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Andagua volcanic field

Andahua-Orcopampa

Volcanic field · Peru · 4713m

The cinder cones at the center and upper right, surrounded by a prominent field of lava flows, are located in the Andahua valley, known locally as the "Valley of the Volcanoes." The large 60 x 60 km scoria cone and lava field contains extremely youthful lava flows, some of which may be only a few hundred years old. The volcanic field was reported to have been active during the time of the Incas. Lava flows have repeatedly dammed the Río Andagua valley, and an existing small lake was impounded by the youngest lavas.
The cinder cones at the center and upper right, surrounded by a prominent field of lava flows, are located in the Andahua valley, known locally as the "Valley of the Volcanoes." The large 60 x 60 km scoria cone and lava field contains extremely youthful lava flows, some of which may be only a few hundred years old. The volcanic field was reported to have been active during the time of the Incas. Lava flows have repeatedly dammed the Río Andagua valley, and an existing small lake was impounded by the youngest lavas. · Photo: Photo by Norm Banks, 1988 (U.S. Geological Survey). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Volcanic field
Country
Peru
Region
South America Volcanic Regions / Central Andean Volcanic Arc
Elevation
4713m
Coordinates
-15.420, -72.330
Last eruption
1490
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Cluster
Major rock type
Trachyandesite / Basaltic Trachyandesite
Geological summary

The Andahua-Orcopampa volcanic field in the Andahua (or Andagua) valley area, 20 km ENE of Nevados de Coropuna, is a large 60 x 60 km scoria cone and lava field. Known locally as the "Valley of the Volcanoes," the field lies in a series of deep NNW-SSE-trending, en-echelon valleys: Orcopampa, Andahua, and Ayo. The field contains youthful dominantly trachyandesitic cinder cones and lava flows that have destroyed buildings and may be only a few hundred years old. The area was reported to have been active during the time of the Incas and to have "become active again" in 1913. Lava flows have repeatedly dammed the Río Andagua valley, and an existing small lake was impounded by the youngest lavas.

From Wikipedia

The Andagua volcanic field is a volcanic field in southern Peru which includes a number of cinder cones, lava domes and lava flows which have filled the Andagua Valley. The volcanic field is part of a larger volcanic province that clusters around the Colca River and is mostly of Pleistocene age, although the Andagua sector also features volcanic cones with historical activity, with the last eruption about 370 years ago. Eruptions were mostly effusive, generating lava flows, cones and small eruption columns. Future eruptions are possible, and there is ongoing fumarolic activity. Volcanic activity in the field has flooded the Andahua valley with lava flows, 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.

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Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
2110 BCE~1918 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?961 BCE~769 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1338~1530 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1721~1913 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?2110 BCE1152 BCE194 BCE7641721

Detailed timeline

  1. 1913VEI ?Geological estimate
    1913-03-06 – Ongoing
  2. 1490 (±40 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1490 – Ongoing
    Chilcayoc Grande
  3. 940 BCE (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 940 – Ongoing
    Cerro Maurus I
  4. 2110 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 2110 – Ongoing
    Cerro Tichsó

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.