Monmouth Creek complex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Monmouth Creek complex |
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 Monmouth Creek complex
Location in British Columbia
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 510 m (1,670 ft) |
| Geography | |
| Location | British Columbia, Canada |
| Parent range | Pacific Ranges |
| Topo map | NTS 92G/11 |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Unknown |
| Volcanic arc/belt | Cascade Volcanic Arc Garibaldi Volcanic Belt |
The Monmouth Creek complex is a special kind of volcano area in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It's located about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) southwest of the town of Squamish. This area is part of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains. It also belongs to a larger group of volcanoes called the Garibaldi Volcanic Belt, which is the northern end of the Cascade Volcanic Arc.
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What is a Volcanic Complex?
A volcanic complex isn't just one simple volcano. Instead, it's a group of volcanic features that are all connected underground. Think of it like a puzzle made of different volcanic pieces. These pieces can include lava domes, which are sticky mounds of lava, and dikes, which are sheets of rock that formed when magma squeezed into cracks and then cooled.
The Monmouth Creek complex is made of different types of volcanic rock, like basaltic andesite and dacite. Scientists don't know exactly how old it is.
How Monmouth Creek Complex Formed
One of the most interesting things about the Monmouth Creek complex is how it might have formed. Scientists believe it probably grew subglacially. This means it formed under a thick layer of ice or a glacier! Imagine a volcano erupting underneath a giant sheet of ice. The ice would have shaped the way the lava cooled and moved.
When lava erupts under ice, it cools very quickly. This can create unique rock formations. The pressure from the ice also plays a big role in how the volcano grows.
Cool Features: Lava Spines and Dikes
The Monmouth Creek complex has some very cool and unusual features. Its most noticeable parts are tall, rocky structures that stick out from the ground.
Dikes and Lava Spines
At least four large dikes poke out from the top of the complex. These dikes are like the "ribs" of tall, pointy structures called lava spines. These spines can be from 60 meters (200 feet) to 180 meters (590 feet) tall! The tallest and most famous of these is known as The Castle.
The Castle and other spines are made of dacite, a type of volcanic rock. They have special patterns called "columnar joints." These are like long, vertical columns that form when lava cools and shrinks. You can see these columns both horizontally and fanning out from the spines.
Near the bottom of these spines, the rock is covered by something called "welded breccia." This is a type of rock made of broken pieces that have been fused together by heat. The columnar joints even extend into this welded rock. These features give us clues about how the Monmouth Creek complex was formed long ago, possibly under ancient glaciers.
