Unknown to many, the state of New Mexico contains numerous active and recent volcanic features,
such as the Valles supervolcano northwest of Santa Fe.
Some of the active volcanoes in the state have produced spectacular eruptions such as
the Carrizozo volcano, which erupted continuously for four decades and produced a 50 mile long
lava flow visible from satellite.
However, recent studies have shown that there is something else which is rather unexpected
in the state.
Beneath the town of Socorro in New Mexico is one of the world's largest magma chambers.
Known as the Socorro Magma Body, it contains 84 cubic miles or 350 cubic kilometers of
molten rock.
Every year, a large mass of ground surrounding this town is slowly uplifted as magma continues
to intrude into the crust.
This molten rock is quite active, as every year it produces 45% of all of the earthquakes
large enough to be felt within the state.
So, what exactly will occur due to this massive magma chamber?
Will a new volcano form relatively soon?
This video will answer these two questions and discuss this unusual feature.
Within New Mexico, a large section of the state is slowly spreading apart to the east
and west as part of a failed rift zone.
This rift zone, known as the Rio Grande rift, is responsible for the vast majority of the
state's recent volcanic activity.
It is within the middle of this rift that the Socorro magma body is located, which is
centered around the town of Socorro.
In total, this magma body covers an area of approximately 1,300 square miles.
It is unusually thin, with the average thickness of the feature only averaging approximately
150 meters or 490 feet thick.
This feature is quite deep in the crust, at a depth of 19 kilometers or 12 miles.
Due to the sheer amount of magma present in this system, you might think that it is simply
the beginnings of another supervolcano much like the Valles Caldera.
However, this is not the case.
The vast amount of at depth material currently does not have the correct composition to support
a highly explosive eruption, let alone a supervolcanic eruption.
It is inferred to be a giant sill of basaltic or gabbro magma, with a composition relatively
similar to products erupted at Kilauea in Hawaii.
With this being said, it is almost a certainty that the Socorro Magma Body will eventually
be the site of a new volcano.
Based on the dynamics of the molten rock, the first series of eruptions will occur along
a north trending series of fissures.
Over time, these fissures might build a series of cinder cones or a large shield volcano.
My analysis suggests that any such eruption would drain a section of the overall magma
chamber, meaning that a significant period of time would be required before it erupts
again.
Thus, I think it would be best to classify the eventual volcanic system which will be
built here not as a singular volcano but rather a large volcanic field with widely dispersed
smaller vents.
A good comparison of a similar volcanic system within the United States is the Clear Lake
volcanic field in California, which contains approximately 4 times the volume of magma
in the Socorro magma body.
This vast body of magma is consistently replenished, as if it was not, it would have cooled within
a period of 800 years.
Evidence suggests that the magma body first began growing 122,000 years ago.
Then, beginning 60,000 years ago, the modern uplift and increased rate of magma influx
began, increasing the flow of molten rock to modern levels.
With all of this being said, a volcanic eruption is still highly unlikely in the next several
thousand years.
Rather, those in the area should turn their attention to a more significant and likely
hazard; earthquakes.
As an example, the largest earthquake to ever occur in the state originated from this magma
body in 1906, and was a mid magnitude 6 earthquake which caused significant damage.
However, along the Rio Grande rift, there is evidence of far larger earthquakes in the
past, up to magnitude 7.5 on the Richter scale.
Thus, when the next large earthquake occurs within the state, it will probably originate
from magmatic activity near Socorro.
In the near future, this massive magma chamber will continue to cause numerous magnitude
2 to 4 earthquakes, and continue to push the ground upwards at a rate of one inch every
10 years.
I hope that you enjoyed this video.
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