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Lascar Volcano

Updated: Mar 29, 2024 13:16 GMT -
stratovolcano 5592 m / 18,346 ft
Northern Chile, -23.37°S / -67.73°W
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
Last update: 13 Oct 2023 (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report)

Láscar volcano in northern Chile is the most active of the northern Chilean Andes. Lascar is an andesitic-to-dacitic stratovolcano with 3 overlapping summit craters. Large lava flows are visible on its NW flanks.
Lascar is flanked 5 km to the east by the older, but higher Volcán Aguas Calientes stratovolcano.
Lascar has had a number of small to moderate explosive eruptions in historic times, as well as a few larger eruptions that caused ashfall hundreds of kilometers away. The biggest eruption of Lascar in historical time was in 1993 and produced pyroclastic flows, which traveled 8.5 km NW of the summit, and ashfall in Buenos Aires.

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Typical eruption style: explosive
Lascar volcano eruptions: 2015, 2006-07, 2005, 2002, 2000, 1994-95, 1994, 1993-94, 1993, 1991-92, 1990, 1990, 1987-89, 1986, 1984, 1974, 1972, 1969, 1959-68, 1954, 1951-52, 1940, 1933, 1902, 1898, 1883-85, 1875, 1858, 1854, 1853(?), 1848

Latest nearby earthquakes

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Background

The older Volcán Aguas Calientes has a well-developed summit crater and a lava flow near its summit may be of Holocene age.
Younger Láscar volcano consists of 2 major edifices; activity built a cone to the east and then shifted to the west, where a second cone was built.
The largest eruption of Lascar 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 cone, where 3 overlapping craters were formed.
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Source: Smithsonian / GVP Lascar volcano information

Lascar Volcano Photos

Eruptions of Lascar volcano



2006-07 activity
After the strong ash emissions between 18-23 April 2006, several small to moderate (probably) phreatic explosions occurred throughout the rest of 2006 and into 2007 at irregular intervals.
On 11 March 2007 an ash cloud from Láscar rose to 5.5-6.7 km altitude and drifted E. On 23 May, 2007, an ash plume from Láscar rose to an altitude of 9.1 km and drifted SSE. On 18 July 2007, an ash plume rose to altitudes of 7.6-9.1 km and drifted NE. After July, 2007, Lascar calmed down.
(Source: GVP monthly reports)

2006 April eruption
An eruption at Lascar volcano started on 18 April 2006 and lasted 5 days. The first of 4 explosions on the first day produced an ash plume that reached ca. 10 km above the volcano (ca. 16 km altitude) and was visible from the El Abra cooper mine 220 km NW of the volcano.

2005 eruption
During February to May 2005, a number of mostly smaller phreatic eruptions occurred at Lascar volcano.
A more powerful eruption occurred on 4 May, producing an ash column that reached a height of 11 km and caused fine ash fall in the city of Salta located 285 km SSE of the volcano.

1993 subplinian eruption
The largest eruption of Lascar volcano known in historical times was in 1993: The explosive eruption began late on 18 April with a series of powerful explosions and intensified on 19 April, when it produced a plinian ash column reaching 20-22 km height above the crater. Large pyroclastic flows traveled 7.5 km NW and light ashfall (<0.1 mm) was reported as far as Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1,500 km SE of the volcano.
The area affected by ash fall covered more than 850,000 sq km and stretched into north-central Argentina, southern Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil.

Latest satellite images

Lascar satellite image sat1Lascar satellite image sat2
Wed, 11 Oct 2023, 14:00

Lascar volcano (Northern Chile) - Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 4 October-10 October 2023 (Continuing Activity)

On 6 October SERNAGEOMIN reported that the Alert Level for Láscar had been lowered to Green (the lowest level on a four-color scale) because activity had returned to baseline levels. During 16-30 September sulfur dioxide gas emissions were low, averaging 565 tons per day (t/d) with a maximum of 1,109 t/d on 28 September. Passive, low-energy, whitish gas continued to be emitted, rising as high as 600 m above the crater rim on 28 September. ... Read all

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