Mammoth lakes activity

[shortround]

This is really the sleeping giant of the American volcanic systems, this puppy blew out 150 cubic miles of magma around the same time as Yellowstone was ripping up eastern Idaho, ash fell as far east as Kansas and Nebraska and the ground subsidence after the magma chamber emptied was over one mile! leaving the visible caldera we see today along the Long valley system.

The history of this system is impressive by any standards, it has had continued activity over the last several hundred thousand years slowly shifting northward to the Mono lakes region around 35,000 years ago, the most resent activity was only some 200 years back in Mono craters!

During the last big eruption, it covered areas around the surrounding Sierras with as much as 3000ft of ash that held temperatures of 1300 degrees F for months after the the event! and traces of this same ash were some 3 ft deep in the Kansas area! Bellow is the link to the USGS real time map for the Mammoth lakes region, the resent swarm activity during this week was as high as 4.6


http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/....-120.-118.php

[shortround]

Interesting enough both Yellowstone and Mammoth share similar time periods of activity ( intervals of around 600.000 years) but the difference both in miles ( 1200 apart ) and type of systems would make the two distinctly different as to magma source, Yellowstone being a permanent hot spot as the continent passes over it, and California's long Valley system being an independent magma chamber that is a result of the building of mammoth mountain itself.

Although they aren't connected geologically, they share the same massive eruptions that were common for large calderas, (20+ miles wide) there is a similar area in New Mexico called the Valles caldera, what all these have in common ( and not good for future inhabitance) is that they are resurgent fields, in other words they continue to have large scale eruptions.

Its becoming increasingly clear that the fertile growing areas of both Kansas and Nebraska are a direct result of massive ash fall from both Yellowstone and Long Valley systems, as well as the Valles fields, these virtually buried most of the central plains under tons of mineral rich material, thus the rich harvest fields we enjoy today.

There has been speculation that these three share some geological trigger, buts its hotly debated as to what that might be, some say they represent a vent for large scale solar activity which heats the earths core, some speculate its the result of continental rifting, and others contend its part of old continent plate boundary lines.

Personally I could accept the heated core theory and its subsequent need to eject accumulated solar radiation ( I think Protostar would back me up on that one) as the earth is a reactor for all practical purposes.

[Protostar]

Funny you should mention that. I was looking for info on recent hydro thermal venting and found none. <weakest spot's on earth crust is the ocean floors> Of course it happens and is rarely seen but now the entire oceans are crawling with scientists of every clime studying, well, everything. There should have been a report or 2 somewhere.
So, I wonder, is the pressure building within the earth to a critical point?
Are those magma chambers intertwined??
Why do they deep drill to the mantle in Parkland, CA which subsequently leads to earthquakes in that area. Why are they doing that? To release pressure?
They are not trying to tap into the magma chamber are they?
(full body shiver)

[Wastelandwarrior]

Originally Posted by shortround

I've been following this resent activity at mammoth for about a week now, this is really the sleeping giant of the American volcanic systems, this puppy blew out 150 cubic miles of magma around the same time as Yellowstone was ripping up eastern Idaho, ash fell as far east as Kansas and Nebraska and the ground subsidence after the magma chamber emptied was over one mile! leaving the visible caldera we see today along the Long valley system.

The history of this system is impressive by any standards, it has had continued activity over the last several hundred thousand years slowly shifting northward to the Mono lakes region around 35,000 years ago, the most resent activity was only some 200 years back in Mono craters!

During the last big eruption, it covered areas around the surrounding Sierras with as much as 3000ft of ash that held temperatures of 1300 degrees F for months after the the event! and traces of this same ash were some 3 ft deep in the Kansas area! Bellow is the link to the USGS real time map for the Mammoth lakes region, the resent swarm activity during this week was as high as 4.6


http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/....-120.-118.php

i think the americans are takeing it.........

[Protostar]

Yeah, like a plume. heh.Since the sea floor spreads constently <perpetual movement> I figured the magma chambers could eventually lead to a giant one <or pocket>somewhere deep...
There is so much material ie: gasses,water,minerals,decaying things..etc in the mantle pushing up and outgassing on land, and plumes in the water, that the mantle itself is changing. The mass of the earth. Take that mass changing and the mass of the ice at the poles changing (gravitational changes) and you have what? A jagged chandler wobble. Spin Axis that's not only bumpy but abrupt at times. I wonder if these bumps can stir up the cauldron of the volcano's? Immense radiation and other materials seeping down through the lithosphere heating everything up along the way don't help either.

