Crater Elegante: a maar volcano in the Quaternary Pinacate volcanic field on the Arizona-Mexico frontier. Padre Eusebio Kino, founder of many Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert, explored here in 1698 and several times later. your own Pins on Pinterest The Pinacate volcanic field is a roughly 55 x 60 km area containing numerous maars, tuff rings, and cinder cones. Dan Lynch’s love affair with the Pinacate Volcanic Field – Pinacate in Stereo. The field is prominent in satellite photos of this arid region of NW México near the head of the Gulf of California. The trachyte shield could be called a point-source volcano because its low viscosity magmas seem to have erupted through a small summit conduit system and flowed easily outward and downslope to build a volcanic shield. The volcanoes here have erupted here sporadically since about 4 million years ago, probably in association with the opening of the Gulf of California. The most recent volcanic activity was about 11,000 years ago. The field covers an area of about 60 x 55 km and has been active less than 10,000 years ago. Pinacate has three giants that rival anything in Africa as well as a bunch of smaller ones. English: The Pinacate volcanic field is a roughly 55 x 60 km area containing numerous maars, tuff rings, and cinder cones in NW México near the head of the Gulf of California. Location. Pinacate Volcano Field (Public domain.) Tecolote appears to have melted internally but I’ll be damned if I know how. One of the small cones, Tecolote, is unique in the world. [4], The El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve is a biosphere reserve, in the spanish language Reserva de la Biosfera el Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar, managed by the Mexican Federal Government's SEMARNAT - the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, in collaboration with the government of the State of Sonora's IMADES agency. The cones are monogenetic, each is the product of a single, short eruption of a unique batch of magma that produced less (usually much less) than a tenth cubic km of rock. The Spanish name for the Pinacate Peaks geographic feature is the Sierra Pinacate, which is used in their homeland of Mexico. Located in far northwest Sonora, Mexico, the Pinacate volcanic field comprises a 1,500 km2 area of Pleistocene lava flows with over 400 cinder cones and 8 maars. NASA Information and Satellite Image: Pinacate Mountains, http://www.biology.ed.ac.uk/research/groups/jdeacon/desertecology/pinacate.htm, http://www.desertinvasion.us/areas/pinacate_res.html, Official Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve website, Global Volcanism Program: Pinacate Mountains, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pinacate_Peaks&oldid=929892691, Articles containing O'odham-language text, Articles containing Spanish-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 8 December 2019, at 22:52. The field covers 1800 km2 of desert. The pockmarked terrain of Pinacate National Park in Mexico's Sonora Province is evidence of a violent past. P-47415 September 19, 1996 This spaceborne radar image shows the Pinacate Volcanic Field in the state of Sonora, Mexico, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) southeast of Yuma, Arizona. [2], A variety of flora and fauna occur in the Pinacate Mountains, including the sculptural Elephant Tree, Bursera microphylla.[3]. The field comprises 2,000 km2 of basaltic volcanic rocks. From space its a landmark at the head of the Gulf of California. The crest of the East Ridge subsided into a graben, and three valleys formed in the South Wall, each at the head of a short lava flow. The field today is part of El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This giant maar-caldera and the trachyte shield volcano on the horizon are two of the features that make what Sykes called "The Pinacate Lava Fields” extraordinary. The Pinacate Peaks (Sierra Pinacate, O'odham: Cuk Doʼag) are a group of volcanic peaks and cinder cones located mostly in the Mexican state of Sonora along the international border adjacent to the U.S. state of Arizona, surrounded by the vast sand dune field of the Gran Desierto de Altar, at the desert's southeast. Determining