Potrillo Volcanic Field - Cinder Cone Morphology

Cinder Cone Morphology

The current morphology of the Potrillo volcanic field consists of over 100 cinder cones within the area of the Rio Grande Rift in southern New Mexico. The most recent age dating study revealed the age to be from 1 million to 20,000 years old. It is a 50 square kilometres (19 sq mi) field in S.E. Doña Ana County, NM.

There are 3 groups of slope angles;

• Group 1: age of around 250 Ka years old.
• Group 2: age of around 125 Ka years old.
• Group 3: age of around 60 Ka years old.

This process of grouping was done by 3He surface exposure dating and 40Ar/39Ar dating. The new morphologic dating methods suggest that cinder cone formation in the Potrillo volcanic field may have occurred at different intervals and that the field may be currently developing new cinder cones. The cinder cone slope distribution in the Potrillo volcanic field suggests that volcanism occurred at different time intervals. In addition, trend line analysis provides a powerful and useful tool for predicting cinder cone ages in the Potrillo volcanic field. This area has arid climate & cone degradation is a product of mechanical weathering.

The age-angle relationship is quantitatively modeled by diffusion equations, like Comparison of 3He to 40Ar/39Ar, and by overlapping DRG digital elevation models, digital topographic maps DEM. The formula angle = tan−1(height/radius) was used to obtain the angles. The overall comparison of all groups in the south west region extending from New Mexico to Mexico are used for the dating and comparison of age but the climate, and terrain conditions are looked to see the weathering conditions.