Alligator Lake
Encyclopedia
The Alligator Lake volcanic complex is a group of basalt
ic cinder cone
s and lava flows in south central Yukon
. The upper part of the Alligator Lake volcanic complex consists of two well-preserved cinder cones capping a small shield volcano
. They probably post-date the local Holocene
glaciation. Lava flows from both cinder cones traveled to the north and were erupted simultaneously. Their compositions range from alkali olivine
basalt
to basanitic
. Lava flows from the northeast cone are the largest extending 6 km (4 mi) from the cone and expanding to a width of 10 km (6 mi) at the terminus.
The volcanic complex was named by the nearby Alligator Lake.
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
ic cinder cone
Cinder cone
According to the , Cinder Cone is the proper name of 1 cinder cone in Canada and 7 cinder cones in the United States:In Canada: Cinder Cone In the United States:...
s and lava flows in south central Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
. The upper part of the Alligator Lake volcanic complex consists of two well-preserved cinder cones capping a small shield volcano
Shield volcano
A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. They are named for their large size and low profile, resembling a warrior's shield. This is caused by the highly fluid lava they erupt, which travels farther than lava erupted from more explosive volcanoes...
. They probably post-date the local Holocene
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
glaciation. Lava flows from both cinder cones traveled to the north and were erupted simultaneously. Their compositions range from alkali olivine
Olivine
The mineral olivine is a magnesium iron silicate with the formula 2SiO4. It is a common mineral in the Earth's subsurface but weathers quickly on the surface....
basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
to basanitic
Basanite
Basanite is an igneous, volcanic rock with aphanitic to porphyritic texture.The mineral assembly is usually abundant feldspathoids , plagioclase, and augite, together with olivine and lesser iron-titanium oxides such as ilmenite and magnetite-ulvospinel; minor alkali feldspar may be present, as...
. Lava flows from the northeast cone are the largest extending 6 km (4 mi) from the cone and expanding to a width of 10 km (6 mi) at the terminus.
The volcanic complex was named by the nearby Alligator Lake.
See also
- List of Northern Cordilleran volcanoes
- List of volcanoes in Canada
- Volcanic history of the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic ProvinceVolcanic history of the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic ProvinceThe volcanic history of the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province presents a record of volcanic activity in northwestern British Columbia, central Yukon and the U.S. state of easternmost Alaska. The volcanic activity lies in the northern part of the Western Cordillera of the Pacific Northwest...
- Volcanism of Canada