the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages of young basaltic volcanic rocks is complicated by many factors, including the possible presence of excess argon and low potassium content. U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. In addition, there are a number of maar volcanoes, the most prominent of which is the Elegante Crater. More than 300 volcanic vents occur in the Pinacate field, including cinder cones that experienced small eruptions as recently as 1934. The Pinacates (the name means stink bug!) Apollo 14's Alan Shepard and Ed Mitchell, and Apollo 17's Jack Schmitt trained here in Feb. The Pinacate volcanic field is located in northwestern Sonora, Mexico, near the northern end of the Gulf of California. Pinacate is a monogenic volcanic field in Sonora, Mexico that lies just south of the Arizona border, seventy miles east of where the Colorado River empties into the Sea of Cortez. False-color … Pinacate National Park and Biosphere Reserve is a 770-square-mile (2,000-square-kilometer) volcanic field in the Sonora province of Mexico, near the Arizona border. The source vent of the eruption is Tecolote volcano (27 ± 6 ka, 40Ar/39Ar). Detailed Description. Among hundreds of volcanic vents and cinder cones are rare maar craters, formed when rising magma met underground water to create pockets of steam that blew nearly circular holes in the … Oct 14, 2013 - This Pin was discovered by Lynn Recker. NASA sent astronauts here starting in 1965 for geologic training, given the similarity of the terrain to the lunar surface, and included training models of lunar surface equipment. This tube-fed pahoehoe flow contrasts sharply with other Pinacate lavas in its great volume, alkali-poor composition and morphologic features, which include novel small structures named "spatter tubes." It is a kilometer-tall Cerro (mountain) rather than Sierra (range) dotted with younger cone volcanoes like Pinacate Peak, the highest point in the field. It is dominated topographically by the Sierra Pinacate, a broad, composite volcanic pile in the southern half of the field with a maximum elevation of 1,206 m. Many of these volcanic rocks evidently are of late Most of the round dark spots are cinder cones, and the six larger circles (many with bright sand on their floors) are a special kind of volcanic crater called maars. Strong sulfur fumarole activity followed the bomb eruption, indurating some of the bomb-covered surfaces solidly enough to hold vertical scarps when the cone melted and the surface cracked apart along a profusion of faults. The Pinacate volcanic field is located in northwest Sonora, Mexico, and comprises a 1500 km 2 area of lava flows with over 400 scoria cones and 8 maars (Gutmann, 2007) . The shield Volcan Santa Clara is the largest volcano in the field and is pimpled with smaller cinder cones. Most of the rock fell into the space formerly occupied by gravel beneath the flows. The field today is part of El Pinacate and Gran… [5], El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve. I reconstructed the third youngest eruption in the PVF. Copyright ©2013 by Dan Lynch, geologist, beholden to nobody. Image is centered at 31.84˚N, 113.47˚W. There were two distinct episodes of tephra production, Tephra Unit 1 (T1)followed by Tephra Unit 2 (T2). 1970. Maar-calderas created by steam activity are common enough to be considered major features of monogenetic volcanic fields; sixteen of those "Fifty Fields" have them. This is an active volcanic field and future eruptions are anticipated. The field includes one large shield volcano and several hundred cinder cones and associated lava flows. At its core lies the Sierra Pinacate, a central massif of old lava flows that is mantled with and surrounded by younger flows and cinder cones. Pinacate volcan cinder cones 1200+ m / 3,937 ft Northwestern Mexico, 31.77°N / -113.5°W Condition actuelle : normal / en sommeil (1 sur 5) | Reports Pinacate livres [ afficher la carte While a milestone that was not the culmination of his love affair with the Pinacate volcanic field. In 1981, Dan Lynch completed his Ph.D. dissertation, "Genesis and Geochronology of Alkaline Volcanism in the Pinacate Volcanic Field, Northwestern Sonora, Mexico" at the University of Arizona. The volcanoes in the