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There exists a wealth of data on the stratigraphy, geochronology, petrology and geochemistry of the Jemez Mountains volcanic field (JMVF), allowing the development of a large continental volcanic system and its climactic caldera-forming phase to be reconstructed in detail. The JMVF is a sprawling, tectonically controlled, long-lived, episodically constructed volcanic field located at the intersection of the Rio Grande rift and the Jemez lineament, New Mexico. The JMVF was largely built from 10.5 Ma onwards, during active eruptive episodes peaking at 9.5, 9.0, 7.8 and 6.8 Ma, plus extrusion of large dacite domes between 5 and 2 Ma. The Bandelier Tuff (~ 800 km3) erupted in two events (1.60, 1.26 Ma), forming the Valles caldera in the center of the JMVF. The overall erupted magma flux rate was low at~ 0.2 km3 per ka, rising to 0.5 0.6 km3 per ka during periods of peak productivity. The thermal episode leading to …