Evolution of a long-lived volcanic complex: the Chachani case study (south Peru)

Abstract

The study of numerous individual volcanoes carried out in the Central Andean Volcanic Zone over the past 20 years has provided information to better understand active volcanism in the Peruvian Andes. However, large-sized, dormant volcanic complexes remain much less understood due to their complexity or because the impact of individual active volcanoes on populated areas has led researchers to prioritize their study on the most recent composite cones. Large, long-lived volcanic complexes have not yet been considered in volcanological studies in Peru, although they belie a rich history of eruptive activity that may be more recent than previously thought. The Chachani Volcanic Complex (CVC) is one of the few Andean volcanic complexes in which the relationships between stratigraphy, chronology and compositional changes are considered to understand the compositional evolution of a long-lived magmatic system.