Taryatu-Chulutu

48°10′N 99°42′E / 48.17°N 99.7°E / 48.17; 99.7[1]Taryatu-Chulutu (Mongolian: Тариатын чулуут, romanized: tariatyn chuluut, "rocks of Tariat") is a volcanic field in Mongolia.

The volcanic field lies in the Taryatu depression,[2] on the northern slope of the Hangai range.

[4] Following stabilization of the whole Hangai region in the Paleozoic, only in the late Cenozoic did tectonic activity recommence.

[3] Other theories for the Hangai postulate a mantle plume or the removal of part of the lithosphere by asthenospheric currents.

Between 0.75 and 0.36 mya the Taryat–Chulutyn lava river was erupted from several Pleistocene-Holocene centres and grew to a length of c. 100 kilometres (62 mi).

[7] Shavaryn-Tsaram forms a breccia and pyroclastic deposit accompanied by a lava flow following the valley bottom,[4] 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of the Suman river.

[3] In the western part of the depression, six Holocene cinder cones are found which have generated lava flows.

[2] An arcuate chain of volcanoes named Odnobokii, Listvennichnyi, and Sosnovyi is found directly southwest of Khorog/Khorgo.

[6] Augitite, potassic limburgite, pyroxene trachybasalts and trachyte-andesite are found in the Pliocene layers.

Pleistocene layers contain ultramafic xenoliths, with the youngest Holocene flows containing the largest amounts.

[3] Volcanic activity in the field ranges from Pliocene to Holocene,[2] commencing about 8 mya ago.

[11] It is part of the Khorgo-Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park,[10] which was established in 1965[13] and is a major tourism destination.

[10] The national park (48°8′N 99°38′E / 48.133°N 99.633°E / 48.133; 99.633) has a surface area of 773 square kilometres (298 sq mi) and lies at an altitude of 2,060 metres (6,760 ft).

The Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake is an important food source for migratory waterfowl and has a surface area of 268 square kilometres (103 sq mi).