## Breadcrumb

-  Publications 
-  Articles 

#           Paleomagnetically defined brief lifespans for two large shield volcanoes in the Cascades Arc      

      January 9, 2023    

Mafic to intermediate shield volcanoes with multi-cubic-kilometer eruptive volumes are common in the Cascades Volcanic Arc, but little is known about their eruptive histories as either singular or sustained episodes, or the total time required for their construction. Paleomagnetic data were collected from the lava flows of Ash Creek Butte (17 sites) and Crater Mountain (14 sites) in northern California; both volcanoes are large shields with total volumes of ∼11 km3 each. Tightly clustered paleomagnetic results at both volcanoes, when coupled with analysis of geomagnetic secular variation, suggest that each edifice was built in only a few centuries, possibly in as little time as 50–90 years, indicating sub-century to century scale eruptive durations for two sizeable regional shield volcanoes within the Cascades Arc. These rapidly built shield volcanoes are substantially larger than typically defined monogenetic volcanoes, yet both are wholly formed within a single ‘episode’ at the limits of temporal resolution. Paleomagnetic methods provide a high-resolution tool that can be applied to understanding the tempo of regional volcanism in arcs.

## Citation Information

## Related Content

                  -              Data           
                  -              Connect           

January 17, 2023

####                 Dataset Establishing Temporal Duration of Two Shield Volcanoes in Northern California              

Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Volcano Science Center

#### Anthony Pivarunas

##### Research Geophysicist

Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

apivarunas@usgs.gov

650-439-2327

#### Dawnika L. Blatter, PhD

##### Volcano Petrologist

California Volcano Observatory

dblatter@usgs.gov

650-329-4839

#### Patrick Muffler, Ph.D.

##### Scientist Emeritus

California Volcano Observatory

pmuffler@usgs.gov

650-329-5239

#### Michael Clynne

##### Research Geologist

California Volcano Observatory

mclynne@usgs.gov

650-329-5236

#### Andrew Todd Calvert, Ph.D.

##### Scientist-in-Charge

California Volcano Observatory

acalvert@usgs.gov

650-329-5276

####             Lauren N. Harrison, Ph.D. (Former Employee)          

##### Geologist / Geochemist

California Volcano Observatory

## Related Content

January 17, 2023

####                 Dataset Establishing Temporal Duration of Two Shield Volcanoes in Northern California              

Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Volcano Science Center

#### Anthony Pivarunas

##### Research Geophysicist

Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

apivarunas@usgs.gov

650-439-2327

#### Dawnika L. Blatter, PhD

##### Volcano Petrologist

California Volcano Observatory

dblatter@usgs.gov

650-329-4839

#### Patrick Muffler, Ph.D.

##### Scientist Emeritus

California Volcano Observatory

pmuffler@usgs.gov

650-329-5239

#### Michael Clynne

##### Research Geologist

California Volcano Observatory

mclynne@usgs.gov

650-329-5236

#### Andrew Todd Calvert, Ph.D.

##### Scientist-in-Charge

California Volcano Observatory

acalvert@usgs.gov

650-329-5276

####             Lauren N. Harrison, Ph.D. (Former Employee)          

##### Geologist / Geochemist

California Volcano Observatory

### Study Area

### Contact

####               Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center          

Building 19, 350 N. Akron Rd.P.O. Box 158Moffett Field, CA94035United States

#### USGS Volcano Science Center

1300 SE Cardinal CourtVancouver, WA38683United States

360-993-8900

### Explore Search

                  - Paleomagnetics Lab
                  - Geology
                  - United States
                  - Cascades Volcanic Arc
                  - california
                  -  Oregon
                  -  Washington

View All **