Virtual Field Trip—Group 6
Geologic Overview of Carrizozo Malpais
We are a research and service division of:
Jim Baldwin: Silver City, Janet Bruelhart: Lovington, Barbara Roybal: Los Alamos, John Palmer: La Mesa
Background Information for the Malpais
The Carrizozo lava flow field is located in south-central New Mexico within the Valley of Fires State Park, three miles west of Carrizozo on U.S. Highway 380. The lava flows are located within the Tularosa Basin of New Mexico. The age of the flow is 5,200 years +/- 700 years, based on cosmogenic 36Cl dating. The source of the lava flow is a cinder cone volcano, Little Black Peak on the Capitan lineament, on an east-west trending. The basaltic lava flow flows 75 km in a north-south direction. The great length of this flow is due to the extremely low viscosity of the basaltic lava, which is due to the size, number, and length of the lava tubes.
Satellite image of the CarrizozoMalpais area
Panorama View of Malpais Field Stop
Rockin' Virtual Field Trip — Group Panorama
