Tupungatito

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Tupungatito Volcano
South Volcanic Zone
Last eruption1987[2]

Volcán Tupungatito is the northernmost historically active

Southern Volcanic Zone (SVZ), which is one of several distinct volcanic belts in the Andes. Over 70 Pleistocene or Holocene
age volcanoes make up this volcanic belt, which on average has one eruption per year.

Tupungatito lies in proximity to the border between

Santiago. It is a group of volcanic craters and a pyroclastic cone associated with a 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) wide caldera, and lies just southwest of the Tupungato volcano. The caldera is filled with ice, and glaciers on the volcano are important sources of water for the Rio Maipo
river and Santiago.

Volcanism is caused by the subduction of the Nazca Plate underneath the South America Plate. Tupungatito formed less than 100,000 years ago and has had a number of historical eruptions, the latest in 1987, which were mostly small explosive eruptions. Presently, the volcano features an acidic crater lake and numerous fumaroles. Renewed eruptions could induce volcanic ash falls in Argentina and dangerous mudflows in Chile.

Name and history

The name Tupungatito was assigned to the volcano by

paleontologist Auguste Bravard.[5]

There was speculation about the existence of a volcano in the Andes near Santiago already during the

Colonial Era,[6] but only by 1890 was there a clear identification and even then it was frequently assumed that Tupungato instead was the only active edifice.[7] The first ascent of the volcano probably took place in 1907,[5] by K. Griebel, H. Gwinner, L. Hanisch, K. Heitmann and J. Philippi.[8]

Geography and geomorphology

Tupungatito is located in the Chilean

hydropower plants in the valleys.[11]

The volcano features a 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) wide caldera with an erupted volume of 5 cubic kilometres (1.2 cu mi) and one

acidic water.[12] The total volume of the volcano is estimated to be 30 cubic kilometres (7.2 cu mi),[10]
and its flows are fresh and uneroded. [14] The caldera may either be of volcanic origin or the product of a giant landslide.[13] In the past, lava flows have exited the caldera through the northwestern opening.[2]

Glaciers and hydrology

Above 5,400 metres (17,700 ft) elevation, the volcano is covered with

Outlet glaciers of glaciers in the region are typically covered with debris.[15] In 2012, an ice core was drawn from the Tupungatito glacier.[18]

The ice and snow cover on Tupungatito is an important source of water for the rivers in the region

San Jose.[22]

Geology

Regional

Off the coast of South America, the

Austral Volcanic Zone.[24]

The SVZ is a 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) long and, depending on latitude, up to 200 kilometres (120 mi) wide chain of

postglacially and 18-20 in historical times;[24][25] the SVZ is the most active volcanic zone in Chile with about one eruption per year.[25] Tupungatito is part of the northernmost SVZ,[23] a narrow and short chain[26] which includes Diamante caldera/[27] Volcan Maipo and San Jose volcano, and is the northernmost active volcano of the SVZ.[19][a] Tupungato-Tupungatito, San Jose-Marmolejo and Maipo are the highest volcanoes of the SVZ.[26]

Local

The volcano lies on a c. 50 kilometres (31 mi) thick

reverse faults in the area.[19] Southwest-northeast[28] and north-south trending faults and fractures influence volcanic activity at Tupungatito;[14] the SW-NE trending lineament also includes Tupungato.[28]

The volcano forms a volcanic group with Tupungato[16] and another peak, 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) high Nevado Sin Nombre.[29] Tupungato and Nevado Sin Nombre formed during the late and early Pleistocene, respectively,[13] and are presently inactive.[10] The caldera is to a large degree formed by rocks from Nevado Sin Nombre.[11] 6,019 metres (19,747 ft) high Nevado de los Piuquenes is a fourth volcano in this group and overlaps with Nevado Sin Nombre.[29] Below 4,700 metres (15,400 ft) elevation, Tupungatito is underlaid by an eroded volcano whose rocks resemble Tupungato.[1]

Composition

Tupungatito has erupted rocks ranging from

orthopyroxene.[31] Amphibole and biotite occur as xenocrysts. Magma genesis at Tupungatito and other volcanoes in the region appears to involve a small amount of fluids but large amounts of sediments carried down by the slab, with a moderate interaction with the crust. Processes involved are fractional crystallization, low degrees of partial melting and short periods of storage in magma chambers.[30]

Climate

The mean annual temperature on Tupungatito is about −15.5 °C (4.1 °F)

snow water equivalent.[18] During the winter, the area above 2,500–2,700 metres (8,200–8,900 ft) elevation is covered with up to 4 metres (13 ft) of snow.[16] Most precipitation occurs between May and September, when the north-south movement of the South Pacific High and the Westerlies lets frontal systems reach the area.[20]

Glaciers have alternatively advanced and retreated during the 20th century.[32] There is some uncertainty as sometimes snow cover is confused for glacial ice.[15] As of 2016 ice covers an area of 112.84 ± 3.66 square kilometres (43.57 ± 1.41 sq mi), down from 119.89 ± 8.36 square kilometres (46.29 ± 3.23 sq mi) in 1986;[33] this encompasses the ice cover of Tupungatito and other volcanoes in the area.[34] Volcanic eruptions have not significantly altered the ice extent.[33]

Eruption history

Tupungatito is about 55,000

Rio Mendoza valley.[38]

phreatomagmatic eruptions, which deposited pyroclastic materials around the volcano. Short lava flows with lengths of on average 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) were also produced[35] and display flow structures such as levees and lobes. Some of the flows are covered with sediments.[31] The decline of the ice cover during the Holocene and an increased distance between glaciers and volcanic vents may have been responsible for this change in eruption style.[30]

