Andagua volcanic field

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Cinder cones surrounded by lava flows

The Andagua volcanic field (also known as Andahua) is a

damming local watersheds in the Laguna de Chachas, Laguna Mamacocha and Laguna Pumajallo lakes and burying the course of the Andagua River. The Andahua valley segment of the larger volcanic province was declared a geopark
in 2015.

History and name

The volcanoes were first mentioned in a 1904 report but scientific investigation began by 1960; owing to the small size of Andagua volcanoes and their remote location they have not gained as much scientific interest as the large

potassium-argon dating and the morphology of the resulting vents as younger structures are steeper.[2]

The term "Andagua volcanic field" has not been used consistently and sometimes the term "Andagua Group" or variants with "Andahua" are used,[1] reflecting the older name of the town;[3] the field is also known as Andagua-Orcopampa volcanic field.[4] The term "Valley of the Volcanoes" is a reference to the volcanoes that fill the valley floor.[5]

Geology and geomorphology

The Andagua volcanic field lies in southern Peru,

Inka sites of Antaymarca, Ayo and Jello Jello;[11] economic activity includes farming and mining as well as commerce and industrial activity.[12]

The volcanic field consists of

monogenetic volcanoes as some of them show evidence of multiple eruption episodes.[6] Colours range from grey over reddish to black,[20] with reddish colours appearing on weathered lavas.[21] Young volcanic terrain resembles a moonscape.[22] The valley is flanked by 3,500–5,000 metres (11,500–16,400 ft) high mountains.[23]

Among the vents are:

Older volcanic landforms are vegetated and have developed a

farmland.[6] Overall, in outcrops the volcanic rocks of the Andagua valley reach great thickness, forming plains of lava and occasionally accumulations or fields of volcanic ash;[32] the total volume of volcanic rocks is about 15 ± 5 cubic kilometres (3.6 ± 1.2 cu mi) and thicknesses are about 130 metres (430 ft).[33]

The Andagua River flows through the Valley of the Volcanoes; it originates from the confluence of the Chilcaimarca and Orcopampa Rivers

damming drainages,[27] such as Laguna de Chachas, Laguna Mamacocha[5] and Laguna Pumajallo;[34] additionally sediments from older lakes have been found at Canco.[5] The waters of the Andagua River disappear in lava flows[36] over a path of over 16 kilometres (9.9 mi);[34] the Laguna Mamacocha produces the Mamacocha River[35] whose water ultimately originates in the Andagua River[36] and which eventually flows into the Colca River.[35]

  • Volcanoes seen from Mirador Antaymarca
    Volcanoes seen from Mirador Antaymarca
  • A lava flow in the volcanic field
    A lava flow in the volcanic field

Composition

The volcanic field has erupted rocks ranging from

alkali feldspar and biotite,[20] and xenoliths have been reported as well.[38] Overall, the composition of the magma is the most primitive of the magmas of southern Peru[2] and underwent crystallization in deep magma chambers[37] which "overflowed" in the form of an eruption once new magma entered them.[39] In addition, the magma underwent some degree of contamination with crustal materials.[40]

Geologic context

Off the western coast of South America, the

solfataric activity, Coropuna, which is the highest volcano in Peru and features Holocene activity,[1] Firura and Solimana north and west from Coropuna, and Mismi, Hualca Hualca, Ampato, Chachani and Pichu Pichu.[43] Additional volcanoes of this volcanic zone occur in Bolivia and Chile.[45]

The terrain surrounding the volcanic field features alluvium of Pleistocene to Holocene age,[46] the volcanic Neogene[5]/Pliocene Barroso Group[24] and Mesozoic sediments[46] of the Yura Group and the Socosani Formation.[12] Faults crisscross the volcanic field, magma may have used them as ascent paths;[42] the Valley of the Volcanoes itself is a fault-limited graben and some faults offset Quaternary deposits.[18]

The Andagua volcanic field is sometimes considered to include a 110 by 110 kilometres (68 mi × 68 mi) area outside of the Valley of the Volcanoes, which itself features seven separate clusters of volcanoes[47] with 64 volcanic centres[48] including the Valley of the Volcanoes but also the Antapuna, Colca Valley, Huambo-Cabanaconde, Laguna Parihuana, Molloco Valley and Pampa Jaran; these clusters are separated from each other by geographic and geologic traits.[18] Alternatively, some of these are considered to be a volcanic province of which Andagua is only one field of.[4]

