Devil's Tower exposed by catastrophic erosion of overlying rock. Devil's Tower in Wyoming is a volcanic neck made of basalt The current top of the tower was once ground level when it formed All softer sedimentary rock in the region has been eroded away, exposing the volcanic core
Devil's Tower in Wyoming is an igneous intrusion, possibly an erosional remnant of a volcanic neck, composed of gray to greenish-gray rock—not basalt. It formed when magma solidified at a shallow level underground, and over tens of millions of years, erosion stripped away the surrounding softer rock, exposing what was once the buried volcanic core. What's now the top of the tower was indeed below ground level when it formed. This is a fascinating example of how geological forces reveal what's hidden beneath.
Key Facts
- Devil's Tower in Wyoming is a volcanic neck made of basalt
- The current top of the tower was once ground level when it formed
- All softer sedimentary rock in the region has been eroded away, exposing the volcanic core
- Massive amounts of material were removed over time by catastrophic geological processes
- The speaker notes many sites created by catastrophic events have 'devil' in their names
Related site: Devil's Tower — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: Ancient Builders: Live Quest Presentation by The Randall Carlson