This week's Friday Field Foto is from Kilbourne Hole in southernmost New Mexico -- very close to El Paso, Texas. This was my last field trip as a student back in 2007 -- see more photos from that trip here.
Kilbourne Hole is a maar volcano, which (I remember correctly) is an explosive eruption of mostly gas and steam. The volcano-lovers reading this should feel free to comment below correcting me or sharing more.
This feature is a very cool place to visit as a sedimentologist because the ejecta deposits are from pyroclastic density currents. The 'base surge' deposits shown above are extensivly cross-stratified. I also like how this outcrop shows the three dimensionality of the cross beds.
Bonus link: It doesn't surprise me one bit to find that Ron has a Gigapan from Kilbourne Hole -- where hasn't Ron been between the west coast and the Mississippi with his camera?
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Happy Friday!
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