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Eruptive History Within the Vicinity of Al Madīnah in Northern Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Professional Paper 1862-C
Jointly published with the Saudi Geological Survey [as Saudi Geological Survey Special Report SGS–SP–2021–1]
By: , , , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1862C

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Abstract

The northernmost part of the Harrat Rahat volcanic field contains early Pleistocene to Holocene mafic eruptive products within the vicinity of the city of Al Madīnah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A detailed geologic investigation into the eruptive history of a 570 square kilometer (km2) area covering Al Madīnah and the surrounding area has yielded 33 mapped Quaternary volcanic units consisting of lava flows, scoria cones, and shield volcanoes. These eruptive products consist of continental, intraplate alkalic and minor transitional basalts, hawaiites, and a single mugearite that were emplaced from at least 1,014±14 thousand years ago (ka) to a single Holocene eruption in 1256 C.E. Lava flows are generally 10 to 15 kilometers (km) long (but can reach 23 km long), 1 to 3 km wide, and at least 10 meters thick. Most of the mapped units erupted episodically between 400 and 340 ka and 180 and 100 ka. Despite small individual volumes (less than 1 cubic kilometers dense rock equivalent), each unit represents eruption of a distinct magma batch that was strongly influenced by clinopyroxene, olivine, and plagioclase fractionation. Some of these units are interpreted to have undergone magma mixing pre- and (or) syneruptively. Integrating eruption ages, geochemistry, and paleomagnetic data yields evidence that some eruptions were temporally and (or) spatially clustered. Aligned scoria cones and elongate vent edifices were constructed atop fissure vent systems that reflect the local stress field, which controls dike ascent through the middle and upper crust.

Suggested Citation

Downs, D.T., Stelten, M.E., Champion, D.E., Dietterich, H.R., Hassan, K., and Shawali, J., 2023, Eruptive history within the vicinity of Al Madīnah in northern Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, chap. C of Sisson, T.W., Calvert, A.T., and Mooney, W.D., eds., Active volcanism on the Arabian Shield—Geology, volcanology, and geophysics of northern Harrat Rahat and vicinity, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1862 [also released as Saudi Geological Survey Special Report SGS–SP–2021–1], 41 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1862C.

ISSN: 2330-7102 (online)

ISSN: 1044-9612 (print)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Geological Setting
  • Methods
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • Conclusions
  • Acknowledgments
  • References Cited
  • Appendix 1. Selected 40Ar/39Ar Age-Spectra Diagrams
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Eruptive history within the vicinity of Al Madīnah in northern Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Series title Professional Paper
Series number 1862
Chapter C
DOI 10.3133/pp1862C
Year Published 2023
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Volcano Science Center
Description Report: vii, 41 p.; Data Release
Country Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details