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Mono Lake Volcanic Field

Volcanic field in United States

Last Eruption: 1790

Key Facts

Elevation

2,121 m (6,959 ft)

Type

Volcanic field

Location

38.000°, -119.030°

Region

Basin and Range Volcanic Province

Rock Type

Dacite

Tectonic Setting

Rift zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

The Mono Lake volcanic field east of Yosemite National Park and north of the Mono Craters consists of vents within Mono Lake and on its north shore. The most topographically prominent feature, Black Point, is an initially sublacustral basaltic cone that rises above the NW shore and was formed about 13,300 years ago when Mono Lake was higher. Holocene rhyodacitic lava domes and flows form Negit and parts of Paoha islands off the northern shore and center of the lake, respectively.

The most recent eruptive activity in the Long Valley to Mono Lake region took place 100-230 years ago, when lake-bottom sediments forming much of Paoha Island were uplifted by intrusion of a rhyolitic cryptodome (Stine, in Bailey et al. , 1989). Spectacular tufa towers line the shores of Mono Lake.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

    Risk Level

    Population at RiskModerate
    Infrastructure RiskModerate
    Aviation RiskSignificant

    Geological Composition & Structure

    Rock Types

    Primary
    Dacite
    Silica Content
    Varied composition

    Tectonic Setting

    Rift zone
    Continental rift or intraplate setting with varied eruptive styles.

    Age & Formation

    Epoch
    Holocene
    Evidence
    Eruption Dated

    Eruption Statistics & Analysis

    MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
    Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
    Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
    Recent Activity236 years agoHistoricalHistorically active

    Monitoring & Alert Status

    Monitoring Networks

    Global Volcanism Program
    International eruption database

    Current Status

    Normal
    No recent activity. Routine monitoring continues.

    Nearby Volcanoes in North America Volcanic Regions

    Regional Volcanic Activity
    The North America Volcanic Regions contains multiple active volcanic systems. Cross-regional magma interactions and tectonic stresses can influence eruption patterns across the entire arc. Monitor regional seismic activity and volcanic alerts.

    Quick Info

    • •Smithsonian ID: 323110
    • •Evidence: Eruption Dated
    • •Epoch: Holocene

    About the Photo

    Negit (right-center) and Paoha (far right) islands in Mono Lake are seen from Black Point, a basaltic cone on the NW shore of the lake. The most recent eruptive activity from the Mono Lakes volcanic field took place 100-230 years ago, when lake-bottom sediments forming much of Paoha Island were uplifted by intrusion of a rhyolitic cryptodome. Black Point is an initially sublacustral cone that formed about 13,300 years ago when the lake was higher. The White Mountains form the far right horizon.

    Photo by Lee Siebert, 1997 (Smithsonian Institution).

    Authority Sources

    Smithsonian GVP
    Official volcano database
    USGS Volcano Hazards
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Global Volcanism Program
    Smithsonian Institution

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    Basic Information

    This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.