[shortround]

I always saw it like a large copper coil with two leads sticking out at each end, like the poles of the earth. And the thickness of the material is what determines its ability to accept the energy and dissipate heat before a melting point is reached. ( ever see what happens to an electric heater if the fan shuts off)

I see the large calderas and plate expansions ( Tectonics) as the heat displacement, this where the solar factor comes into play.

[Protostar]

I found one of my old word documents that refreshed my memory on the mechanics of the heat exchange system. It might be useful to some.

The Magma Convection System circulates between the earth’s core and the surface of the earth generating an electrified field known as the Earth’s Magnetic Field.
It is a heat exchange system.

Heat rises from the core at the equator and sinks back down to the core at the poles.
As core temperature rises, the heat is transferred to the magma convection system and carried to the surface where it radiates through the earths crust.

Geo Magnetic Poles are generated by the liquid iron of the earth’s core. (atoms that have electrical charges) These electric charges move and create a magnetic field. It is aligned with the axis of the core (Polaris Center).
Electromagnetic waves transmit and transport the light and energy. (light is a vibration of electromagnetic waves).

Thermal Vents cover the ocean floor, since the crust of the earth is the thinnest in the oceans, energy is released from the core by these vents. Also through volcanism and earth shock <quakes>

As the oceans and the atmosphere warms and the Polar and Glacial Ice melt,
Deep inside the earth the solid outer mantle becomes more liquefied. (lithosphere)
Pushing the lithosphere northwards due to the gravity of the earth.
When this happens, the mantle can slips under the crust around the fixed axis of the central gyroscope core.

True Polar Wander (tpw) is caused by an imbalance in the mass distribution of the tectonic plates.
A planets poles and it’s orbit are determined by its electromagnetic charge.
The magnetic field buffers radiation but some still comes in at the poles. It makes a weak plasma as it is stripped of electrons. (producing auroras)

So I guess the big question is what happens to all of the excess energy?
and can it short circuit the magnetic field??

[shortround]

Originally Posted by Protostar

So I guess the big question is what happens to all of the excess energy?
and can it short circuit the magnetic field??

Good question, I feel the earth is a form of an accumulator, (not a battery) and it periodically has to unload. ( if that makes sense) If we are conducting cosmic energy at the poles and transmitting it to the earths core, then the balance so to speak or regulator would be excess core heat dumped through mantel expansion, ie plumes and ridge spreading.

Whether this is a cycle similar to the 100.000 year climate rhythms is theoretic, but it makes sense, we have seen 600.000 year repetitive volcanic activity at given resurgent calderas like Yellowstone and Long valley, perhaps this is the vent of excess energy that accumulates over a given time. ( just my theory)

So it stands to reason that a solar maximum period would induce a higher heat factor at the core, thus the possibility of increased surface activity to dump the heat.

[Ningishiddza]

http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/volc_i...ng_valley.html

I found that link fairly useful, with some history and breathtaking images from satellite and air. There's a nice cross-section of the current caldera showing the 1980-1982 uplift. Plus a map showing the extent of the ash deposit referenced by Shortround

[shortround]

Beautiful link!

It really shows the extent of the system. I think people can see how vast this area is. Some of my family comes from the Bishop area, I have seen the resent small cone activity along Hwy 395, and its looks like it happened yesterday, the broken lava is so sharp it will cut your fingers.

[shawnee]

Excellent info and read, Ning. I'm truly not as educated on Mammoth as Yellowstone. I don't think folks in California are, either.

[Raptor Witness]

Oh hell, Shortround, let's give the folks a live shot, shall we?

[medicvet]

So would ya'll say that a Mammoth event or a Yellowstone event is more likely to occur first?

[shortround]

Originally Posted by medicvet

So would ya'll say that a Mammoth event or a Yellowstone event is more likely to occur first?

Oh boy...thats like guessing the next world war.

But I'll give the best answer I can come up with. First, Yellowstone is a permanent hot spot, in other words a plume of magma that rises from the semi molten outer mantel, and the continental mass ( north American plate ) is slowly passing over it, so any eruption point is dependent on the fragility or weakness of the overlaying crust, and its ability to withstand the internal pressure, once that pressure exceeds the force of gravity, you have a breaking point. There are other factors as well, but thats the basic mechanics of Yellowstone.

As for Long Valley and mammoth, thats a little more complicated, but here goes..

If you look at a map (it makes it easier to see) of the State of California, you'll see that the Sierra Nevada mountains run almost the length of the state from north to south, except the southern most part of the chain, at this point they bend sharply westward and almost reach the sea, this is due to the Pacific plate side of the San Andreas fault literally getting hung up and jammed against the American plate moving in the opposite direction, and bending this entire mountain chain almost 90 degrees. Something like rubbing the palms of your hands together slowly while bending them.

