Carrizozo Lava Flow
| Location: 33.2-33.8 degrees N latitude, 105.9-106.2 degrees W longitude Type: Extremely large, young, pahoehoe lava flow Age: between 4,500 and 5,900 years Significance: One of the largest young lava flows in the western U.S. (75 km long; volume is 4.3 cubic kilometers). Well-preserved pahoehoe flow features. It is also the eastern-most young lava flow on the continent. |
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Overview
The Carrizozo lava flow, also known as the "Valley of Fires" region, is an excellent example of a large volume lava flow. It is readily visible in most satellite images of the southwestern U.S. both because of its size and obvious "lava flow shape" and because of its dark albedo. Contrasted with the extremely white albedo of the White Sands at its southern extremity, the Carrizozo lava flow is one of the most recognizable features on the face of the planet.
An excellent summary of the geologic, chronologic, and volcanologic characteristics of the Carrizozo lava flow has been provided by Nelia Dunbar of the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources.
NMBMMR Carrizozo lava flow web siteAdditional Information:
Below is an abbreviated references list. For a longer list of Carrizozo references, visit the NMBMMR site above.
Petrology/General Geology:
- Allen, J. E., and Kottlowski, F. E., Roswell-Ruidoso-Valley of Fires: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Scenic Trips to the Geologic Past. no.3, 96p., 1981.
- Dunbar, N. W., Cosmogenic ^36Cl-determined age of the Carrizozo lava flows, south-central New Mexico. New Mexico Geology, v.21, 25-29, 1999.
- Anthony, E. Y., J. Hoffer, W. J. Williams, J. Poth, and B. Penn, Geochemistry and geochronology of Quaternary mafic volcanic rocks in the vicinity of Carrizozo, New Mexico. New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 49th Field Conference, Las Cruces Country II, 117-122, 1998.
- Renault, J., Major element variations in the Potrillo, Carrizozo, and McCartys basalt fields, New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Circular 113, 22p., 1970.
- McLemore, V. T., Geology of the Valley of Fires Recreation area. New Mexico Geological Society, 42nd Field Conference, Sierra Blanca, Sacramento, Capitan Ranges, 67-70, 1991.
- Keszthelyi, L.P., and D. C. Pieri, Emplacement of the 75-km-long Carrizozo lava flow field, south-central New Mexico. Jour. Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 59, 59-75, 1993.
- Zimbelman, J. R., and A. K. Johnston, Emplacement of long lava flows: Detailed topography of the Carrizozo basalt lava flow, New Mexico. Lunar Planet. Sci. Conference 31, abstr. 1237, 2000.