Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The large late-glacial Ho eruption of the Hudson volcano, southern Chile

Bulletin of Volcanology volume 76, Article number: 831 (2014) Cite this article

Abstract

Lakes formed in the Aysén region of southern Chile after the retreat of mountain glaciers, established by ~17,900 calendar years before present (cal years BP) or earlier, contain numerous late-glacial and Holocene tephra layers derived from >70 eruptions of the volcanoes in the region, including Hudson, the southernmost in the Andean Southern Volcanic Zone (SVZ). Sediment cores from seven of these lakes contain an unusually thick late-glacial age tephra layer, which based on its distribution and bulk trace-element composition was derived from a large explosive eruption of Hudson volcano between 17,300 and 17,440 cal years BP and is termed Ho. In 13 cores from six of these lakes, each located ~100 km generally northeast of Hudson, the Ho tephra layer ranges between 50 and 88 cm in thickness, and contains pumice grains up to 2 cm in maximum diameter. Comparison with three previously documented large explosive Holocene Hudson eruptions (H1 at 7,750 cal years BP, H2 at 3,920 cal years BP, and H3 in 1991 AD) suggests that Ho was larger, with an estimated tephra volume of >20 km3, the largest post-glacial eruption documented for any volcano in the southern Andes and most likely responsible for the formation of the Hudson caldera. In total, Hudson has erupted ≥45 km3 of pyroclastic material in the last ~17,500 years, making it the most productive volcano in the southern Andes in terms of the total volume erupted since the beginning of deglaciation in the region. Chemical stratification is not seen in the waterlain Ho tephra, but these deposits are bi-modal, consisting of a much greater proportion of dark glassy basaltic-trachyandesite dense fragments and pumice, with glasses which range between 55 and 59 wt.% SiO2, along with volumetrically less-significant lighter-colored trachydacite pumice, with glass of 66 wt.% SiO2. In contrast, H1 products are trachyandesitic in composition, H2 ones are more felsic than H1, being composed essentially of trachydacite, and although H3 1991 AD again produced tephra of bi-modal compositions, it erupted a much smaller proportion of mafic compared to felsic material than did Ho. Thus, the repetitive large explosive eruptions of Hudson volcano have evolved to progressively less-mafic overall compositions from late-glacial to historic times, and their volumes have decreased. Sr-isotopic composition of bulk samples of the most mafic dense glass and most felsic pumice components of the Ho tephra, as well as samples from other Hudson eruptions, which overall range from 51 to 66 wt.% SiO2, with 525 to 227 ppm Sr, are all similar (0.70444 ± 0.00007), indicating that crystal-liquid fractionation rather than crustal assimilation was the main process responsible for these chemical variations.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

References

  • Auer V (1974) The isorythmicity subsequent to the Fuego-Patagonian and Fennoscandian ocean level transgressions and regressions of the latest glaciation. Ann Acad Sci Fenn (Hels) Ser A III Geol Geogr 115:1–188

    Google Scholar 

  • Best JL (1989) Fluidization pipes in volcaniclastic mass flows, Volcán Hudson, southern Chile. Terra Nova 1:203–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Best JL (1992) Sedimentology and event timing of a catastrophic volcaniclastic mass flow, Volcán Hudson, southern Chile. Bull Volcanol 54:299–318

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cande SC, Leslie RB (1986) Late Cenozoic tectonics of the southern Chile trench. J Geophys Res 91(B1):471–496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cembrano J, Hervé F, Lavenu A (1996) The Liquiñe-Ofqui fault zone: long-lived intra-arc fault system in southern Chile. Tectonophysics 259:55–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cevo J (1978) Informe preliminar sobre erupción del Volcán Hudson norte o Volcán Huemules. Trapananda 1:35–42

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Orazio M, Innocenti F, Manetti P, Tamponi M, Tonarini S, González-Ferrán O, Lahsen A (2003) The Quaternary calc-alkaline volcanism of the Patagonian Andes close to the Chile triple junction: geochemistry and petrogenesis of volcanic rocks from the Cay and Maca volcanoes (∼45°S, Chile). J South Am Earth Sci 16(4):219–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson J, Turner S, Handley H, Macpherson C, Dosseto A (2007) Amphibole “sponge” in arc crust? Geology 35(9):787–790

