Hobbies And Interests
History
The Jackson Dome volcano formed during the late Cretaceous period when dinosaurs ruled the Earth and Mississippi was part of a volcanic island. It was not discovered by humans until around 1860. In the 1930s, when companies drilled for oil, volcanic rock was discovered. Further research was done in the 1950s but it remained until 1997 before a detailed map of the volcano was produced, according to an article in the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality newsletter.
Geology
The magma chamber of the volcano extends more than 20,000 feet below the surface of Jackson. It is covered with sedimentary rock that is continued to being pushed up very slowly even today. Although the buried cone is beneath Jackson, the volcano itself runs on a north-south course from Pickens in the north to Terry in the south.
Present Day Effects
Signs exist in 2011 that the Jackson Dome volcano, while extinct, is still a presence in Mississippi. The water in an alligator pond at Leroy Percy State Park remains 88 degrees Fahrenheit all year. A well 18,000 feet deep at Piney Woods produces hydrogen sulfur gas with a temperature of 320 degrees Fahrenheit. A well in Jackson yields hot water at 102 degrees Fahrenheit. The soil, known as Yazoo Clay, is stretched out by sedimentary rock pushed up by the volcano. Another sign of the volcano's presence is the large deposit of carbon dioxide.
Carbon Dioxide
One-fourth of all carbon dioxide stored underground in the U.S. is in Jackson Dome. This carbon dioxide was produced by the volcano. Today it is used by an energy company in the production of oil. Injecting carbon dioxide into old oil wells makes it easier to extract the remaining oil from the ground. Oil wells that were previously considered tapped out can now be active once again.