The Aden lava flows, Do�a Ana County, New Mexico

Aden Crater is a small volcanic shield in the Potrillo Volcanic Field approximately 40 km southwest from Las Cruces. The shield and surrounding flow field are mapped as volcanic facies in which the morphology is governed by the rheology of the lava. The flow field which spreads east and south from the vent consist of early, fluid basalts that inflated to various thicknesses determined by the strength of the outer crust. Flows inflated to form steep-margined, flat-topped plateaus. The field is a rugged accumulation of inflation plateaus in which adjacent flow margins form deep intervening ravines. The Aden shield was formed as viscosity increased to the point that the lavas began to accumulate over the vent. The shield facies consist of basal thin scabby flows, very low sloping lobate flows, and an upper slope of steeper channeled flows, with a wide shallow crater at the top. 197