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Porras ME, Maldonado A, Abarzúa AM, Cárdenas ML, Francois JP, Martel-Cea A, Stern CR (2012) Postglacial vegetation, fire and climate dynamics at Central Chilean Patagonia (Lake Shaman, 44°S). Quat Sci Rev 50:71–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farmer GL, Broxton DE, Warren RG, Pickthorn W (1991) Nd, Sr, and O isotopic variations in metaluminous ash-flow tuffs and related volcanic rocks at Timber Mountain/Oasis Valley Caldera, Complex, SW Nevada: implication for the origin and evolution of large-volume silicic magma bodies. Contrib Mineral Petrol 109:53–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fuenzalida RP (1976) The Hudson volcano. Proceedings of the IAVCEI symposium on Andean and Antarctic volcanology problems, 1974, Santiago, Chile pp 78–87

  • Fuenzalida RP, Espinosa WN (1974) Hallazgo de una caldera volcánica en la provincia de Aisén. Rev Geol Chile 1:64–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Futa K, Stern CR (1988) Sr and Nd isotopic and trace element compositions of Quaternary volcanic centers of the southern Andes. Earth Planet Sci Lett 88:253–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gutiérrez F, Gioncada A, Gonzalez-Ferran O, Lahsen A, Mazzuoli R (2005) The Hudson volcano and surrounding monogenetic centres (Chilean Patagonia): an example of volcanism associated with ridge-trench collision environment. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 145:207–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haberle SG, Lumley SH (1998) Age and origin of tephras recorded in postglacial lake sediments to the west of the southern Andes, 44°S to 47°S. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 84:238–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hildreth W, Drake RE (1992) Volcán Quizapu, Chilean Andes. Bull Volcanol 54:93–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Irvine TN, Baragaar WRA (1971) A guide to the chemical classification of the common volcanic rocks. Can J Earth Sci 8(5):523–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kratzmann DJ, Carey S, Scasso RA, Naranjo JA (2009) Compositional variations and magma mixing in the 1991 eruptions of Hudson volcano, Chile. Bull Volcanol 71(4):419–439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kratzmann DJ, Carey S, Scasso RA, Naranjo JA (2010) Role of cryptic amphibole crystallization in magma differentiation at Hudson volcano, Southern Volcanic Zone, Chile. Contrib Mineral Petrol 159:237–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • López-Escobar L, Kilian R, Kempton P, Tagiri M (1993) Petrology and geochemistry of Quaternary rocks from the southern volcanic zone of the Andes between 41°30′ and 46°00′S, Chile. Rev Geol Chile 20:33–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Miranda CG, Moreno PI, Vilanova I, Villa-Martinez RP (2013) Glacial fluctuations in the Coyhaique-Balmaceda sector of central Patagonia (45S-46S) during the last glacial termination. Boll Geofis Teor Appl 54(Supplement 2):268–271

    Google Scholar 

  • Naranjo JA (1991) Nueva erupción del volcán Hudson. Rev Geol Chile 18:183–184

    Google Scholar 

  • Naranjo JA, Stern CR (1998) Holocene explosive activity of Hudson Volcano, southern Andes. Bull Volcanol 59(4):291–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naranjo JA, Stern CR (2004) Holocene tephrochronology of the southernmost part (42°30′-45°S) of the Andean Southern Volcanic Zone. Rev Geol Chile 31(2):225–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Naranjo JA, Moreno H, Banks NG (1993) La erupción del volcán Hudson 1991 (46°S), Región de Aisén, Chile. Serv Nac Geol Min Boletin 44:1–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson E, Forsythe R, Arit I (1994) Ridge collision tectonics in terrane development. J South Am Earth Sci 7(3–4):271–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orihashi Y, Naranjo JA, Motoki A, Sumino H, Hirata D, Anma R, Nagao K (2004) Quaternary volcanic activity of Hudson and Lautaro volcanoes, Chilean Patagonia: New constraints from K-Ar ages. Rev Geol Chile 31(2):207–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pankhurst RJ, Weaver SD, Hervé F, Larrondo P (1999) Mesozoic–Cenozoic evolution of the North Patagonian Batholith in Aysén, southern Chile. J Geol Soc 156:673–694

