High-Resolution Ground-Based Magnetic Survey of a Buried Volcano: Anomaly B, Amargosa Desert, NV

Authors

Ophelia A. George, University of South FloridaFollow
Judy McIlrath, University of South FloridaFollow
Alexandra Farrell, University of South FloridaFollow
Elisabeth Gallant, University of South FloridaFollow
Samantha Tavarez, University of South FloridaFollow
Anita Marshall, University of South FloridaFollow
Christine McNiff, University of South FloridaFollow
Mary Njoroge, University of South FloridaFollow
James Wilson, University of South FloridaFollow
Charles Connor, University of South FloridaFollow
Laura Connor, University of South FloridaFollow
Sarah Kruse, University of South FloridaFollow

Abstract

Aeromagnetic surveys over the Amargosa Desert, Nevada, have revealed the presence of several magnetic anomalies that have been interpreted to be caused by buried volcanoes; many of these anomalies have been confirmed by drilling. We present data collected from a high-resolution, ground-based magnetic survey over Anomaly B, the largest of these anomalies, that reveal details about a buried crater and its associated lava flow, not observed in the aeromagnetic surveys. These details provide insight into the nature of the eruption and volume of this buried volcano. Results from non-linear inversion demarcate a crater with a diameter of approximately 700 m and a base approximately 150 m below the ground surface. Coupled with well log data, the inversion results suggest a total volume for the Anomaly B crater area and associated lava flows of approximately 1.0 ± 0.4 km3, based on an estimated lava flow field area of 24 km2 and a lava thickness of 42 ± 15 m. A workflow is presented for processing such large ground-based magnetic data sets with attendant GPS data, filtering these data and constructing maps and models using the provided PERL scripts.

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/2163-338X.1.3

Recommended Citation

George, Ophelia A.; McIlrath, Judy; Farrell, Alexandra; Gallant, Elisabeth; Tavarez, Samantha; Marshall, Anita; McNiff, Christine; Njoroge, Mary; Wilson, James; Connor, Charles; Connor, Laura; and Kruse, Sarah (2015) "High-Resolution Ground-Based Magnetic Survey of a Buried Volcano: Anomaly B, Amargosa Desert, NV," Statistics in Volcanology: Vol. 1: 1-23.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/2163-338X.1.3
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/siv/vol1/iss1/3