Size, distribution, and magma output rate for shield volcanoes of the Michoacán-Guanajuato volcanic field, Central Mexico

Abstract

The Michoacán-Guanajuato Volcanic Field (MGVF), in the west-central Mexican Volcanic Belt (MVB), contains nearly 400 medium-sized volcanoes in addition to 1000 small monogenetic cones. The area is distinct from other parts of the MVB, where large composite volcanoes predominate. Shield volcanoes are dominant among medium-sized volcanoes, which also include minor lava domes and composite volcanoes. The location, height, basal diameter, and crater diameter (when applicable) of 378 medium-sized volcanoes were catalogued, and the slope angles and volumes were calculated from these data. The median shield volcano has a height of 340 m, a basal diameter of 4100 m, an average slope angle of 9.4°, and a volume of 1.7 km 3. The shield volcanoes in the MGVF are similar in size to Icelandic-type shield volcanoes, but the former have much higher slope angles and smaller basal diameters than the latter. Within the MGVF, these medium-sized volcanoes are located between 190 km and 430 km from the Middle America Trench; the distribution area is similar to that of small cones, but clusters and alignments are not as obvious for the medium-sized cones. The shield density is highest between 270 and 280 km from the Middle America Trench, 20 km farther than the density maximum for small cones. Ten medium-sized volcanoes were considered younger than 40,000 yr B.P. from lava flow morphology. The slope angle and a ratio of height to basal diameter are not useful age indicators, because they seem to reflect difference in original shield shape. K-Ar ages of shield volcanoes reveal that the volcanoes located north of latitude 19°55′N were active between 1 Ma and 3 Ma, whereas those south of latitude 19°55′N were active since 1 Ma. The average volcanic output rate estimated for the last 1 Ma is 0.7 km 3/1000 yr., whereas that for the period of 1–3 Ma is 0.2 km 3/1000 yr. An increase in magma production occurred around 1 Ma in response to migration of volcanism and probably to a change in tectonics and the thermal structure of the magma source region.