This is where the fun starts, if you look on the map ( again) you'll see the Long Valley/ Mammoth area is at the pivot point of this huge bend, to put it simply, your stretching the material real thin on the east side of the Sierra Nevada and creating whats known as a rift, similar to the Great Rift valley in Africa, but on a smaller scale, and the thinner crust is allowing molten mantel material to build a magma chamber along the entire Long Valley caldera.

So what makes this area volatile is this dog leg or bend in the fault line, when this area can no longer hold, it slips or jumps the distance it should have moved over a given period of time ( 3 to 5 inches a year) and it hasn't moved in over 100 years at this particular point, thus the all expected "Big One" that you hear about so often.

So if one was looking for a trigger, then its my guess the Long Valley/ Mammoth area is the one to watch, as it has some serious geological hardware to contend with. If you look at raptors larger quake map, you'll see the seismic activity at the pressure area of this fault line, they sort of pile up around this jammed up area.

Hope that helped.

[krakatoa]

Originally Posted by shortround

Oh boy...thats like guessing the next world war.

But I'll give the best answer I can come up with. First, Yellowstone is a permanent hot spot, in other words a plume of magma that rises from the semi molten outer mantel, and the continental mass ( north American plate ) is slowly passing over it, so any eruption point is dependent on the fragility or weakness of the overlaying crust, and its ability to withstand the internal pressure, once that pressure exceeds the force of gravity, you have a breaking point. There are other factors as well, but thats the basic mechanics of Yellowstone.

As for Long Valley and mammoth, thats a little more complicated, but here goes..

If you look at a map (it makes it easier to see) of the State of California, you'll see that the Sierra Nevada mountains run almost the length of the state from north to south, except the southern most part of the chain, at this point they bend sharply westward and almost reach the sea, this is due to the Pacific plate side of the San Andreas fault literally getting hung up and jammed against the American plate moving in the opposite direction, and bending this entire mountain chain almost 90 degrees. Something like rubbing the palms of your hands together slowly while bending them.

This is where the fun starts, if you look on the map ( again) you'll see the Long Valley/ Mammoth area is at the pivot point of this huge bend, to put it simply, your stretching the material real thin on the east side of the Sierra Nevada and creating whats known as a rift, similar to the Great Rift valley in Africa, but on a smaller scale, and the thinner crust is allowing molten mantel material to build a magma chamber along the entire Long Valley caldera.

So what makes this area volatile is this dog leg or bend in the fault line, when this area can no longer hold, it slips or jumps the distance it should have moved over a given period of time ( 3 to 5 inches a year) and it hasn't moved in over 100 years at this particular point, thus the all expected "Big One" that you hear about so often.

So if one was looking for a trigger, then its my guess the Long Valley/ Mammoth area is the one to watch, as it has some serious geological hardware to contend with. If you look at raptors larger quake map, you'll see the seismic activity at the pressure area of this fault line, they sort of pile up around this jammed up area.

Hope that helped.

That is helping me, at the least, thanks for this.

Krakatoa.

[Protostar]

Interesting tectonic movements without earthquakes in S.America.
What could produce that? And do you think the crushing movement could
trigger a displacement of the N. American plate? or at least shake her up??

[shortround]

(Sorry I'm late with this, almost forgot about this thread.)


Well to some extent they are interrelated, and each has its own cause and effect, one being a subduction zone, and the other being an opposed fault system. Most of the Pacific coast off med South America is subductive ( one plate sliding under the other, creating the huge volcanic chain that makes up the Andes. Further north you have several junctions of interacting plates, The Cocos and Nazca) bounded on the east by the Pacific plate, which trigger huge quakes in Central America.

In some cases you can have "smooth" subduction without and real heavy seismic surface action, and even with so called opposed faulting like the central region of the San Andreas which moves around 1 inch a year, with the north American plate sliding past the Pacific plate with little or no activity.

Further south around L.A its another story. ( the so called awaited "big one")

[serge_regulator]

I have been following the earth quakes working their way around the pacific rim for a while now. I dont know too much about the Yellowstone/Mammoth volcanic system other than the Yellowstone is one of the biggest active volcanos there is.

What kind of potential is there for a significant anomaly as the quake pattern moves farther south along the US western coastline? Quakes have already started in the Oregon area...

