Abdelaziz
Abdallah
1.
In your own words how the Valles
Caldera was formed. Use diagrams, either your own or others (don't forget to
citations!) to assist you in your description?
Valles Caldera is 22-km-wide that formed because of two large volume eruptions that created the widespread Bandelier Tuff ignimbrite plateaus on all sides of the caldera. Valles Caldera lies in New Mexico( USA) of the elevation of 3430 m and latitude 35.870 N, and Longitude of 106.57 0 W( Global Volcanism program, 2012). It is one of the smaller volcanoes in the supervolcano class, where the circular topographic rim of the caldera measures 12 miles in diameter. Moreover, it has an active hot spring that exists now. The caldera and surrounding volcanic structures is the most thoroughly studied caldera complex in the United States. The lower member of the Bandelier Tuff, the Otawi, was emplaced about 1.7 million years ago (Ma) and resulted in the formation of most of the present-day Valles caldera, including the Toledo embayment at the NE side (Wikipedia, 2012).
Valles Caldera is 22-km-wide that formed because of two large volume eruptions that created the widespread Bandelier Tuff ignimbrite plateaus on all sides of the caldera. Valles Caldera lies in New Mexico( USA) of the elevation of 3430 m and latitude 35.870 N, and Longitude of 106.57 0 W( Global Volcanism program, 2012). It is one of the smaller volcanoes in the supervolcano class, where the circular topographic rim of the caldera measures 12 miles in diameter. Moreover, it has an active hot spring that exists now. The caldera and surrounding volcanic structures is the most thoroughly studied caldera complex in the United States. The lower member of the Bandelier Tuff, the Otawi, was emplaced about 1.7 million years ago (Ma) and resulted in the formation of most of the present-day Valles caldera, including the Toledo embayment at the NE side (Wikipedia, 2012).
2.
In your informed (yes this means reading and
looking at pictures) opinion, what are the properties that make it worthy of
preservation?
I think that it is worthy to be preserved as it
includes many unique and interesting environmental, geological, animal life,
historical, and cultural perspective. It has wide verity of plants and animal
life with some other fantastic geological views.
3.
Evaluate, again based on informed opinion, whether you believe the Valles Caldera
should be preserved. Why or why not?
As it is become more important to protect our
environment and natural life, I support the environmental effort to save and
guard this place. The site as I mentioned above contains many unique and
valuable plant, animals, geographic, and cultural elements.
From economic perspective, and regardless the
difficulties to manage this site, I think that well design and planned program
can overcome this problem. The environmental tourism is become widely demanded.
Likewise, it can generate more income and benefits for the local economies and
residents. On the other hand, the degradation of such sites has multi-negative
effects on both the economic and the environmental climate that it could cost
more than the money that could be paid for the reservation. Therefore, the rising problem related to the Valles Caldera is an
economic and managerial problem. It is hard to argue against the environmental
values of the site, and the main issue is how to show those values. At the same
time, I think that well planned and designed program could generate a good
benefits for both local and national economies.
References
Global
Volcanism Program, 2012. http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=121002-D
Wikipedia,
2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valles_Caldera
No comments:
Post a Comment