Ubehebe Crater, Death Valley–Photo Richard Elliott

A new study of Death Valley’s Ubehebe (You-bee Hee-bee) Crater presents two bold conclusions.  The first deduction places the crater’s age between 800-1,200 years old.  Traditionally accepted estimates placed the crater around 2,000 to 6,000 years old.  The second resolution claims that with this younger geological date, Ubehebe may possibly explode again, with the proper conditions of groundwater and magma mixing.

The research team, based at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observation, released their study in the January 18, 2012 issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters, a publication of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).  The paper (letters) was titled, “Do phreatomagmatic eruptions at Ubehebe Crater (Death Valley, California) relate to wetter than present hydro-climate?”  The presentation was authored by Peri Sasnet, Brent M. Goehring, Nichols Christie-Blick, and Joerg M. Schafer. 

According to the article, “A volcanic explosion crater may have future potential,” by the web site Watts Up With That?–The world’s most viewed Site on Global Warming and Climate Change (http://wattsupwiththat.com), the team of scientists, lead by Brent Goehring (now at Purdue University) and Professor Nicholas Christie-Blick of Lamont-Doherty, went on a field trip to Death Valley and Ubehebe Crater, with National Park approval, to collect rock samples to study the crater. 

Back in the lab, Goehring and geochemist Joerg Schaefer “applied recent advances in the analysis of beryllium isotopes..so they could pinpoint when the stones were unearthed,” reported Watts Up.

The resulting paper from the rock study, besides dating Ubehebe Crater between 800-1,200 years old, also believes there may still be enough groundwater and magma around, for possibly creating another eruption in the crater area.  The observed levels of springs and groundwater levels put the water-table about 500 feet below the crater floor.  Based upon the researchers’ calculations, “it would take a spherical magma chamber as small as 300 feet across and an even smaller pocket of water to produce a Ubehebe-sized incident.”

Wired Science at http://www.wired.com/wiredscience, says there are a couple problems with the way this news is being reported: “However, there are no signs that any new magma is anywhere near Ubehebe, making a new eruption a little trickier.”

Secondly, Wired says the estimated ages in the Geophysical Research Letters, “are Beryllium-10 exposure ages–notoriously tricky.”  Wired went on to say, “Now we just need to follow up with other techniques and studies to support these new ages for Ubehebe Crater.”

Ubehebe Crater was created from the mixing of magma and groundwater, resulting in what is called a phreatomagmatic explosion.  The explosion sent out super heated steam, volcanic ash, and deadly gases.  An informative plaque at the crater says, “The explosion spewed shattered rock over a six-square-mile area, in some places to depths of 150 feet.”  The crater is a half-mile across and 500 feet deep.

Not to worry.  More than likely, a surprise eruption will not occur.  Scientists say, “Any reactivation of the crater would almost certainly be presaged by warning signs, such as shallow earthquakes and opening of steam vents; this could go on for years, before anything bigger happens.”  So, geologically speaking, we will more than likely miss this explosive event.

Marta Becket Looks Toward Retirement, Photo Richard Elliott

Marta Becket, 87, the dancing legend of the Mojave Desert is scheduled to perform her final stage show at the Amargosa Opera House , in Death Valley Junction, CA, February 12, 2012.  Becket celebrates 45 years of entertaining the public, introducing them to the art of theatrical dance.  As a ballerina, Becket could dance en pointe up to age 83, until a hip injury ended her dancing career.  Undaunted, Becket decided to continue entertaining the public, creating her “Sitting-Down Show,” pleasing audiences with song and autobiographical story. 

“Marta has decided to retire from performing and focus more on her art and the business,” reports the Amargosa Opera House website (http://www.amargosa-opera-house.com/schedule.htm).

Adorning all the walls of the opera house are the beautiful, colorful murals, which Becket painted herself, back in the early 1960s.  Before her popularity grew at the Opera House, she would perform to a painted crowd of peasants, royalty, bull fighters, Native Americans and other illustrated people.  After four years of painting the wall murals, Becket turned to painting the ceiling, taking two years to finish that colorful project, exhibiting her masterful skill as an artist.

Fellow painter and noted comedian Red Skelton had attended three of Becket’s dancing shows over the years.  During each visit, Skelton lodged in room 22 of the Amargosa Hotel.  In honor of his visits, Becket painted murals in the room, dedicated to Skelton.  It is one of the most requested hotel rooms by guests.

The Amargosa Hotel and Opera House was originally built between 1923-1925, by the Pacific Coast Borax Company to house their employees.  Becket came to Death Valley Junction in 1967, seeking the repair of a flat tire.  While the tire was being fixed, Becket explored the property and peered through a crack into the dusty and neglected interior of what was an auditorium, called Corkhill Hall.  Becket envisioned this as a fine place to perform her ballet dancing, and so her dream began.  Having been on a dancing tour from New York City, she decided to settle at Death Valley Junction, setting roots and becoming the beautiful flower of the Mojave Desert–a dancing queen!

Tickets to Becket’s mid-afternoon final show, February 12, are $15.  It is sure to be a sell-out.  Contact the Amargosa Hotel and Opera House for tickets and reservations at (760) 852-4441, or email at e-mail: reservations@amargosa-opera-house.com.

Richard Regnell, Marta’s manager, told the Pahrump Valley Times, January 13, 2012, that since Becket’s decision to leave the stage, she has been in good spirits and her appetite has returned.  “She’s ready for this,” Regnell said. “It’s time.”

The Holsinger Meteorite, Photo by Richard Elliott

The first meteor shower for 2012 will occur  in the dark morning hours of January 4. It is the Quadrantid shower, visible near the end of the handle of the Big Dipper constellation.  According to EarthSky.org (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/earthskys-meteor-meteor-shower-guide) “Although the Quadrantids can produce over 100 meteors per hour, the sharp peak only lasts for a few hours, and doesn’t always come at an opportune time.”  EarthSky is referring to being in the right place at the right time.  Predictions call for the meteor shower to appear better positioned “for those in the eastern North America, the North Atlantic and possibly western Europe,”  according to EarthSky.  It is worth noting that most predictions are not exactly right, since meteor showers are quite unpredictable.

However, should we have clear skies, those living outside of the city lights, in the Mohave Desert, or high mountains, should have a fairly good meteor shower viewing, even with the waxing gibbous moon.  Moonlight ruined most of the meteor showers for 2011, along with cloudy skies.  Since most meteor showers for 2012 will occur with little or no moon, this year’s show of falling stars should be quite promising. 

Be sure to dress warmly and drink warm beverages.  To view the shower more comfortably, sit in a reclining outdoor lounger, or chairs with back and head support.  Telescopes or binoculars are not necessary for viewing the Quadrantid meteors.  Just sit and relax, watching skyward to the northeast and near the tail of the Big Dipper.

Most falling stars are between the size of a grain of sand, a pea, or small stone.  Rarely are they as large as the fragment shown in the photo above.  The Holsinger Meteor is the largest fragment  found from the 150-foot meteor that created Meteor Crater, AZ.

Let’s hope the first meteor shower of 2012 is a sign of how the remaining meteor storms will be for this year.  Happy viewing.