Geophysical investigations of buried volcanic centers near Yucca Mountain, Southwest Nevada

Several aeromagnetic dipolar anomalies occur over flat, alluvial areas near Yucca Mountain that resemble anomalies typically associated with subaerial basaltic volcanic centers. Detailed gravity and ground magnetic data were collected along a surveyed traverse across an aeromagnetic anomaly in Amargosa Valley, south of Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Modeling of the ground magnetic data collected over the largest of these anomalies, the Lathrop Wells aeromagnetic anomaly, indicates that the top of the causative body, most likely basalt, is less than 250 m below the surface. Gravity data indicate an apparent lack of an associated gravity anomaly and suggest that either the causative body may be tuff rather than basalt, or the volume of the body is small. Both drilling and collection of more magnetic and gravity data are necessary because ages and volumes of buried volcanic centers are important constraints for estimating the probability of potential volcanism near the proposed nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain.