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January Reconnaissance Trip

May/June Expedition

Press Release

INTRODUCTION

The Reforma 2000 Expedition will investigate two volcanic regions in Baja California, Mexico. The expedition is funded by the National Geographic Society’s Committee for Research and Exploration.
Led by volcanologist Dr. Brian Hausback, Ph.D., over a period of two weeks in January, and three weeks in May/June 2000, a team of geologists will gather geologic information on the recent and prehistoric volcanism of two active volcanic areas: Las Tres Virgenes/La Reforma , and Isla San Luis. This includes taking rock samples, stratigraphic sections, preliminary geologic mapping and photography.

Tres Virgenes
(Photograph by Brian Hausback)

Isla San Luis
(Photograph by Brian Hausback)

    One goal will be to study the timing and style of eruptions at Isla San Luis (below, left), an island volcano four miles off shore in the Sea of Cortez in the Gonzaga Bay area. There is a high probability that this volcanic center erupted within the last several hundred years. In addition, the expedition will visit the La Reforma volcano, a spectacular resurgent caldera on the Gulf coast, just north of Santa Rosalia. Little is known of the most recent volcanic history of this volcano and no dates are available on its youngest eruptions.
    During the field campaign, the team will be living in remote desert locations, using light boats, four wheel drive vehicles, and extensive climbing & hiking to access key points of interest. In January, the team successfully completed a reconnaissance trip to Baja California, climbed Tres Virgenes (above, right) and scouted locations for the May expedition. Photographs and field notes from the January trip will be used for planning fieldwork in May.
    Reforma 2000 will be Dr. Hausback’s fourth and lengthiest exploratory trip to this desert environment. The expedition is funded by the National Geographic Society’s Committee for Research and Exploration.

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