Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
Volcano Status: Fumarolic
Last Known Eruption: Unknown
Summit Elevation: 5980 m 19,619 feet
Latitude: 17.72°S 17°43’0″S
Longitude: 69.77°W 69°46’0″W
Bounded on its western flanks by the Peru-Chile frontier, Tacora is the northernmost volcano in Chile and is the youngest and most southerly of a twin system with Co. Chupiquina. It was catalogued by Casertano (1963) as one of the few active volcanoes in north Chile. Although extensively glaciated, Tacora retains a broad based symmetrical form rising from a base level of about 4,300 m to a summit elevation of 5,980 m. Above ~5,500 m the edifice is covered by snow, preventing detailed observations of the summit region, but Casertano (1963) reported that a crater is situated about 300 m below the summit on the NW side.
Tacora Volcano (Pato Novoa)
Several sets of moraines are well developed on the lower flanks of the volcano, particularly on the southern and eastern flanks. The earliest of these appears to have been left by a continuous sheet of ice extending to below 4,500 m , and terminating roughly parallel with the present Uchusuma Canal. On the southwest flank of the volcano two prominent glacial valleys with prominent lateral moraines cut these and terminate at about 4,400 m. They may be related to the ~11,000 yr BP glacial advance. A third set of terminal moraines is developed within a prominent cirque like feature at about 4,900 m and may date to the “Little Ice age” about 600 yr B.P. There is no evidence on the satellite images of any Holocene activity, however young lava flows have been described as overlying glacial valleys.
Tacora Volcano from a distance (Pato Novoa)
Tacora Volcano from a distance (Uli Franke)
Tacora Volcano in the background
Slopes of the volcano
Originally posted 2010-10-05 07:37:48.
