Split Butte

Last updated
Split Butte
Highest point
Elevation 6,227 ft (1,898 m)
Coordinates 44°15′N111°44′W / 44.25°N 111.73°W / 44.25; -111.73
Geography
Location Butte County, Idaho,
United States
Topo map USGS Split Butte
Geology
Age of rock 300,000 years
Mountain type Lava dome

Split Butte is a volcanic crater of the Quaternary age [1] located in Fremont county in Idaho. [2]

Contents

The National Park Service called Split Butte one of the most unique features of the Snake River Plain. [3] :8

Name

The name of the crater comes from gap in the upper tephra layers at the eastern side of the butte. [4]

Geology

Split Butte is also a maars and a tuff cone. [5] At one point it had a lava lake. [1]

The split, which is located on the east side is believed to be caused by wind erosion. The winds have also caused more pyroclastic debris to the east side. [4]

It is slightly surrounded by lava flows from the Wapi lava field [6] the butte contains vitric ash that forms a ring. [7] :252

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References

  1. 1 2 Womer, M. B.; Greely, R.; King, J. S. (1980-09-01). "The geology of split butte — A maar of the south-central snake river plain, Idaho". Bulletin Volcanologique. 43 (3): 453–471. Bibcode:1980BVol...43..453W. doi:10.1007/BF02597685. ISSN   1432-0819. S2CID   129237469.
  2. "Mindat.org". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  3. Service, United States National Park (1989). Reconnaissance Survey: Expansion of Craters of the Moon National Monument. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service.
  4. 1 2 "The Great Rift Zone". digitalatlas.cose.isu.edu. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  5. Orr, William N.; Orr, Elizabeth L. (2018-12-20). Geology of the Pacific Northwest: Third Edition. Waveland Press. p. 122. ISBN   978-1-4786-3883-4.
  6. "Wapi Lava Field". www.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  7. Wood, Charles A.; Kienle (ed), Jurgen (1992-11-27). Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-0-521-43811-7.{{cite book}}: |last2= has generic name (help)