Cerro Toco
Encyclopedia
Cerro Toco is a stratovolcano
located in the eastern part of the Atacama desert
in Chile
's II Region (Antofagasta
), approximately 6 km (4 mi) south of the border between Bolivia
and Chile
and 12 km (7 mi) SE of the Juriques
and Licancabur
volcanoes. It conforms the north eastern extreme of the Purico Complex
, a pyroclastic shield
made up by several stratovolcano
es, lava domes and a maar
.
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
located in the eastern part of the Atacama desert
Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert is a plateau in South America, covering a strip of land on the Pacific coast, west of the Andes mountains. It is, according to NASA, National Geographic and many other publications, the driest desert in the world...
in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
's II Region (Antofagasta
Antofagasta Region
The II Antofagasta Region is one of Chile's fifteen first-order administrative divisions. It comprises three provinces, Antofagasta, El Loa and Tocopilla...
), approximately 6 km (4 mi) south of the border between Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
and Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and 12 km (7 mi) SE of the Juriques
Juriques
Juriques is a stratovolcano on the border between Bolivia and Chile. It is located immediately southeast of Licancabur volcano and has a summit crater 1.5 km in its longest diameter. Laguna Verde lies at the foot of this volcano....
and Licancabur
Licancabur
Licancabur is a highly symmetrical stratovolcano on the southernmost part of the border between Chile and Bolivia. It is located just southwest of Laguna Verde in Bolivia. The volcano dominates the landscape of the Salar de Atacama area...
volcanoes. It conforms the north eastern extreme of the Purico Complex
Purico Complex
The Purico Complex is a pyroclastic shield located in the eastern part of the Atacama desert in Chile's II Region , approximately south of the Bolivia - Chile border...
, a pyroclastic shield
Pyroclastic shield
In volcanology, a pyroclastic shield or terrestrial ignimbrite shield is an uncommon type of shield volcano. Unlike most shield volcanoes, pyroclastic shields are formed mostly of pyroclastic and highly explosive eruptions rather than relatively fluid basaltic lava issuing from vents or fissures on...
made up by several stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
es, lava domes and a maar
Maar
A maar is a broad, low-relief volcanic crater that is caused by a phreatomagmatic eruption, an explosion caused by groundwater coming into contact with hot lava or magma. A maar characteristically fills with water to form a relatively shallow crater lake. The name comes from the local Moselle...
.
See also
- List of volcanoes in Chile
- Purico ComplexPurico ComplexThe Purico Complex is a pyroclastic shield located in the eastern part of the Atacama desert in Chile's II Region , approximately south of the Bolivia - Chile border...
- LicancaburLicancaburLicancabur is a highly symmetrical stratovolcano on the southernmost part of the border between Chile and Bolivia. It is located just southwest of Laguna Verde in Bolivia. The volcano dominates the landscape of the Salar de Atacama area...
- JuriquesJuriquesJuriques is a stratovolcano on the border between Bolivia and Chile. It is located immediately southeast of Licancabur volcano and has a summit crater 1.5 km in its longest diameter. Laguna Verde lies at the foot of this volcano....
- Laguna Verde (Bolivia)