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Mafic monogenetic vents at the Descabezado Grande volcanic field (35.5°S–70.8°W): the northernmost evidence of regional primitive volcanism in the Southern Volcanic Zone of Chile

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Abstract

In the Andean Southern Volcanic Zone (SVZ), the broad distribution of mafic compositions along the recent volcanic arc occurs mainly south of 37°S, above a comparatively thin continental crust (≤~35 km) and mostly associated with the dextral strike-slip regime of the Liquiñe–Ofqui Fault Zone (LOFZ). North of 36°S, mafic compositions are scarce. This would be in part related to the effect resulting from protracted periods of trapping of less evolved ascending magmas beneath a thick Meso-Cenozoic volcano-sedimentary cover that lead to more evolved compositions in volcanic rocks erupted at the surface. Here, we present whole-rock and olivine mineral chemistry data for mafic rocks from four monogenetic vents developed above a SVZ segment of thick crust (~45 km) in the Descabezado Grande volcanic field (~35.5°S). Whole-rock chemistry (MgO > 8 wt%) and compositional variations in olivine (92 ≥ Fo ≥ 88 and Ni up to ~3650 ppm) indicate that some of the basaltic products erupted through these vents (e.g., Los Hornitos monogenetic cones) represent primitive arc magmas reaching high crustal levels. The combined use of satellite images, regional data analysis and field observations allow to recognize at least 38 mafic monogenetic volcanoes dispersed over an area of about 5000 km2 between 35.5° and 36.5°S. A link between ancient structures inherited from pre-Andean tectonics and the emplacement and distribution of this mafic volcanism is suggested as a first-order structural control that may explain the widespread occurrence of mafic volcanism in this Andean arc segment with thick crust.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank especially G. Bergantz for enabling a 3-month research visit to the University of Washington for P. Salas, during which significant parts of the data were produced. Hugo Neira and Daniela Astaburuaga are sincerely acknowledged for their valuable contribution in GIS support and structural discussions, respectively. P. Salas was supported during part of the project by Beca Postgrado 2015 from Universidad de Concepción. P. Ruprecht gratefully acknowledges funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation (Grants EAR-1347880 and EAR-1426820). We would like to thank Dr. Verónica Pineda for providing facilities for mineral separation at the Laboratory of Sedimentology, Universidad de Concepción, Chile. Charles Stern and Francisco Gutierrez provided helpful reviews of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160 C, Concepción, Chile

    Pablo A. Salas

  2. Instituto de Geología Económica Aplicada GEA, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160 C, Concepción, Chile

    Osvaldo M. Rabbia & Laura B. Hernández

  3. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY, 10964, USA

    Philipp Ruprecht

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  1. Pablo A. Salas
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Correspondence to Osvaldo M. Rabbia.

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Salas, P.A., Rabbia, O.M., Hernández, L.B. et al. Mafic monogenetic vents at the Descabezado Grande volcanic field (35.5°S–70.8°W): the northernmost evidence of regional primitive volcanism in the Southern Volcanic Zone of Chile. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 106, 1107–1121 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-016-1357-5

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