Javaria Aziz Master's Candidate

Javaria Aziz Master’s Candidate

My master’s thesis focuses on understanding magma evolution and eruptive history of Three Fingered Jack, a dissected mafic composite cone volcano in the central High Cascades of Oregon. This region is characterized by intra-arc extension, creating an extensive mafic platform dominated by dozens of small scoria cones and voluminous mafic flows of basaltic and basaltic andesitic composition. It has the largest concentration of mafic monogenetic volcanoes in the entire Cascade arc, some of which have erupted in the past 2,500 years. Three Fingered Jack is much larger compared to its neighboring scoria cones.

Studying older, eroded volcanoes, like Three Fingered Jack, can help us better understand the eruptive patterns of the more voluminous intra-arc volcanoes of the central High Cascades. These are the ones from which lava flows may travel far enough to pose risk to central Oregon communities.  Analytical methods used for this study are geochemical analysis, Ar/Ar age dating, scanning electron microscope, and detailed field mapping.