Historical activity

Records of activity at Tupungatito go back to 1646

Volcanic Explosivity Index of 2.[1] Many eruptions appear to be linked to tectonic events in Central Chile.[19]

In 1835,

muleteer telling him that he had seen smoke coming from close to Tupungato[41] although he crossed the Andes close to Portillo de los Piuquenes rather than the Alto Colorado;[42] this is almost certainly a reference to Tupungatito.[40] In 1962 the volcano was reportedly smoking.[43]

Eruptions at Tupungatito frequently deposited

ionospheric impacts from this eruption.[45] The 1961 and 1964 eruptions formed one crater each,[1] with the 1964 crater located directly south of the 1961 one.[23] A third crater was the site of the three last eruptions in 1980, 1986 and 1987.[1] The 1986 eruption deposited a thin ash layer over glaciers in the area.[10] The last activity took place in 1987.[2][b]

Present-day status and threats

The volcano is

hydrothermal system.[49][50] There is also shallow seismicity around the volcano.[51]

Since 2012, the volcano is monitored by the Southern Volcanological Observatory of the Andes.

Tunuyan and Tupungato. For Argentina, it is the 4th most dangerous volcano,[35] and for Chile, the 22nd most dangerous volcano.[10] Due to a combination between its relative proximity to population centres, high volume of ice and frequency of eruptions, a 2020 study ranked it the 4th most dangerous volcano on Earth in terms of lava-ice interactions.[53] Eruptions may also endanger tourists.[54]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Tupungato is the northernmost volcano of the SVZ.[27]
  2. ^ A 1987 landslide in the region generated a mudflow down the Rio Colorado, which killed 41 people and damaged roads, hydropower plants and water supply infrastructure of Santiago, is unrelated to Tupungatito and a seismic trigger is questionable.[46]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Benavente et al. 2013, p. 3.
  2. ^ a b c GVP 2021, General Information.
  3. ^ Barrera V. 1974, p. 188.
  4. ^ Jahn 1939, p. 17.
  5. ^ a b Steffen 1927, p. 514.
  6. ^ Steffen 1927, p. 511.
  7. ^ Steffen 1927, p. 513.
  8. ^ Steffen 1927, p. 515.
  9. ^ a b c Flores & Jara 2018, p. 6.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i SERNAGEOMIN 2017, p. 1.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Flores & Jara 2018, p. 8.
  12. ^ a b Benavente et al. 2013, pp. 2–3.
  13. ^ a b c d e Bertin & Carolina 2015, p. 1.
  14. ^ a b c Muñoz 1983, p. 837.
  15. ^ a b c d Reinthaler et al. 2019, p. 547.
  16. ^ a b c d Flores & Jara 2018, p. 7.
  17. ^ Casassa, Rodríguez & Blindow 2014, p. 730.
  18. ^ a b Potocki et al. 2015, p. A-5.
  19. ^ a b c d e Benavente et al. 2012, p. 429.
  20. ^ a b c Potocki et al. 2014, p. A-5.
  21. ^ Smolka & Volkheimer 2000, pp. 143–145.
  22. ^ Bundschuh et al. 2012, p. 16.
  23. ^ a b c Benavente et al. 2013, p. 2.
  24. ^ a b NARANJO & MORENO 1991, p. 3.
  25. ^ a b c Moreno & Gibbons 2007, p. 154.
  26. ^ a b Stern 2004, p. 161-206.
  27. ^ a b Moreno & Gibbons 2007, p. 156.
  28. ^ a b Piquer et al. 2019, pp. 223–239.
  29. ^ a b NARANJO & MORENO 1991, p. 5.
  30. ^ a b c d Bertin & Carolina 2015, p. 3.
  31. ^ a b c Bertin & Carolina 2015, p. 2.
  32. ^ Masiokas et al. 2009, p. 248.
  33. ^ a b Reinthaler et al. 2019, p. 551.
  34. ^ Reinthaler et al. 2019, Supplementary Figure S10.
  35. ^ a b c SEGEMAR 2021.
  36. ^ Bertin & Carolina 2015, pp. 1–2.
  37. ^ Bosch, Stern & Moreiras 2015, p. 639.
  38. ^ Espizua & Bigazzi 1998, p. 760.
  39. ^ Flores & Jara 2018, p. 30.
  40. ^ a b Steffen 1905, p. 45.
  41. ^ Darwin 1835, p. 310.
  42. ^ Abascal 1941, p. 78.
  43. ^ Casertano 1962, p. 218.
  44. ^ Brüggen 1950, p. 65.
  45. ^ de Ragone et al. 2004, p. 189.
  46. ^ GVP 2021, Bulletin Reports.
  47. ^ Benavente et al. 2013, p. 4.
  48. ^ Jay et al. 2013, p. 164.
  49. ^ Benavente et al. 2013, p. 13.
  50. ^ Benavente et al. 2012, p. 430.
  51. ^ Barrientos 2018, p. 471.
  52. ^ Flores & Jara 2018, p. 9.
  53. ^ Edwards, Kochtitzky & Battersby 2020, p. 13.
  54. ^ González-Muzzio & Vidal 2020, p. 11.

Sources

Bibliography

  • Bertin, D.; Silva, C.; Kraus, S.; Orozco, G. (2013). Geología del volcán Tupungatito. Región Metropolitana de Santiago (Report). Carta Geológica de Chile, Serie Geología Básica (in Spanish). Vol. 369 (1 ed.). Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería.

External links
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