Caribou Tuya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Caribou Tuya |
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 Caribou Tuya
Location in British Columbia
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,770 m (5,810 ft) |
| Geography | |
| Location | British Columbia, Canada |
| Parent range | Tuya Range |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Subglacial mound |
| Volcanic arc/belt | Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province |
| Last eruption | Pleistocene |
Caribou Tuya is a special kind of volcano found in far northwestern British Columbia, Canada. It's called a subglacial mound because it formed when lava erupted under a thick sheet of ice. This happened during a time known as the Fraser glaciation, which was about 25,000 to 10,000 years ago.
Caribou Tuya is made of a common volcanic rock called basalt. Scientists have studied its layers, which show how the lava changed as it erupted under the ice. These layers include rounded "pillow lavas" and shattered "hyaloclastite" rock. Sometimes, the very top layers are regular lava flows that erupted after the ice had melted away.
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What is a Subglacial Mound?
A subglacial mound is a volcano that grows underneath a glacier or ice sheet. When hot lava meets cold ice, it creates unique rock formations. Caribou Tuya is a great example of this.
How Volcanoes Erupt Under Ice
When a volcano erupts under ice, the lava cools very quickly. This fast cooling creates different types of rock:
- Pillow lavas: These are rounded, pillow-shaped rocks. They form when lava flows into water or melts ice. The outside of the lava cools fast, making a crust, while the inside stays hot and pushes out.
- Hyaloclastite: This is a type of rock made of broken, glass-like volcanic fragments. It forms when lava shatters into tiny pieces as it cools rapidly in water or ice.
As the eruption continues, layers of these rocks build up. If the eruption is strong enough, the lava can melt through the ice. Then, it can flow out onto the surface, forming regular lava flows.
Caribou Tuya's Volcanic Rocks
Scientists have collected samples from Caribou Tuya to learn more about its past. They found different kinds of basalt rock:
- Glassy pillow basalts, which cooled very fast.
- Hyaloclastites, which show how the lava shattered.
- Crystalline basalt flows, which cooled more slowly.
These samples help us understand the volcano's history. They show how the lava changed as it interacted with the ice.
When Did Caribou Tuya Erupt?
Scientists believe Caribou Tuya formed and last erupted during the Pleistocene Epoch. This was a long geological time period that lasted from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. It was a time when large ice sheets covered much of the Earth.
The Fraser glaciation, when Caribou Tuya was active, was part of the end of the Pleistocene. Studying volcanoes like Caribou Tuya helps us learn about Earth's climate history. It also shows us how volcanoes behave when they erupt in icy environments.
