318225; -112.383333 [1] 24 Ma
Mount Belknap Caldera17 x 13 km 38°26′51″N112°30′00″W / 38.4475°N 112.5°W / 38.4475; -112.5 [1] 19 Ma

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rowley, Peter D.; Cunningham, Charles G.; Steven, Thomas A.; Workman, Jeremiah B.; Anderson, John J.; Theissen, Kevin M. (2002). Geologic Map of the Central Marysvale Volcanic Field, Southwestern Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Investigations Series I-2645-A. Denver, Colorado: U. S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2010-05-02.