original_query: What geological processes formed the calderas in the White Mountains?
query: What geological processes formed the calderas in the White Mountains of New Hampshire?
answer: The calderas in the White Mountains formed approximately 145 million years ago, during the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous periods, coinciding with the breakup of Pangaea.  As Pangaea separated and landmasses shifted, magma rose and filled cracks, creating the calderas.  These then erupted on a massive scale.