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Chile · Stratovolcano

Aguas Calientes

Lascar

Type
Stratovolcano
Elevation
5592m
Last eruption
2026
Aguas Calientes
Photo: Gerard Prins · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
Chile
Region
South America / Central Andean Volcanic Arc
Elevation
5592m
Coordinates
-23.370, -67.730
Last eruption
2026
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic andesite
Geological summary

Láscar is the most active volcano of the northern Chilean Andes. The andesitic-to-dacitic stratovolcano contains six overlapping summit craters. Prominent lava flows descend its NW flanks. An older, higher stratovolcano 5 km E, Volcán Aguas Calientes, displays a well-developed summit crater and a probable Holocene lava flow near its summit (de Silva and Francis, 1991). Láscar consists of two major edifices; activity began at the eastern volcano and then shifted to the western cone. The largest eruption took place about 26,500 years ago, and following the eruption of the Tumbres scoria flow about 9000 years ago, activity shifted back to the eastern edifice, where three overlapping craters were formed. Frequent small-to-moderate explosive eruptions have been recorded since the mid-19th century, along with periodic larger eruptions that produced ashfall hundreds of kilometers away. The largest historical eruption took place in 1993, producing pyroclastic flows to 8.5 km NW of the summit and ashfall in Buenos Aires.

Eruption history

38 recordedGlossary
Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions · Use arrow keys to move between bars, Enter to open
7250 BCE~6941 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?5395 BCE~5086 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 01717~2026 · 36 eruptions · max VEI 47250 BCE5086 BCE2612 BCE448 BCE1717

Detailed timeline

  1. 2026VEI ?Observed
    2026-02-08 – 2026-02-08
  2. 2022VEI 3Observed
    2022-12-10 – 2023-02-03
  3. 2015VEI 2Observed
    2015-10-30 – 2017-04-02
    Summit craters
  4. 2013VEI 1Observed
    2013-04-02 – 2013-11-20
    Central active crater
  5. 2006VEI 3Observed
    2006-04-18 – 2007-07-18
  6. 2005VEI 3Observed
    2005-05-04 – 2005-05-04
  7. 2003VEI 1Method not stated
    2003-12-09 – 2003-12-09
  8. 2002VEI 2Observed
    2002-10-26 – 2002-10-27
  9. 2001VEI ?Method not stated
    2001-05-17 – 2001-07-05
  10. 2000VEI 2Observed
    2000-07-20 – 2001-01-18
  11. 1996VEI 2Observed
    1996-10-18 – 1996-10-18
  12. 1994VEI 2Observed
    1994-07-20 – 1994-07-26
  13. 1994VEI 2Observed
    1994-11-13 – 1995-07-20
  14. 1993VEI 4Observed
    1993-01-30 – 1993-08-16
    Western crater of east summit cone
  15. 1993VEI 2Observed
    1993-12-17 – 1994-02-27
  16. 1991VEI 2Observed
    1991-10-21 – 1992-05-23
  17. 1990VEI 1Observed
    1990-11-24 – 1990-11-24
  18. 1987VEI 3Observed
    1987-11-16 – 1990-04-06
    Western crater of east summit cone
  19. 1986VEI 3Observed
    1986-09-14 – 1986-09-16
    Western crater of east summit cone
  20. 1984VEI 0Observed
    1984-12-16 – 1985-07-16
    Western crater of east summit cone
  21. 1974VEI 1Method not stated
    1974-07-16 – 1974-09-16
  22. 1972VEI 2Method not stated
    1972-07-02 – end unknown
  23. 1969VEI 1Observed
    1969-05-16 – end unknown
  24. 1959VEI 2Observed
    1959-11-16 – 1968-01-31
  25. 1954VEI 2Observed
    1954-06-16 – 1954-07-16
  26. 1951VEI 2Observed
    1951-11-16 – 1952-02-19
    East summit crater
  27. 1940VEI 2Observed
    1940-07-02 – end unknown
  28. 1933VEI 2Observed
    1933-10-09 – 1933-12-16
  29. 1902VEI 2Observed
    1902-07-02 – end unknown
  30. 1898VEI 2Observed
    1898-07-02 – 1900-07-02
  31. 1883VEI 2Observed
    1883-07-02 – 1885-07-02
  32. 1875VEI 2Observed
    1875-07-02 – end unknown
  33. 1858VEI 2Observed
    1858-04-16 – 1858-12-16
  34. 1854VEI 1Observed
    1854-01-20 – 1854-01-30
    Lascar or Aguas Calientes
  35. 1853VEI 2Method not stated
    1853-07-02 – end unknown
  36. 1848VEI 2Observed
    1848-07-02 – end unknown
    Lascar or Agua Calientes
  37. 5150 BCE (±1250 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    5150 BCE – end unknown
    Eastern crater
  38. 7250 BCEVEI ?Geological estimate
    7250 BCE – end unknown
    Lascar II (Tumbres scoria flow)

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External links

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