Mess Lake Lava Field
Encyclopedia
The Mess Lake Lava Field is a volcanic field
associated with the Mount Edziza volcanic complex
of the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province
in northwestern British Columbia
, Canada
. It lies northwest of the Spectrum Range
on the Kitsu Plateau
and consists of young basalt
ic lava flows and tephra
. The source for the basaltic lava and tephra was three cinder cone
s, including Mess Lake Cone
and The Ash Pit
, which may be the youngest volcanic feature of the Mount Edziza volcanic complex.
The Mess Lake Lava Field is noticeable from satellite or aerial images due to its extremely black young basalt. Its westernmost and southwesternmost ends are flanked by the Mess Creek Escarpment
, forming a steep prominent cliff
. This cliff exposes several layers of black columnar basaltic lava flows with distal rock fragments and pyroclastic
deposits. Eruptions of the young Mess Lake Lava Field basalts cascaded down this steep lava cliff similar to what occurs at the island of Hawaii
and covered some of the columnar basalt jointing.
Near Mess Lake
, inactive hot spring
s can be found and are most likely associated with the most recent eruptive activity in the Mess Lake Lava Field. Hot springs are closely associated with fumarole
s, which are vents in an active volcanic area releasing steam and hot gases, such as sulfur dioxide
. In general, the water is rotating groundwater that comes into contact with rocks heated by magma and finds openings to the surface. The formation of the springs depends both on the rocks the water has passed through and the profusion of volcanic discharges mixed with the groundwater. Iron oxide
, iron sulfide
s and other substances usually color pools of boiling mud brilliant yellow, red, brown or green. Hot springs comprising significantly softened silica may deposit it to form siliceous sinter, whereas those comprising softened calcium
carbonate
deposit spongy-looking calcareous rock called tufa
. Overflow of the springs can build masses, spires or stepped terraces of sinter or tufa.
Volcanic field
A volcanic field is an area of the Earth's crust that is prone to localized volcanic activity. They usually contain 10 to 100 volcanoes, such as cinder cones and are usually in clusters. Lava flows may also occur...
associated with the Mount Edziza volcanic complex
Mount Edziza volcanic complex
The Mount Edziza volcanic complex is a large and potentially active north-south trending complex volcano in Stikine Country, northwestern British Columbia, Canada, located southeast of the small community of Telegraph Creek...
of the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province
Northern Cordilleran volcanic province
The Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province , formerly known as the Stikine Volcanic Belt, is a geologic province defined by the occurrence of Miocene to Holocene volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest of North America...
in northwestern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It lies northwest of the Spectrum Range
Spectrum Range
The Spectrum Range, formerly called the Spectrum Mountains and the Rainbow Mountains, is a subrange of the Tahltan Highland in the Stikine Country of northwestern British Columbia, 20 km west of the Stewart-Cassiar Highway, south of Mount Edziza and north of the Arctic Lake Plateau. The...
on the Kitsu Plateau
Kitsu Plateau
The Kitsu Plateau is a lava plateau in northern British Columbia, Canada, located east of Mess Lake in Mount Edziza Provincial Park and Recreation Area. It is named in association with Kitsu Peak and Kitsu Creek. Kitsu in the Tahltan language is the word for the northern lights.-See...
and consists of young 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...
ic lava flows and tephra
Tephra
200px|thumb|right|Tephra horizons in south-central [[Iceland]]. The thick and light coloured layer at center of the photo is [[rhyolitic]] tephra from [[Hekla]]....
. The source for the basaltic lava and tephra was three 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, including Mess Lake Cone
Mess Lake Cone
Mess Lake Cone is a cinder cone in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is polygenetic in nature, having erupted more than once throughout its eruptive history. Mess Lake Cone is one of the volcanoes that produced young basaltic lava flows in the central portion of the Mount Edziza volcanic...
and The Ash Pit
The Ash Pit
The Ash Pit is a volcanic crater, located in the Spectrum Range in British Columbia, Canada. It is Holocene in age and is considered the youngest feature in the Spectrum Range volcanic complex...
, which may be the youngest volcanic feature of the Mount Edziza volcanic complex.
