Volcanic episodes near Yucca Mountain as determined by paleomagnetic studies as Lathrop Wells, Crater Flat, and Sleeping Butte, Nevada
- Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States)
It has been suggested that mafic volcanism in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is both recent (20 ka) and a product of complex {open_quotes}polycyclic{close_quotes} eruptions. This pattern of volcanism, as interpreted by some workers at the Lathrop Wells volcanic complex, comprises a sequence of numerous small-volume eruptions that become more tephra-producing over time. Such sequences are thought to occur over timespans as long as 100,000 years. However, paleomagnetic studies of the tephra and lava flows from mafic volcanoes near Yucca Mountain fail to find evidence of repeated eruptive activity over timespans of 10{sup 3} to 10{sup 5} years, even though samples have been taken that represent approximately 95% of the products of these volcanoes. Instead, the eruptions seem to have occurred as discrete episodes at each center and thus can be considered to be {open_quotes}monogenetic.{close_quotes} Dates of these episodes have been obtained by the proven radiometric-geochronometer methods of K-Ar or {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar dating.
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society (ANS), La Grange Park, IL (United States); American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), New York, NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 145419
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-910435-Vol.1; TRN: 94:007591-0011
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. annual American Nuclear Society (ANS) international high level radioactive waste management conference, Las Vegas, NV (United States), 28 Apr - 3 May 1991; Other Information: PBD: 1991; Related Information: Is Part Of High Level Radioactive Waste Management: Proceedings of the second annual international conference; Proceedings, Volume 1; PB: 891 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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