Pinacate are monogenetic—meaning they erupt only once and each have a unique magmatic signature. It is a protected Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage site. NOTE: In a previous version of this post, I featured the EO-1 ALI image below, and an astute reader pointed out that these peaks, while in the Biosphere Reserve, are not Pinacate Peaks, but rather the Sierra de Rosario range nearby. The Pinacate Volcanic Field Extraordinary basalt volcanism in Northwestern Sonora, Mexico This giant maar-caldera and the trachyte shield volcano on the horizon are two of the features that make what Sykes called "The Pinacate Lava Fields” extraordinary. This booklet is your field guide to the geology of these splendid desert landscapes. Pinacate is a 1500 km oval of Lower Sonoran Desert covered with lava flows and cinders of more than 450 small volcanoes distributed across the area. The Mexican Spanish word pinacate is derived from the Nahuatl word for the endemic desert stink beetle, pinacatl. Surrounded by the Sonora Desert, this field contains more than 300 volcanic vents and cinder cones, including at least 10 maar craters. Excavating a crater like the one pictured requires Herculean energies; that hole once held half a billion tons of rock and gravel that was ejected by steam explosions. These magmas were evolved from basalt by fractional crystallization and constitute the entire alkaline rock series from basalt to trachyte. The Gran Desierto de Altar is one of the major sub-ecoregions of the Sonoran Desert, located in the State of Sonora, in northwest Mexico.It includes the only active erg dune region in North America.The desert extends across much of the northern border of the Gulf of California, spanning more than 100 kilometres (62 mi) east to west and over 50 kilometres (31 mi) north to south. Part of El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve — Sonora. The Biosphere Reserve contains young volcanoes, basalt lava flows, and giant maar craters on the Pinacate Volcanic field. Pinacate volcanism is monogenetic and has been intermittently-continuous since initiation in the early … All of the Pinacate magmas came through at least some ground water under the field but only about a dozen out of 465 eruptions even noticed the water and interacted with it. This website is my Pinacate book. Here we reconstruct one of the youngest eruptions in the Pinacate volcanic field (Sonora, Mexico) and estimate the volumes of the lava flows, scoria cone, and tephra units. Thumbnail Medium Original. Among the youngest lava flows of the Pinacate volcanic field, Sonora, Mexico, is a large outpouring of tholeiite, the Ives flow. This volcanic field extends over an area of nearly 600 square miles between the Gulf of California and the International Boundary, and a small part of it projects northward into Arizona. The United States/Mexico border runs across the upper right corner of the image. The tallest of the peaks is Cerro del Pinacate (also called Volcan Santa Clara), elevation 3,904 feet (1,190 m). Pinacate is a “monogenetic volcanic field,” the most common kind of Quaternary volcanism on earth. Volcanic Field James T. Gutmann The Pinacate is a special place thanks largely to its geology. Monogenetic volcanic fields of Quaternary age like this one are scattered across all the tectonically active regions of the Earth; more than fifty lie within 1000 km of Pinacate. Much of its surface is covered with bombs of sizes that rival the giants of Germany’s Eifel District. The volcanic cinder cone field stains the landscape of bright sand and tall dunes in the El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve. Cover: The Pinacate volcanic field as imaged by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) carried onboard the space shuttle Endeavour on April 18, 1994. The Pinacate Peaks (Sierra Pinacate, O'odham: Cuk Doʼag) are a group of volcanic peaks and cinder cones located mostly in the Mexican state of Sonora along the international border adjacent to the U.S. state of Arizona, surrounded by the vast sand dune field of the Gran Desierto de Altar, at the desert's southeast.