[shortround]

Hard to say, as that region is divided by The Cascade subduction zone, ( where the Pacific Plate stops passing under the westward moving North American plate that creates the volcanic activity in Oregon/ Washington ) and the beginning of the Strike lateral slip section of the San Andreas fault which lays north of San Fransisco about 150 miles. Kind of a cutoff point for two distinct and different seismic systems.

Any substantial quake activity within Oregon or Washington would be related to the subduction volcanic system that runs north to the Canadian border, and the main driver is the push from the east by the N. American plate. The best monitoring system for watching that system is http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/...framework.html


Its all in constant movement, perhaps only 1 or 2 inches a year, but none the less a slow moving juggernaut that presses westward from the Mid Atlantic spreading ridge, everything west of this has to continually adjust itself to the expanding new crust material being created.

You can also look at the live earthquake chart several posts back that shows any new quake activity within California, vary cool map...

[krakatoa]

<<Immense radiation and other materials>> seeping down through the lithosphere heating everything up along the way don't help either.

I just saw this, i did'nt get it the last time when i read it, RADIATIONS???

Thanks of all these info and link to everyone, i love this thread.

Krakatoa.

[Tired Old Man]

I've seen something about this posted in here somewhere. So I looked on line and found this. Just wondering if we are looking at a new shift of the Continent's. Not sure if I'll miss California, but would like to keep Texas.

African Continent splitting, new ocean forming.
http://www.newdaynews.com/openhouse/...mes/read/23350

Couldn't find any new info on this.

[serge_regulator]

Originally Posted by shortround

Any substantial quake activity within Oregon or Washington would be related to the subduction volcanic system that runs north to the Canadian border, and the main driver is the push from the east by the N. American plate.

Agreed. I was thinking though that the quakes working their way around the pacific rim are going to be a problem. As each location experiences a fairly severe quake the focal point of the stress is pushed forward to the next likely place for another quake. 'Likely' as based on the stress applied to any anomalous weakness within the fault itself. As each successive quake takes place the leading edge of the stress moves farther around the rim - which follows the west coast south all the way to mexico.

My concern was that the next 'likely' place for a fairly significant earthquake would be near enough to one of these volcanic hot spots to initiate something bigger. Possible?

[shortround]

Originally Posted by serge_regulator

Agreed. I was thinking though that the quakes working their way around the pacific rim are going to be a problem. As each location experiences a fairly severe quake the focal point of the stress is pushed forward to the next likely place for another quake. 'Likely' as based on the stress applied to any anomalous weakness within the fault itself. As each successive quake takes place the leading edge of the stress moves farther around the rim - which follows the west coast south all the way to mexico.

My concern was that the next 'likely' place for a fairly significant earthquake would be near enough to one of these volcanic hot spots to initiate something bigger. Possible?

Well large to medium shocks are usually localized to one given fault movement, and quake swarms are usually signs of soon to be volcanic activity, and they are relative to built up stress. While some fault areas may move unabated without seismic action due to low friction along the opposed lines, others jerk along with long periods of non action, the southern region of California is just such a place because of a dog leg bend in the fault line.

The mammoth lakes region is an area where the crust is thiner and magma lays between 7 and 12 KM below the surface. Whats causing this stretching of the crust east of the Sierra Nevada is the northern movement of the NA plate is literally bending the entire mountain range as it gets stuck at this dog leg along the San Andreas.

Click on the image below, the range is represented in blue/green, and you can clearly see the bending action as the plates ram against one another in their north/ south opposed directions. A more graphic example of this action is the Baja California peninsula, where a 1000 mile long piece has split away from the continental U.S

[TruthinLight]

I remember reading that the government of the U.S.A. had passed a bill after 2001 that lets them restrict all data and earth science information that they want from the public on the bases that it could be used against us in a time of war. So if this is true then how accurate are all these government sites that show earthquakes or inferred reading. I know for sure that almost all live data about Yellowstone activity and solar activity is definitely censor from us. So for all we know a lot more can be happening and all we see is the little that they want us to see.

[Nu Kua]

Originally Posted by TruthinLight

I remember reading that the government of the U.S.A. had passed a bill after 2001 that lets them restrict all data and earth science information that they want from the public on the bases that it could be used against us in a time of war.

The Society of Environmental Journalists probably has that listed here, as they actively protest FOIA restrictions relating to the envirnment, climate, ect.
I was looking for a direct link to the text/bill because I also remember reading about that. Will keep looking.
In the meantime the above link is a good place to start if anyone is interested in restrictions of the Freedom of Information Act as regards the climate.

*edit
Adding this link from the site to news stories collected regarding disinformation and whatnot as related to the global warming debate. Also has links to stories speaking of suppressed evidence and such. Maybe we'll find it here.

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