Cinder Cones Geomorphometric Dating in the Camargo Volcanic Field, Chihuahua, Mexico

Abstract

The Camargo Volcanic Field (CVF), located in the southeastern portion of the Mexican state of Chihuahua, is part of the Basin & Range province. With a surface of nearly 3000 km 2 and composed of approximately 300 cinder cones, it is considered the largest alkaline mafic volcanic field in northern Mexico. Radiometric analyses have yielded absolute ages ranging from 4 to 0.09 Ma. Cinder cones are landforms that do not show significant variations in composition or shape, leading to constant erosion. Specifically, the relationship between their slope and age has been analyzed in numerous studies, showing that slopes decrease with age; this can then be used as an indicator of the relative age of the cones. This study applies an equation from Miller (2006), which correlates radiometric ages with slope angles from other arid-region cinder cones. Using this method, an exponential trend equation was published in previous work, based on data from cones dated using absolute dating methods and measured using remote sensing imagery. This work presents a geomorphometric study in which slopes and the distribution of 51 cinder cones were measured and analyzed. Digital elevation models, topographic maps, Google Earth, and drone images were processed to measure the cinder cones. Results showed slopes ranging from 3˚ to 13˚, with ages ranging from 226,671 to 99,408 years. The oldest cones are located within the SW portion of CVF, while the youngest cones are found in its north and NE portions. The data obtained were consistent with previous studies; however, it is important to note that the parameters used vary with image resolution. It was concluded that drone images are more accurate for geomorphometric age calculations because they have higher spatial resolution, yielding more precise measurements. Geomorphometric dating is suggested as a preliminary tool in volcanic field studies, but it is always advised to apply radiometric dating to determine the volcanic history of an area.