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Intro
Have you ever been up close and personal with a volcano? Well, I have. I was inside Sunset Crater and saw the volcano from several other viewpoints outside of the crater as well. As you can imagine, it was a very exciting experience. Sunset Crater is a site rich in otherworldly beauty, volcanology, anthropology, as well as a site that has consequences on our future, however small they may seem.
What is sunset crater?
Sunset Crater is a cinder-cone volcano (volcano made from pyroclastic material(lava that cools in mid-air)) located in North-Central Arizona. It is between 900 and 1,000 years old, and is the youngest volcano in the area. It is 1,000 ft from base to summit, and the elevation at the summit is 8,029 ft above sea level. It is one mile in diameter at the base, and at the summit it is 2,550 ft from rim to rim, with a crater depth of 300 ft. That is one big pile of rocks!
What does it look like?
Here are some photos of Sunset Crater and the surrounding landscape.
How did sunset crater form?
Sunset Crater began to form between the years of 1040 a.d. to 1100 a.d. It all started when a vent going directly to the mantle formed in the earth's crust. Blobs and droplets of lava began flying out of the vent, propelled by the gases that had built up in the area (water vapor, as well as hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide), cooled in mid-air, and fell to the earth as pyroclastic material. The three types of pyroclastic material that Sunset Crater ejected were ash, lapili (pebbles), and bombs (head-sized chunks). The ash covered the surrounding 800 sq. miles, while the larger pieces quickly built up to form Sunset Crater and the nearby landscape. Although Sunset Crater launched most of its lava into the air, where it cooled, the vent was also the source of two lava flows, the Bonito and the Kana-a. The Bonito pooled in an area of two square miles to the northwest of the crater, and reaches depths of 100 ft. in places, whereas the Kana-a flowed six miles to the northeast. Both are mainly aa (pronounced ah-ah) lava, which is jagged, basalt-based lava. In total, Sunset Crater ejected over 1 billion tons of material over its eruption span of approximately 10 years.
What wildlife can be found at sunset crater?
There isn't as much wildlife in Sunset Crater as the surrounding region, but it can still be found. In terms of plant life, there is not a whole lot to be found. There are plenty of pinyon pines, as seen above, as well as scrub, brush, and the occasional wildflower, but as far as plants go, that's about it. Animals, on the other hand, are a different story. There are plenty, if you know where to look for them. Animals include but are not limited to:
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What artifacts can be seen Around Sunset crater?
When sunset crater erupted, it covered the surrounding landscape in ash. Most of the landscape was ash, but some were settlements of native pueblo peoples. The local peoples must have seen smoke, or felt tremors in the ground, because no bodies have been recovered from known settlements, indicating that the natives must have evacuated before the actual eruptions began. However, various structures and artifacts have been recovered, from miniature "landfills-turned-living-spaces" to pottery to discarded food. One example is this reconstructed pueblo community building.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Sunset Crater is an amazing place. From ruins to wildlife to rocks the size of cars, a kind of location like this one can be found nowhere else. It is rich in beauty, history, and wonder. Although it may have been totally decimated at one point in time, the area is now making a comeback. Plants and animals are moving back into the area, as well as people (they may not be living there, but at least they are tourists). Sunset Crater is becoming a better place by the moment. Sunset Crater is also the youngest volcano in Arizona, and one of the youngest in the US, making it one of the most well-preserved volcanoes in North America. It is an amazing place, one that was well worth the visit.
Works cited
"Animals - Sunset Crater Volcano". Sunset Crater National Monument Arizona. 2016. 2 Jun. 2016 <https://www.nps.gov/sucr/learn/nature/animals.htm>
Fischer, Sue. Lava Flow Trail: Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Tucson, Western National Parks Association, 2015
"People - Sunset Crater Volcano". Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Arizona. 2016. 5 Jun. 2016 <https://www.nps.gov/sucr/learn/historyculture/people.htm>
"Plants - Sunset Crater Volcano". Sunset Crater National Monument Arizona. 2016. 2 Jun. 2016 <https://www.nps.gov/sucr/learn/nature/plants.htm>
Hanson, Sarah. Roadside Geology: Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments. Tucson, Arizona Geological Survey, 2003
"Volcanoes/Lava Flows - Sunset Crater Volcano". Sunset Crater National Monument Arizona. 2016. 5 Jun. 2016 <https://www.nps.gov/sucr/learn/nature/volcanoes.htm>
Fischer, Sue. Lava Flow Trail: Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Tucson, Western National Parks Association, 2015
"People - Sunset Crater Volcano". Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Arizona. 2016. 5 Jun. 2016 <https://www.nps.gov/sucr/learn/historyculture/people.htm>
"Plants - Sunset Crater Volcano". Sunset Crater National Monument Arizona. 2016. 2 Jun. 2016 <https://www.nps.gov/sucr/learn/nature/plants.htm>
Hanson, Sarah. Roadside Geology: Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments. Tucson, Arizona Geological Survey, 2003
"Volcanoes/Lava Flows - Sunset Crater Volcano". Sunset Crater National Monument Arizona. 2016. 5 Jun. 2016 <https://www.nps.gov/sucr/learn/nature/volcanoes.htm>