Laguna Colorada is a c. 40 kilometres (25 mi) wide ignimbrite shield that was formerly also known as Panizos (not to be confused with Cerro Panizos. The shield is not clearly associated with a caldera but appears to contain a sag structure.[1] The ignimbrite field is bordered by the Laguna Colorada to the west, Cerro Torque in the north and Quetena to the east;[5] Laguna Colorada is also the origin of the name of the shield.[1] Likewise, the "Tatio formation" at El Tatio originates from eruptions at Laguna Colorada;[6] the 700,000 years old Tatio ignimbrite however is considered to be separate.[1] An older ignimbrite was erupted 2.21±0.05 million years ago.[7]
An ignimbrite is associated with Laguna Colorada. This ignimbrite was erupted 1.98 million years ago and has a volume of 60 cubic kilometres (14 cu mi) dense rock equivalent,[3] covering a surface of about 1,100 square kilometres (420 sq mi). Several fall deposits occur both within and below the ignimbrite.[1] This ignimbrite is also known as the Tatio ignimbrite and given a volume of 150 cubic kilometres (36 cu mi) dense rock equivalent,[8] or the Aguadita tuffs.[1] The ignimbrite is one of the youngest in the region and keeps a noticeable texture in high altitude images.[5] Deposits perhaps correlated to this ignimbrite have been recovered in the Quebrada de Humahuaca region.[9]
The active geothermal fields of El Tatio and Sol de Manana are located around the Laguna Colorada system.[10] As of 2018[update], a pilot geothermal power project was underway at Laguna Colorada.[4] An electrical conductivity anomaly beneath Laguna Colorada has been interpreted either as new magma or hydrothermally altered material.[11] Recent satellite imagery has shown that Laguna Colorada is subsiding at a rate of 4 millimetres per year (0.16 in/year), with the subsidence encompassing the area of the Laguna Colorada ignimbrite and covering a diameter of 20 kilometres (12 mi).[3]
References
^ abcdefgSalisbury, Morgan J.; Jicha, Brian R.; Silva, Shanaka L. de; Singer, Brad S.; Jiménez, Néstor C.; Ort, Michael H. (2011-05-01). "40Ar/39Ar chronostratigraphy of Altiplano-Puna volcanic complex ignimbrites reveals the development of a major magmatic province". GSA Bulletin. 123 (5–6): 821–840. Bibcode:2011GSAB..123..821S. doi:10.1130/B30280.1. ISSN0016-7606.
^Salisbury, M.; de Silva, S. L.; Jicha, B.; Singer, B.; Jiménez, N.; Ort, M. (2008-12-01). "New 40Ar/39Ar Ages From Southwest Bolivia Refine the Timing of APVC Volcanism". AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts. 21: V21C–2117. Bibcode:2008AGUFM.V21C2117S.
^de Silva, Shanaka L.; Gosnold, William D. (2007-11-01). "Episodic construction of batholiths: Insights from the spatiotemporal development of an ignimbrite flare-up". Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. Large Silicic Magma Systems. 167 (1): 320–335. Bibcode:2007JVGR..167..320D. doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2007.07.015.
^Fernandez-Turiel, J. L.; Garcia-Valles, M.; Gimeno-Torrente, D.; Saavedra-Alonso, J.; Martinez-Manent, S. (2005-10-15). "The hot spring and geyser sinters of El Tatio, Northern Chile". Sedimentary Geology. 180 (3): 125–147. Bibcode:2005SedG..180..125F. doi:10.1016/j.sedgeo.2005.07.005.
^Comeau, Matthew J.; Unsworth, Martyn J.; Ticona, Faustino; Sunagua, Mayel (2015-03-01). "Magnetotelluric images of magma distribution beneath Volcán Uturuncu, Bolivia: Implications for magma dynamics". Geology. 43 (3): 243–246. Bibcode:2015Geo....43..243C. doi:10.1130/G36258.1. ISSN0091-7613.