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prieto A, Stern CR, Esterves J (2013) The peopling fo the Fuego-Patagonian fjords by littoral hunter-gatherers after the mid-Holocene H1 eruption of Hudson Volcano. Quat Int 317:3–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scasso RA, Corbella H, Tiberi P (1994) Sedimentological analysis of the tephra from the 12–15 August 1991 eruption of Hudson volcano. Bull Volcanol 56:121–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern CR (1991) Mid-Holocene tephra on Tierra del Fuego (54°S) derived from the Hudson volcano (46°S): evidence for a large explosive eruption. Rev Geol Chile 18:139–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern CR (2004) Active Andean Volcanism: its geologic and tectonic setting. Rev Geol Chile 31(2):161–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern CR (2008) Holocene tephrochronology record of large explosive eruptions in the southernmost Patagonian Andes. Bull Volcanol 70(4):435–454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern CR, Moreno H, López-Escobar L, Clavero JE, Lara LE, Naranjo JA, Parada MA, Skewes MA (2007) Chilean volcanoes. Chapter 5 in “The Geology of Chile” (T Moreno & W. Gibbons, eds), Geologic Society of London, pp 149–180

  • Stern CR, Kilian R (1996) Role of the subducted slab, mantle wedge and continental crust in the generation of adakites from the Andean austral volcanic zone. Contrib Mineral Petrol 123:263–281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern CR, Moreno PI, Henrique WI, Villa-Martinez RP, Sagredo E, Aravena JC (2013) Tehrochronolgy in the area around Cochrane, southern Chile. Boll Geofis Teor Appl 54(Supplement 2):199–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Stuiver M, Reimer PJ, Braziunas TF (1998) High-precision radiocarbon age calibration for terrestrial and marine samples. Radiocarbon 40(3):1127–1151

    Google Scholar 

  • Tobar A (1972) Event 80–71. l971 Annual Report, Smithsonian Institution, Center of short-lived phenomena, pp 105–109

  • Watt SFL, Pyle DM, Mather TA (2013) The volcanic response to deglaciation: evidence from glaciated arcs and a reassessment of global eruption records. Earth Sci Rev 122:77–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weller DJ, Stern CR, Miranda CG, Moreno PI, Villa-Martinez RP (2013) A very large (>20km3) late-glacial eruption (Ho) of the Hudson volcaono, southern Chile. Boll Geofis Teor Appl 54(Supplement 2):203–206

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson TM, Cole JW, Stewart C, Cronin SJ, Johnston DM (2011) Ash storms: impacts of wind-remobilised volcanic ash on rural communities and agriculture following the 1991 Hudson eruption, southern Patagonia, Chile. Bull Volcanol 73:223–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson T, Cole J, Johnston D, Cronin S, Stewart C, Dantas A (2012) Short-and long-term evacuation of people and livestock during a volcanic crisis: lessons from the 1991 eruption of Volcan Hudson, Chile. J Appl Volcanol 1:2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright HE Jr (1967) A square-rod piston sampler for lake sediments. J Sed Petrol 37:975–976

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank M. Kaplan, M. Fletcher, I. Villanova, W. Henriquez, and E. Simi for the assistance in the field obtaining the cores. J. Muñoz, S. Watt, and Associate Editor M. Coombs provided constructive comments that helped improve the final manuscript. This research was supported by Fondecyt (Chile) grant #1121141, the Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity grants ICM P05–002 and PFB-23, and the Department of Geological Sciences, CU-Boulder. We also would like to thank A. Vichick, T. Nightingale, M., D.T., D.R, and D.T. Weller for their continued support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309-0399, USA

    D. Weller & C. R. Stern

  2. Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile

    C. G. Miranda & P. I. Moreno

  3. Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego-Patagonia y Antartica (Fundación CEQUA), 21 de Mayo 1690, Casilla 737, Punta Arenas, Chile

    R. Villa-Martínez

Authors
  1. D. Weller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. G. Miranda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. I. Moreno
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. Villa-Martínez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. C. R. Stern
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. R. Stern.

Additional information

Editorial responsibility: M.L. Coombs

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Weller, D., Miranda, C.G., Moreno, P.I. et al. The large late-glacial Ho eruption of the Hudson volcano, southern Chile. Bull Volcanol 76, 831 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-014-0831-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-014-0831-9

Keywords

search

Navigation