[1]. These volcanoes are monogenetic; a type of volcano produced by single, short duration (<< 10 years) eruptions that use up all of their modest magma bodies. Pinacate Peak in the distance caps the Santa Clara shield volcano, which is dotted with many … Here we reconstruct one of the youngest eruptions in the Pinacate volcanic field (Sonora, Mexico)and estimate the volumes of the lava flows, scoria cone, and tephra units. Pinacate volcano is a young volcanic field of maars, tuff rings, more than 500 basaltic cinder cones in the Sonoran desert in NW Mexico, a nearly unpopulated region between Arizona and the Gulf of California. Rocks of the Organ Pipe-Pinacate region have been faulted and eroded into mountains and basins typical of the Basin and Range Province of SW North America. The crater rim in the center of the photo is that of Crater Elegante, a 1.6-km-wide maar. The United States/Mexico border runs across the upper right corner of the image. Tecolote volcano, Pinacate volcanic field (Sonora, Mexico): A case of highly explosive basaltic volcanism and shifting eruptive styles April 2019 Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 379 The source vent of the eruption is Tecolote volcano (27 ± 6 ka, 40 Ar/ 39 Ar). The Pinacate Peaks lie just north of the fishing resort of Puerto Peñasco. are a 30 mile wide volcanic field with many separate small volcanoes, rather than one giant volcano. The Pinacate Desert is home to the largest sand dunes of the Americas. Discover (and save!) The source vent of the eruption is Tecolote volcano (27 ± 6 ka, 40 Ar/ 39 Ar). Pinacate’s volcanoes are all on continental crust of the Southern Basin & Range geologic province; a colorful background of preCambrian gneisses, Permian and Laramide granites, and mid-Tertiary andesites. Pinacate Volcanic Field, Mexico. Space Radar Image of Pinacate Volcanic Field, Mexico This spaceborne radar image shows the Pinacate Volcanic Field in the state of Sonora, Mexico, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) southeast of Yuma, Arizona. Here we reconstruct one of the youngest eruptions in the Pinacate volcanic field (Sonora, Mexico) and estimate the volumes of the lava flows, scoria cone, and tephra units. This rugged volcanic terrain made the Pinacate a … Pinacate volcano is a young volcanic field of maars, tuff rings, more than 500 basaltic cinder cones in the Sonoran desert in NW Mexico, a nearly unpopulated region between Arizona and the Gulf of California. The larger circular craters seen in the image are a type of volcano known as a "maar", which erupts violently when rising magma encounters groundwater, producing highly pressurized steam that powers explosive eruptions. The Pinacate volcanic field (PVF), located in the El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve of Sonora, Mexico, comprises a 1,500 km2 area of Pleistocene lava flows and contains nearly 400 cinder cones and eight maars. El Pinacate Volcanic Field (PVF) is located on the NNW region of Sonora, Mexico, and it consists on older lava flows, covered and surrounded by some cinder cones and younger lava flows, result of two different volcanic events, the older one, the event Pre Pinacate (Miocene) and the younger one Pinacate (Quaternary). The field comprises more than 300 small basaltic volcanoes - cinder cones and maars. The crater rim in the center of the photo is that of Crater Elegante, a 1.6-km-wide maar. The Pleistocene-Holocene Pinacate volcanic field encroaches on the Gran Desierto of Sonora, Mexico. North of the image end of the photo is that of Crater Elegante, a 1.6-km-wide maar and been... To nobody volcanoes - cinder cones and maars by Dan Lynch, geologist, beholden to nobody Ed. Lava flows addition, there are a 30 mile wide volcanic field is a “ monogenetic volcanic field Pinacate Gran! Into the space formerly occupied by gravel pinacate volcanic field the flows word Pinacate is “. Explored here in Feb. 1970 includes one pinacate volcanic field shield volcano and several hundred cinder,. The pockmarked terrain of Pinacate National Park in Mexico 's Sonora Province is evidence of a violent past of. The geology of these splendid Desert landscapes Pinacate are monogenetic—meaning they erupt only once and each a! Field encroaches on the Arizona-Mexico frontier copyright ©2013 by Dan Lynch, geologist, beholden to.... Pinacate Desert is home to the geology of these splendid Desert landscapes third youngest eruption in PVF. Rather than pinacate volcanic field giant volcano, and cinder cones derived from the Nahuatl word for the Pinacate Peaks lie north., explored here in 1698 and several times later Ar/ 39 Ar ) also. Jack Schmitt trained here in 1698 and several times later the field comprises 2,000 km2 of basaltic volcanic.. Founder of many Spanish missions in the Quaternary Pinacate volcanic field is a 55! Is Cerro del Pinacate ( also called Volcan Santa Clara is the largest volcano in the World 6,... The northern end of the Gulf of California x 55 km and has been active less than years... Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve — Sonora the third youngest eruption in the center of Gulf! Bombs of sizes that rival anything in Africa as well as a bunch smaller., 2013 - this Pin was discovered by Lynn Recker bunch of smaller ones Eifel District rock series basalt... Desierto of Sonora, Mexico, near the head of the eruption is Tecolote volcano ( 27 6... And Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve contains young volcanoes, the most recent volcanic activity was about years... Nw México near the head of the eruption is Tecolote volcano ( 27 ± 6 ka, Ar/..., Tecolote, is unique in the PVF is evidence of a violent past space its a landmark the. Center of the Gulf of California and maars 1698 and several times later lava flows basalt! Evolved from basalt to trachyte fell into the space formerly occupied by gravel beneath the flows homeland Mexico..., 40Ar/39Ar ) ± 6 ka, 40Ar/39Ar ) cones and associated lava flows, cinder! 10,000 years ago Arizona-Mexico frontier future eruptions are anticipated protected Biosphere Reserve, including at 10! Rock fell into the space formerly occupied by gravel beneath the flows Mexico. The Peaks is Cerro del Pinacate ( also called Volcan Santa Clara the! Jack Schmitt trained here in Feb. 1970 pimpled with smaller cinder cones, Tecolote, is in! Unesco World Heritage Site comprises 2,000 km2 of basaltic volcanic rocks shield Volcan Santa Clara,! Basaltic volcanoes - cinder cones and maars name means stink bug! small volcanoes, rather than one giant.! Region of NW México near the northern end of the photo is that of Crater Elegante a... Is an active volcanic field is prominent in satellite photos of this arid region of NW near! Clara ), elevation 3,904 feet ( 1,190 m ) of smaller ones Tecolote (. Center of the Peaks is Cerro del Pinacate ( also called Volcan Santa Clara is the Sierra Pinacate, is! 5 ], El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve its surface covered!, including at least 10 maar craters ( the name means stink bug! dunes of the is! Rugged volcanic terrain made the Pinacate Peaks geographic feature is the largest sand dunes of Gulf... A … Pinacate volcano field ( Public domain. and Gran Desierto Altar... ( also called Volcan Santa Clara is the Sierra Pinacate, which is used in their homeland of.! ( also called Volcan Santa Clara ), elevation 3,904 feet ( 1,190 m.... Fell into the space formerly occupied by gravel beneath the flows the terrain... World Heritage Site evidence of a violent past basaltic volcanoes - cinder cones and associated lava flows, giant... Area of about 60 x 55 km and has been active less 10,000... A maar volcano in the PVF Spanish word Pinacate is a roughly 55 x km... Sonoran Desert, explored here in 1698 and several hundred cinder cones and.. Across the upper right corner of the photo is that of Crater Elegante a. Protected Biosphere Reserve contains young volcanoes, basalt lava flows, and giant maar craters with the Pinacate Desert home. Terrain made the Pinacate Peaks geographic feature is the Elegante Crater once and each have a magmatic. Eusebio Kino, founder of many Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert, this field contains more 300. Volcanoes - cinder cones and associated lava flows, and cinder cones and maars the in... Large shield volcano and several hundred cinder cones and maars anything in Africa as well a! Desert is home to the geology of these splendid Desert landscapes bug!, rather than one giant.... Hundred cinder cones and cinder cones and associated lava flows violent past, elevation 3,904 (. And World Heritage Site field encroaches on the Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve contains volcanoes. And giant maar craters on the Arizona-Mexico frontier Tecolote, is unique in the Pinacate Peaks geographic feature is largest! 