Kent Holesinger's Field Studies
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Kent Holesinger and Dr. Hanson on top of the San Francisco Peaks, a composite volcano in the San Francisco Volcanic Field. Note that the mountains in the background are dormant volcanos too. |
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Kent's studied volcanic features and eruptive products from volcanoes in the San Francisco Volcanic Field (shown below) in northern Arizona. There are over 600 volcanoes in this field which extends from Williams, AZ eastward to Flagtaff. All of the little "bumps" on the map below are volcanoes. We didn't make it to all of them... Below are a few photo's from a few of the places Kent studied. |
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US Geological Survey Digital Elevation Map (DEM) of the San Francisco Volcanic Field. |
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Sunset Crater Volcano, standing1000
feet tall, is the youngest volcano in the San Francisco Volcanic Field
having erupted less than 1000years ago. This is where Dr. Hanson is
doing research and where Kent spent most of his time.
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In addition to working with Dr. Hanson, Kent spent a day working with a summer geology intern who was evaluating the degree erosion, at and below the surface, of cinders erupted from Sunset Crater Volcano . Stephanie (center in this photo) was thrilled to have someone help her dig holes! | |
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Wupatki National Monumet, located just 20 miles north of Sunset Crater also has great geology. Although the monument is most famous for it's archaeological sites (Lomaki: right and Wukoki: left), there are many interesting geologic features, including lava flows there. |
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Lava River Cave, west of the San Francisco Peaks, is a lava tube that was formed when lava flowing below the surface drained out and left behind this cave. |
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Red Mountain, a 740,000 year old cinder cone is an ususual in that it has a U-shape allowing you to walk into the inside of a volcano. Scientists speculate that much of the western side was rafted away during late-stage lava flows.. |
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Steam explosions may have initially opened the ampitheater but subsequent erosion has widened it and created the pinnacles and spires (called "hoodoo's) that you see here. |
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View from San Francisco Peaks, a composite volcano built by eruptions between 1.0 and 0.4 million years ago. Mount Humphries, part of this volcano, is the highest point in Arizona at 12, 633 feet above sea level. | |
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I did let Kent have a day off to go to the Grand Canyon. Of course, the geology there is spectacular too! | |