Among these are:

  • The Antapuna field is located just north of the Andagua volcanic field and is centered on the heavily glacially eroded Antapuna volcano. Several lava domes and lava flows occur in this area, such as Cerro Antapuna west of Antapuna, Tanca southwest of Antapuna, Pampa Pisaca and another lava dome southeast of Antapuna and several unnamed cinder cones and lava flows northeast of Antapuna. The vents are glacially eroded and of Pleistocene age with the exception of Pumaranra northwest from Antapuna.[49]
  • The Molloco River valley features several Pleistocene to Holocene lava domes such as Uchuychaca and Cerro Coropuna (not to be confused with Coropuna, a stratovolcano), which are located around the Marhuas cinder cone. Two small lava flows lie in the Colca River valley upstream of the junction with the Molloco River.[49]
  • Several lava domes with associated lava flows are found in the Colca River valley at Chivay; they are between 400,000 and 90,000 years old but thermal springs occur there.[50]
  • South of Caylloma several volcanoes are found on an upland; they are Antaymarca, Saigua, Challpo, Andallullo, Antacollo and Sani and appear to be old given their vegetation.[50]
  • Finally, there are volcanoes associated with the Andagua volcanic field south of the Colca River. These are from west to east the Luceria field west of Gloriahuasi with the Honda and San Cristobal cinder cones, the Gloriahuasi field north of Gloriahuasi with two branches of lava flows, the Timar field northeast of Gloriahuasi with the Gloriahuasi stratovolcano - the only stratovolcano that is part of the Andagua volcanic field -, the Jaran field northwest from Lagunillas Pass which has the Marbas Grande cinder cone, the Marbas Chico cinder cones and Llajuapampa cinder cone, and finally the Uchan field south of the Lagunillas Pass with the Uchan Sur and Tururunca cinder cones, some lava domes farther south and a lava flow field that also runs south.[51] With the exception of the Huambo volcanic field which features Holocene vents they are all of Pleistocene age.[52]

Climate and vegetation

Temperatures vary between parts of the volcanic field, with Ayo having a semi-warm climate with temperatures of 15–24 °C (59–75 °F) while Chachas has 1–17 °C (34–63 °F) and Orcopampa of −10–12 °C (14–54 °F).

El Nino phenomena.[53]

Vegetation in the region includes

tola shrubs, pillow-shaped yareta.[55] The exact vegetation type varies with elevation,[56] defining four life zones:[55]

The Laguna Mamacocha and Chachas are populated by fish and form

corn, lucerne, potatoes and wine.[55]

Eruption history

The oldest activity of the Andagua volcanic field occurred between 400,000 and 64,000 years ago and has been identified close to

phreatomagmatic[13] and accompanied by small eruption columns.[61] Hawaiian eruptions and Strombolian eruptions generated scoria cones.[6]

Ticsho was emplaced 4,060 years ago on an older dome,

fumarolic activity was reported in 2003[65] although other sources state that no fumarolic activity occurs;[61] future eruptions are certainly possible.[65]

Hazards from future eruptions

The volcanoes are regarded as "very low hazard" by the Peruvian geological agency,

power line and could also bury the ground for perhaps thousands of years.[69]

