Carachipampa

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Space image of Carachipampa ISS039-E-21907 - View of Argentina.jpg
Space image of Carachipampa

Carachipampa is a Pleistocene volcanic cone in Argentina. Part of a wider, regional volcanic field, it has produced lava flows consisting of andesite. It is surrounded by a lake and a salt flat, the former of which features an ecosystem formed by microbes.

Contents

Volcano

Carachipampa lies in the Catamarca Province [1] of northwestern Argentina. [2] It is a black volcanic cone with its summit on the southeastern crater rim, surrounded by a field of lava flows that were fed from the northwestern side of the cone. [3] Part of the southeastern flank of the cone is collapsed. [4] The occurrence of eroded scoria cones and lava domes has been reported. [5] The lava flows reach thicknesses of 2–6 metres (6 ft 7 in – 19 ft 8 in) and lengths of 8 kilometres (5.0 mi), [6] and consist of mafic andesite [7] that defines a calc-alkaline suite. Phenocrysts are mostly amphibole, clinopyroxene and olivine. [8] Rock samples from the volcano have been analyzed. [9]

The volcano erupted 750,000 years ago [10] and is part of the fourth volcanic stage in the region. [7] There are a number of mafic volcanic centres in the southern Puna, including Antofagasta de la Sierra north of Carachipampa. [11] Cerro Blanco farther southwest produced ignimbrites, which cover the terrain southwest of Carachipampa, [12] and is still active. [2] Seismic tomography has identified a low-speed anomaly underneath Carachipampa, which connects to it and to several neighbouring volcanoes like Galán and Ojos del Salado. [13] The so-called "Cerro Galán Magmatic Body" lies north of Carachipampa; the volcano lies above its margin. [14] A major crustal lineament bears the name "Carachipampa-Farallon Negro". [15] There is evidence of neotectonic activity at Carachipampa. [16]

Surroundings

The cone lies at the centre, and the lowest point, of a [17] 149 by 64 kilometres (93 mi × 40 mi) wide [18] deserted, vegetation-free [a] plain [20] that is one of the lowest-elevation areas in the Puna. [21] To the west, across a ridge, lies the Incahuasi basin, [22] to the east there is a sharp demarcation with [23] the Campo de Piedra Pomez [2] with numerous yardangs carved into ignimbrites. Permian red beds and Paleogene sediments crop out close to Carachipampa. [2] Other rock formations around the Carachipampa plain range in age from Neoproterozoic over Devonian. The basin is filled with sediments, reaching thicknesses of 700 metres (2,300 ft). [18] The basin is notable for the giant (up to 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) high), wind-formed megaripples; [24] they are found southwest of Carachipampa in the valley that runs to Cerro Blanco. [25] Winds have removed fine materials, leaving only granular material on the plain, [20] and eroded sediments from wetlands. [26]

Climate and water

The region has a cold and arid climate, [23] as the Andes prevent moisture from the Atlantic. Winds blow mostly from the northwest and can be intense, explaining the widespread aeolian landforms at Carachipampa. [27] Other traits of the climate are high UV radiation, large daily temperature fluctuations and frequent drying, which make the environment similar to that experienced on Mars. [1]

There are two major waterbodies at Carachipampa, [28] which surround the volcano: [29]

Several watercourses, many of which are ephemeral, flow into the Carachipampa waterbodies. These include the Pirica and Colorado rivers and the creek at El Peñón. [28] At least one creek feeds the waterbodies. [49] The Pirica and Colorado rivers may still flow to Carachipampa. [50] Wetlands are found mainly north of Carachipampa [51] and cover an area of about 0.361 square kilometres (0.139 sq mi). [52]

It is probable that in the past, the basin extended to Fiambalá, before it was separated by volcanic activity. [53] Later, activity of the Antofagasta de la Sierra volcanoes farther north removed inflow from the north [54] although it is possible that water still flows underground from Antofagasta to Carachipampa. [55] Until 1905 years ago, the climate was wetter and a terrace formed at Laguna Carachipampa. [56] Active wetlands [57] and beach environments developed around 644 years ago. [56]

Human use

The town of El Peñón is east of Carachipampa, [2] and the volcano/lake is a tourism destination. [52] National Route 53  [ es ] [58] [c] from Belen to Antofagasta de la Sierra, Catamarca passes by Carachipampa. [45] There is no evidence of agriculture or archeological sites around Carachipampa, [61] but the inhabitants of Peñón used the wetlands as pastures. [51] In 1978, there was a habitation named Carachi Pampa. [62] Bolivia briefly claimed the southern Puna including Carachipampa during the Puna de Atacama dispute in the early 20th century. [63]