The Mess Lake Lava Field is noticeable from satellite or aerial images due to its extremely black young basalt. Its westernmost and southwesternmost ends are flanked by the Mess Creek Escarpment
Mess Creek Escarpment
The Mess Creek Escarpment is an escarpment in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, located on the east side of Mess Creek below Mess Lake and southeast of Telegraph Creek...
, forming a steep prominent cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
. This cliff exposes several layers of black columnar basaltic lava flows with distal rock fragments and pyroclastic
Pyroclastic rock
Pyroclastic rocks or pyroclastics are clastic rocks composed solely or primarily of volcanic materials. Where the volcanic material has been transported and reworked through mechanical action, such as by wind or water, these rocks are termed volcaniclastic...
deposits. Eruptions of the young Mess Lake Lava Field basalts cascaded down this steep lava cliff similar to what occurs at the island of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
and covered some of the columnar basalt jointing.
Near Mess Lake
Mess Lake
Mess Lake is a lake in Mount Edziza Provincial Park northern British Columbia, Canada. It is an expansion of Mess Creek....
, inactive hot spring
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
s can be found and are most likely associated with the most recent eruptive activity in the Mess Lake Lava Field. Hot springs are closely associated with fumarole
Fumarole
A fumarole is an opening in a planet's crust, often in the neighborhood of volcanoes, which emits steam and gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen sulfide. The steam is created when superheated water turns to steam as its pressure drops when it emerges from...
s, which are vents in an active volcanic area releasing steam and hot gases, such as sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula . It is released by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Since coal and petroleum often contain sulfur compounds, their combustion generates sulfur dioxide unless the sulfur compounds are removed before burning the fuel...
. In general, the water is rotating groundwater that comes into contact with rocks heated by magma and finds openings to the surface. The formation of the springs depends both on the rocks the water has passed through and the profusion of volcanic discharges mixed with the groundwater. Iron oxide
Iron oxide
Iron oxides are chemical compounds composed of iron and oxygen. All together, there are sixteen known iron oxides and oxyhydroxides.Iron oxides and oxide-hydroxides are widespread in nature, play an important role in many geological and biological processes, and are widely utilized by humans, e.g.,...
, iron sulfide
Iron sulfide
Iron sulfide or Iron sulphide refers to a chemical compound of iron and sulfur with a wide range of stoechiometric formulae and different crystalline structures.-Natural minerals:By increasing order of stability:...
s and other substances usually color pools of boiling mud brilliant yellow, red, brown or green. Hot springs comprising significantly softened silica may deposit it to form siliceous sinter, whereas those comprising softened calcium
Calcium
Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
carbonate
Carbonate
In chemistry, a carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid, characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, . The name may also mean an ester of carbonic acid, an organic compound containing the carbonate group C2....
deposit spongy-looking calcareous rock called tufa
Tufa
Tufa is a variety of limestone, formed by the precipitation of carbonate minerals from ambient temperature water bodies. Geothermally heated hot-springs sometimes produce similar carbonate deposits known as travertine...
. Overflow of the springs can build masses, spires or stepped terraces of sinter or tufa.
See also
- List of volcanoes in Canada
- List of Northern Cordilleran volcanoes
- Volcanism of Canada
- Volcanism of Western CanadaVolcanism of Western CanadaVolcanism of Western Canada produces lava flows, lava plateaus, lava domes, cinder cones, stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes, submarine volcanoes, calderas, diatremes and maars, along with examples of more less common volcanic forms such as tuyas and subglacial mounds.-Volcanic belts:*Anahim...
- Desolation Lava FieldDesolation Lava FieldThe Desolation Lava Field is a volcanic field associated with the Mount Edziza volcanic complex in British Columbia, Canada. It covers on the northern end of the Mount Edziza volcanic complex and is the largest area of the youngest lava flows. The longest lava flow from the field and the volcanic...
- Snowshoe Lava FieldSnowshoe lava fieldThe Snowshoe Lava Field is a volcanic field associated with the Mount Edziza volcanic complex in northern British Columbia, Canada. It is on the southern end of the Big Raven Plateau and is an area of young lava flows.-Volcanoes:...