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Ecuador · Caldera

Chacana

Type
Caldera
Elevation
4643m
Last eruption
1773
The floor of the massive Chacana caldera is seen here in the foreground, looking SE with glacier-covered Antisana volcano in the distance. Chacana is a 32 x 24 km caldera complex of Pliocene-Holocene age. Its outer flanks extend over 50 km, making it one of the largest rhyolitic centers of the northern Andes. Numerous lava domes were constructed within the caldera, which has been the source of frequent Holocene explosive eruptions. Dacitic lava flows were erupted during the 18th century and numerous hot springs are found on the caldera floor.
The floor of the massive Chacana caldera is seen here in the foreground, looking SE with glacier-covered Antisana volcano in the distance. Chacana is a 32 x 24 km caldera complex of Pliocene-Holocene age. Its outer flanks extend over 50 km, making it one of the largest rhyolitic centers of the northern Andes. Numerous lava domes were constructed within the caldera, which has been the source of frequent Holocene explosive eruptions. Dacitic lava flows were erupted during the 18th century and numerous hot springs are found on the caldera floor. · Photo: Photo by Minard Hall, 1976 (Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito).
Type
Caldera
Country
Ecuador
Region
South America / Northern Andean Volcanic Arc
Elevation
4643m
Coordinates
-0.375, -78.250
Last eruption
1773
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Caldera
Major rock type
Rhyolite

Geological summary

Chacana is a massive, eroded caldera complex of Pliocene-Holocene age that forms one of the largest rhyolitic centers of the northern Andes.

Excerpt from the Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institution · Read the full summary on GVP →

From Wikipedia

Chacana is a large 32-km long - 18–24 km wide caldera that has erupted in historical times. It forms one of the largest rhyolite centers in the Northern Andes with major eruptions over the past 240,000, 180,00, and 160,000 years ago and has had andesitic-rhyolitic volcanism. With dacitic lava flows continuing into historical times. Lava domes were also constructed in the Holocene. Chacana is located 30 km from Quito and the large Antisana volcano is constructed to the southeast.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

5 recordedGlossary

Record summary

Confirmed eruptions
5
Uncertain eruptions
0
Span of confirmed record
8050 BCE – 1773
Largest confirmed eruption
VEI 0 (1773, the most recent of 2)
Confirmed eruptions since 1900
0
Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions · Use arrow keys to move between bars, Enter to open
8050 BCE~7723 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1829 BCE~1501 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?192 BCE~136 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1446~1773 · 2 eruptions · max VEI 08050 BCE5758 BCE3138 BCE846 BCE1446

Detailed timeline

  1. 1773VEI 0Observed
    1773 – end unknown
    South part of caldera
  2. 1760VEI 0Observed
    1760 – end unknown
    SW flank
  3. 50 BCEVEI ?Geological estimate
    50 BCE – end unknown
  4. 1580 BCE (±10 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1580 BCE – end unknown
  5. 8050 BCEVEI ?Geological estimate
    8050 BCE – end unknown

Nearby volcanoes

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.