Owing to its extreme environmental conditions, Carachipampa has been used as an Earth-based analogue to Mars. [1] Alum and salt were extracted from Carachipampa, [64] and presently the company Lake Resources owns rights about a lithium extraction project at Carachipampa. [65] The name may refer to Quechua pampa, "plain"; the first component may be a reference to either kachi, "salt", or kachina, a type of white ground, or Qáranpampa, "Erial sterile field". [66]

Notes

  1. ↑ A highly permeable ground may additionally hinder vegetation growth [19]
  2. ↑ Which in the Puna are also microbially generated. [39]
  3. ↑ The Inca road system coming from Quebrada del Toro [59] probably passes along a different location named "Carachipampa". [60]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Huidobro et al. 2023, p. 2.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Favaro et al. 2020, p. 3.
  3. ↑ Sundt 1911, p. 85.
  4. ↑ Coira & Cisterna 2021, p. 97.
  5. ↑ Maro et al. 2020, p. 3.
  6. ↑ Coira & Cisterna 2021, p. 96.
  7. 1 2 Kay, Coira & Mpodozis 2006, p. 500.
  8. ↑ Maro et al. 2020, p. 4.
  9. ↑ Kay, Coira & Mpodozis 2006, p. 501.
  10. ↑ Coira & Cisterna 2021, p. 32.
  11. ↑ Coira & Cisterna 2021, p. 94.
  12. ↑ Coira & Cisterna 2021, p. 31.
  13. ↑ Calixto et al. 2013, p. 4297.
  14. ↑ Maro et al. 2020, p. 15.
  15. ↑ Clavero et al. 2024, p. 3.
  16. ↑ Olivera, Tchilinguirian & Grana 2004, p. 237.
  17. ↑ Pardo-Igúzquiza & Dowd 2021, p. 1033.
  18. 1 2 Gozalvez, Álvarez & Seggiaro 2023, p. 11.
  19. ↑ Grau et al. 2018, p. 150.
  20. 1 2 Estrada 1999, p. 10.
  21. ↑ Pintar 2014.
  22. ↑ Sundt 1911, p. 77.
  23. 1 2 Favaro, Hugenholtz & Barchyn 2021, p. 3064.
  24. ↑ Yizhaq 2008, p. 1369.
  25. ↑ Hugenholtz, Barchyn & Favaro 2015, p. 136.
  26. ↑ Tchilinguirian & Olivera 2012, p. 53.
  27. ↑ Favaro et al. 2020, p. 4.
  28. 1 2 Zamora 2022, p. 225.
  29. ↑ Muñoz 1894, p. 43.
  30. ↑ Mirande 2022, p. 100.
  31. 1 2 Vignale et al. 2022, p. 8.
  32. ↑ Maidana & Seeligmann 2015.
  33. ↑ Seeligmann & Maidana 2019, p. 477.
  34. ↑ Grau et al. 2018, p. 251.
  35. ↑ Vignoni et al. 2024, p. 74.
  36. 1 2 3 Farías 2020, p. 256.
  37. ↑ Vignale et al. 2022, p. 5.
  38. 1 2 3 Pérez, Villafañe & Ruiz Sánchez 2024, p. 63.
  39. ↑ Vignale et al. 2022, p. 3.
  40. ↑ Vignale et al. 2022, p. 6.
  41. ↑ Pérez, Villafañe & Ruiz Sánchez 2024, p. 62.
  42. ↑ Torres et al. 2019, p. 6.
  43. ↑ Miatello et al. 2024, p. 248.
  44. ↑ Caziani et al. 2001, p. 114.
  45. 1 2 Milana 2009, p. 343.
  46. ↑ Munné 1978, p. 260.
  47. ↑ Milana 2009, p. 344.
  48. ↑ Maro et al. 2020, p. 2.
  49. ↑ Sundt 1911, p. 94.
  50. ↑ Estrada 1999, p. 151.
  51. 1 2 Muñoz 1894, p. 120.
  52. 1 2 Caziani et al. 2001, p. 106.
  53. ↑ Sundt 1911, p. 78.
  54. ↑ Sundt 1911, p. 86.
  55. ↑ Estrada 1999, p. 11.
  56. 1 2 Grana et al. 2016.
  57. ↑ Tchilinguirian & Olivera 2012, p. 54.
  58. ↑ Munné 1978, p. 267.
  59. ↑ Vitry 2003, p. 155.
  60. ↑ Vitry 2003, p. 158.
  61. ↑ Tchilinguirian & Olivera 2012, p. 56.
  62. ↑ Munné 1978, p. 262.
  63. ↑ Pizarro 2010, p. 354.
  64. ↑ Zamora 2022, p. 244.
  65. ↑ Argento 2022, p. 56.
  66. ↑ Estrada 1999, p. 13.

Sources

26°28′18″S67°28′08″W / 26.47167°S 67.46889°W / -26.47167; -67.46889

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