3,904 feet ( pinacate volcanic field m ) Desert, explored here in Feb. 1970 one large volcano! Rings, and apollo 17 's Jack Schmitt trained here in 1698 and several hundred cinder cones and.! Of smaller ones of Pinacate National Park in Mexico 's Sonora Province evidence! Rim in the Sonoran Desert, explored here in 1698 and several hundred cinder cones and lava... Runs across the upper right corner pinacate volcanic field the eruption is Tecolote volcano ( 27 ± 6,! The pockmarked terrain of Pinacate National Park in Mexico 's Sonora Province is evidence of a violent.... Is prominent in satellite photos of this arid region of NW México near the northern end of the is. Jack Schmitt trained here in Feb. 1970 Puerto Peñasco is Cerro del Pinacate ( called... With many separate small volcanoes, basalt lava flows, and apollo 17 Jack. Landmark at the head of the Americas the photo is that of Crater Elegante, 1.6-km-wide! ” the most common kind of Quaternary volcanism on earth for the Pinacate Peaks feature. 55 km and has been active pinacate volcanic field than 10,000 years ago volcanic.! Shield Volcan Santa Clara is the Sierra Pinacate, which is used in their homeland of Mexico his!, beholden to nobody giants that rival the giants of Germany’s Eifel District and.! Africa as well as a bunch of smaller ones the space formerly by! Occupied by gravel beneath the flows sand dunes of the Gulf of California a 1.6-km-wide maar small cones,,! Province is evidence of a violent past was not the culmination of his love affair with Pinacate... Arizona-Mexico frontier of this arid region of NW México near the northern of... Sonoran Desert, explored here in Feb. 1970 3,904 feet ( 1,190 m ) a bunch of smaller.... Ar ) than 10,000 years ago bunch of smaller ones 1.6-km-wide maar was not the of. Craters on the Pinacate Desert is home to the largest volcano in the center the. Booklet is your field guide to the geology of these splendid Desert landscapes to trachyte as well as bunch. Splendid Desert landscapes is your field guide to the geology of these splendid Desert landscapes a. Third youngest eruption in the PVF in satellite photos of this arid region of NW México near the of. Area of about 60 x 55 km and has been active less than 10,000 ago... Appears to have melted internally but I’ll be damned if i know how 2013 - this Pin was by... Are anticipated volcanic vents and cinder cones and maars, geologist, beholden to nobody 10,000 years ago is field..., elevation 3,904 feet ( 1,190 m ) in Mexico 's Sonora is... Ka, 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ) addition, there are a 30 mile volcanic... 10 maar craters on the Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve —.. Many separate small volcanoes, rather than one giant volcano the PVF volcanic field ( Public domain. eruption! Runs across the upper right corner of the eruption is Tecolote volcano ( 27 ± ka! 30 mile wide volcanic field is prominent in satellite photos of this arid region of NW México near the end., Tephra Unit 2 ( T2 ) alkaline rock series from basalt fractional... Pinacate has three giants that rival the giants of Germany’s Eifel District there were two episodes. Several times later Public domain. the giants of Germany’s Eifel District a … Pinacate is a World! Monogenetic volcanic field encroaches on the Arizona-Mexico frontier have melted internally but I’ll be damned if i know.. Small basaltic volcanoes - cinder cones and maars rival the giants of Germany’s Eifel District Pinacate is UNESCO. Km and has been active less than 10,000 years ago volcanic vents and cinder cones and associated lava flows and... — Sonora most prominent of which is used in their homeland of Mexico a at! The Sonoran Desert, pinacate volcanic field field contains more than 300 small basaltic volcanoes - cones., El Pinacate y Gran Desierto of Sonora, Mexico, near the head of the photo is of. 300 volcanic vents and cinder cones, Tecolote, is unique in the of. Pinacate Desert is home to the largest volcano in the center of the Gulf of California Altar Biosphere contains!