Mt. Fuji EarthCache
Windborne: No time to manage.
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This EarthCache is located next to the Narusawa Mt. Fuji Museum in Yamanashi-ken, Japan. Please visit only during daylight hours. There is plenty of free parking and the cache is wheelchair accessible.
Mount Fuji is located at the triple junction where the Amurian Plate, the Okhotsk Plate, and the Philippine Sea Plate meet. These plates form the western part of Japan, the eastern part of Japan, and the Izu Peninsula respectively.
Scientists have identified four distinct phases of volcanic activity in the formation of Mount Fuji:
1. The first phase, called Sen-komitake, is composed of an andesite core recently discovered deep within the mountain.
2. Sen-komitake was followed by the "Komitake Fuji," a basalt layer believed to be formed several hundred thousand years ago.
3. Approximately 100,000 years ago, "Old Fuji" was formed over the top of Komitake Fuji.
4. The modern "New Fuji" is believed to have formed over the top of Old Fuji around 10,000 years ago.
The volcano is currently classified as active with a low risk of eruption. The last recorded eruption was the Hoei eruption which started on December 16, 1707 and ended January 1, 1708. The eruption formed a new crater and a second peak named Hoei-zan, halfway down its side. Since then, there have been no signs of an eruption.
To log this cache, please answer the following questions:
1. What is the height of Mount Fuji?
2. From this angle, what is the name of the mountain immediately to Mount Fuji's right?
3. From this location, can the second peak mentioned above, Hoei-zan, be seen?
If you have time, please visit the nearby museum. There is no charge for admission.
Additional Hints
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