Unknown to many, Death Valley within California is host to an active volcano.
The volcano in question is one of the youngest volcanoes in the entire United States, as
it completely formed within the last 2500 years.
It last erupted approximately 2,000 years ago, and could erupt again.
This volcano's eruptions formed more than a dozen large explosion craters, one of which
is 2600 feet wide and 771 feet deep.
The volcano I am referring to is called the Ubehebe Craters.
This video will discuss this volcano, and mention what its future hazards are.
The Ubehebe Craters volcano can be found in the east central portion of California, where
it lies within Death Valley National Park.
Specifically, this volcano is also 130 miles east of Fresno.
The reason why this isolated volcano exists is quite unusual.
Unlike other volcanoes in California, such as Lassen Peak, it does not exist due to offshore
plate subduction.
Rather, the area where it erupted seems to represent a regional weak point in the crust.
In the middle of its largest crater is a highly prominent fault called the Tin Mountain Fault.
This fault, which stretches for approximately 30 miles, served as a point of least resistance
allowing magma to travel up through the crust and erupt onto the surface.
Despite its size, the entirety of the Ubehebe Craters formed in a single several week long
eruption approximately 2100 years ago.
This eruption occurred in 150 BC, when a large volume of magma moved towards the surface.
However, this magma eventually came into contact with a large volume of groundwater which happened
to underlie the current craters.
You heard that correctly.
Despite being one of the hottest and driest locations on the planet, this area contained
an abundance of groundwater.
The rising magma eventually interacted with some of this groundwater, causing it to flash
to steam.
Eventually, the pressure from the expanded steam became too great, and the ground exploded
in a massive eruption.
As a plume of ash rose into the sky, pyroclastic flows raced across the surrounding landscape.
These pyroclastic flows generally traveled downhill, and ended up covering a vast area,
reaching up to 4 miles from their source.
Additionally, boulders and ash thrown by this explosion fell up to 6 miles away.
The explosion which had just occurred left behind a 2600 foot wide volcanic crater called
Ubehebe Crater.
In total, this individual vent ejected approximately 60 million cubic meters of rock.
Within the span of several minutes, another explosion occurred, and then a third.
In quick succession, 6 explosions occurred.
Although these explosions were an order of magnitude smaller, they still formed large
craters ranging from 180 to 480 feet wide.
Some of these explosions ejected small volumes of basaltic lava, which fell in a several
mile radius.
These explosions occurred in a straight line to the west, hinting at another potential
zone of weakness within the crust.
Within a few days, a third group of explosions occurred.
Five new explosion craters formed, all of which formed in a relatively straight line,
paralleling the Tin Mountain Fault.
Three of these explosions formed overlapping shallow craters, which were then overlaid
by mud and small amounts of rainfall.
However, the eruptive series had not ended.
Once again, magma caused this water in the crater to flash to steam and explode, but
this time the explosion occurred within the existing crater on the surface.
As a result, this explosion formed a feature known as a tuff ring called Little Hebe.
In total, this eruption formed 13 volcanic craters.
Based on the overall amount of material ejected, the eruption had a volcanic explosivity index
of 3, indicating a large phreatomagmatic eruption.
Since then, no additional eruptions or other volcanic activity has occurred.
Despite the lack of activity since, geologists like myself believe that this volcano will
eventually erupt again.
The next eruption could originate in the same area, but I deem it more likely to occur along
a different part of the overall Tin Mountain fault.
Any future eruption would create more maar explosion craters, and cause bombs of lava
and pyroclastic flows to travel up to 8 miles away.
As a result of these hazards, the US Geological Survey designated Ubehebe Craters as a moderate
threat volcano.
Today, the Ubehebe Craters volcano can be visited via a combination of dirt and paved
roads.
The easiest way to access this volcano is via the paved Ubehebe Crater road, which begins
just north of the Grapevine ranger station at the coordinates shown on screen.
I hope that you enjoyed this video!
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