Access and national park project

A number of paths

geosites[74] with some spots already protected in some way; the area is of value from the perspectives of both geotourism and science.[75] A concentration of such small volcanoes such as Andagua in an easily accessible location is not common in the world. In general, aside from their role as hazards, volcanoes are important sources of tourism-based income.[45]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Gałaś 2011, p. 1.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Gałaś 2011, p. 2.
  3. ^ a b Gałaś et al. 2023, p. 4.
  4. ^ a b c Delacour et al. 2007, p. 582.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Gałaś et al. 2018, p. 713.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Gałaś 2011, p. 3.
  7. ^ Mariño Salazar & Zavala Carrión 2010, p. 286.
  8. ^ Gałaś et al. 2018, p. 708.
  9. ^ a b Gałaś 2011, p. 6-7.
  10. ^ Gałaś et al. 2018, pp. 717–718.
  11. ^ Goicochea 2008, p. 6.
  12. ^ a b c d Mariño Salazar & Zavala Carrión 2010, p. 287.
  13. ^ a b c Carrión & Luis 2015, p. 44.
  14. ^ a b c Gałaś 2011, p. 4.
  15. ^ Gałaś 2011, pp. 5–6.
  16. ^ Gałaś 2011, p. 5.
  17. ^ a b c d e Gałaś 2011, p. 6.
  18. ^ a b c Gałaś 2014, p. 303.
  19. ^ Delacour et al. 2007, p. 584.
  20. ^ a b c Gałaś 2011, p. 15.
  21. ^ a b Gałaś 2014, p. 307.
  22. ^ Paulo & Gałaś 2012, p. 4.
  23. ^ Gałaś & Gałaś 2017, p. 64.
  24. ^ a b c d e Gałaś 2011, p. 10.
  25. ^ a b Gałaś et al. 2023, p. 7.
  26. ^ a b c Gałaś 2011, pp. 6, 8.
  27. ^ a b c Gałaś 2011, p. 9.
  28. ^ Gałaś 2011, pp. 6, 9.
  29. ^ a b Gałaś 2011, p. 8.
  30. ^ Gałaś & Gałaś 2017, p. 65.
  31. ^ Gałaś 2011, pp. 7–9.
  32. ^ Teves Rivas 2017, p. 450.
  33. ^ Ruprecht & Wörner 2007, p. 145.
  34. ^ a b c Teves Rivas 2017, p. 449.
  35. ^ a b c Varela Travesí, Mariño Salazar & Zavala Carrión 2016, p. 23.
  36. ^ a b Zavala Carrión, Bilberto Luis; Vílchez Mata, Manuel Salomón; Rosado Seminario, Malena (November 2008). "Zonas críticas por peligros geológicos en la cuenca del río Camaná-Majes-Colca. Primer reporte". Instituto Geológico, Minero y Metalúrgico – INGEMMET: 3.
  37. ^ a b Gałaś 2014, p. 312.
  38. ^ a b Sørensen & Holm 2008, p. 382.
  39. Bibcode:2003AGUFM.V11F..07R
    .
  40. ^ Delacour et al. 2007, p. 605.
  41. ^ Gałaś et al. 2023, p. 1.
  42. ^ a b Gałaś 2011, p. 14.
  43. ^ a b c Gałaś 2014, p. 302.
  44. ^ Sørensen & Holm 2008, p. 378.
  45. ^ a b Carrión & Luis 2015, p. 43.
  46. ^ a b Gałaś 2011, p. 7.
  47. ^ Gałaś 2014, p. 301.
  48. ^ Gałaś et al. 2023, p. 2.
  49. ^ a b Gałaś 2011, p. 11.
  50. ^ a b Gałaś 2011, p. 12.
  51. ^ Gałaś 2011, pp. 12–13.
  52. ^ Gałaś 2011, pp. 13–14.
  53. ^ a b c Goicochea 2008b, p. 5.
  54. ^ a b c d e Gałaś et al. 2023, p. 3.
  55. ^ a b c Paulo & Gałaś 2012, p. 5.
  56. ^ Varela Travesí, Mariño Salazar & Zavala Carrión 2016, p. 80.
  57. ^ Teves Rivas 2017, p. 452.
  58. ^ Goicochea 2008, p. 21.
  59. ^ a b Goicochea 2008b, p. 32.
  60. ^ Ruprecht & Wörner 2007, p. 144.
  61. ^ a b Carrión & Luis 2015, p. 45.
  62. ^ Goicochea 2008b, p. 4.
  63. ^ Mariño Salazar & Zavala Carrión 2010, p. 288.
  64. ^ Teves Rivas 2017, p. 451.
  65. ^ a b Gałaś 2011, p. 17.
  66. ^ Del Carpio Calienes et al. 2022, p. 3.
  67. ^ Del Carpio Calienes et al. 2022, p. 14.
  68. ^ Del Carpio Calienes et al. 2022, p. 52.
  69. ^ a b Carrión & Luis 2015, p. 46.
  70. ^ Carrión & Luis 2015, p. 47.
  71. ^ Gałaś et al. 2018, pp. 713–714.
  72. ^ Gałaś et al. 2018, p. 714.
  73. S2CID 235730313
    .
  74. ^ Gałaś et al. 2018, p. 721.
  75. ^ Goicochea 2008, p. 5.

Sources

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Valle de los Volcanes.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andagua_volcanic_field&oldid=1217516583"