Episodic Holocene eruption of the Salton Buttes rhyolites, California, from paleomagnetic, U-Th, and Ar/Ar dating

Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
By: , and 

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Abstract

In the Salton Trough, CA, five rhyolite domes form the Salton Buttes: Mullet Island, Obsidian Butte, Rock Hill, North and South Red Hill, from oldest to youngest. Results presented here include 40Ar/39Ar anorthoclase ages, 238U-230Th zircon crystallization ages, and comparison of remanent paleomagnetic directions with the secular variation curve, which indicate that all domes are Holocene. 238U-230Th zircon crystallization ages are more precise than but within uncertainty of 40Ar/39Ar anorthoclase ages, suggesting that zircon crystallization proceeded until shortly before eruption in all cases except one. Remanent paleomagnetic directions require three eruption periods: (1) Mullet Island, (2) Obsidian Butte, and (3) Rock Hill, North Red Hill, and South Red Hill. Borehole cuttings logs document up to two shallow tephra layers. North and South Red Hills likely erupted within 100 years of each other, with a combined 238U-230Th zircon isochron age of: 2.83 ± 0.60 ka (2 sigma); paleomagnetic evidence suggests this age predates eruption by hundreds of years (1800 cal BP). Rock Hill erupted closely in time to these eruptions. The Obsidian Butte 238U-230Th isochron age (2.86 ± 0.96 ka) is nearly identical to the combined Red Hill age, but its Virtual Geomagnetic Pole position suggests a slightly older age. The age of aphyric Mullet Island dome is the least well constrained: zircon crystals are resorbed and the paleomagnetic direction is most distinct; possible Mullet Island ages include ca. 2300, 5900, 6900, and 7700 cal BP. Our results constrain the duration of Salton Buttes volcanism to between ca. 5900 and 500 years.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Episodic Holocene eruption of the Salton Buttes rhyolites, California, from paleomagnetic, U-Th, and Ar/Ar dating
Series title Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
DOI 10.1002/2015GC005714
Volume 16
Issue 4
Year Published 2015
Language English
Publisher American Geophysical Union
Publisher location Washington, D.C.
Contributing office(s) Volcano Science Center
Description 13 p.
First page 1198
Last page 1210
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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