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Mono Lake Volcanic Field

Volcanic field · United States · 2121m

Negit (right-center) and Paoha (far right) islands in Mono Lake are seen from Black Point, a basaltic cone on the NW shore of the lake. The most recent eruptive activity from the Mono Lakes volcanic field took place 100-230 years ago, when lake-bottom sediments forming much of Paoha Island were uplifted by intrusion of a rhyolitic cryptodome. Black Point is an initially sublacustral cone that formed about 13,300 years ago when the lake was higher. The White Mountains form the far right horizon.
Negit (right-center) and Paoha (far right) islands in Mono Lake are seen from Black Point, a basaltic cone on the NW shore of the lake. The most recent eruptive activity from the Mono Lakes volcanic field took place 100-230 years ago, when lake-bottom sediments forming much of Paoha Island were uplifted by intrusion of a rhyolitic cryptodome. Black Point is an initially sublacustral cone that formed about 13,300 years ago when the lake was higher. The White Mountains form the far right horizon. · Photo: Photo by Lee Siebert, 1997 (Smithsonian Institution). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Volcanic field
Country
United States
Region
North America Volcanic Regions / Basin and Range Volcanic Province
Elevation
2121m
Coordinates
38.000, -119.030
Last eruption
1790
Tectonic setting
Rift zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Cluster
Major rock type
Dacite
Geological summary

The Mono Lake volcanic field east of Yosemite National Park and north of the Mono Craters consists of vents within Mono Lake and on its north shore. The most topographically prominent feature, Black Point, is an initially sublacustral basaltic cone that rises above the NW shore and was formed about 13,300 years ago when Mono Lake was higher. Holocene rhyodacitic lava domes and flows form Negit and parts of Paoha islands off the northern shore and center of the lake, respectively. The most recent eruptive activity in the Long Valley to Mono Lake region took place 100-230 years ago, when lake-bottom sediments forming much of Paoha Island were uplifted by intrusion of a rhyolitic cryptodome (Stine, in Bailey et al., 1989). Spectacular tufa towers line the shores of Mono Lake.

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
350~504 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1120~1274 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1428~1582 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1736~1890 · 2 eruptions · max VEI ?350658112014281736

Detailed timeline

  1. 1890VEI ?Geological estimate
    1890-08-23 – 1890-08-23
  2. 1790 (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1790 – Ongoing
    Paoha Island
  3. 1550 (±300 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1550 – Ongoing
    Negit Island
  4. 1150 (±200 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1150 – Ongoing
    Paoha Island
  5. 350 (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    350 – Ongoing

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.