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Guallatiri

Photo of this volcano
  • Country
  • Volcanic Region
  • Landform | Volc Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  • 18.42°S
  • 69.092°W

  • 6,071 m
    19,918 ft

  • 355020
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

  • Summit
    Elevation

  • Volcano
    Number

Most Recent Weekly Report: 15 July-21 July 2015 Citation IconCite this Report

On 7 July OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN reported that the Alert Level for Guallatiri was lowered to Green (the lowest level on a four-color scale) because activity had returned to the baseline levels observed prior to the Alert-Level increase in May. Baseline levels were characterized by low levels of seismicity, no deformation, and white emissions.

Source: Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN)


Most Recent Bulletin Report: July 1996 (BGVN 21:07) Citation IconCite this Report

Quiet emission of vapor from summit crater and S flank fumaroles

On 19 and 20 July, quiet emissions and occasional denser puffs of white vapor from the summit crater were observed. A zone of fumaroles on the S flank of the volcano, free of snow and ~400 m below the summit, also released a similar amount of vapor as that from the summit crater.

Guallatiri, one of N Chile's most active volcanoes, is a symmetrical ice-clad volcano at the S end of the Nevados de Quimsachata volcano group.

Information Contacts: J. Sesiano, Département de Minéralogie, Université de Genève, 13 rue des Maraîchers, 1121 Genève 4, Switzerland.

Weekly Reports - Index


2015: May | July


15 July-21 July 2015 Citation IconCite this Report

On 7 July OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN reported that the Alert Level for Guallatiri was lowered to Green (the lowest level on a four-color scale) because activity had returned to the baseline levels observed prior to the Alert-Level increase in May. Baseline levels were characterized by low levels of seismicity, no deformation, and white emissions.

Source: Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN)


27 May-2 June 2015 Citation IconCite this Report

OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN reported that at 0004 and 0517 on 31 May volcano-tectonic events at Guallatiri with local magnitudes of 3.5 and 3.7, respectively, were detected by the seismic network. Very minor deformation was also detected. No other changes were observed in recent months; white plumes continued to rise 200 m. The Alert Level was raised to Yellow (the second lowest level on a four-color scale).

Source: Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN)


Bulletin Reports - Index

Reports are organized chronologically and indexed below by Month/Year (Publication Volume:Number), and include a one-line summary. Click on the index link or scroll down to read the reports.

11/1985 (SEAN 10:11) Vapor plumes at 1-minute intervals

12/1987 (SEAN 12:12) Increased fumarolic activity; distant 1985 observation probably of this volcano

05/1991 (BGVN 16:05) Strong fumarolic activity

07/1996 (BGVN 21:07) Quiet emission of vapor from summit crater and S flank fumaroles




Information is preliminary and subject to change. All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


November 1985 (SEAN 10:11) Citation IconCite this Report

Vapor plumes at 1-minute intervals

[This activity was initially attributed to Acotango in the Quimsachata Volcano Group. It is now thought to have originated from Guallatiri, further along the same line of sight as Acotango (figure 1). Investigation of Acotango volcano in 1987, by Oscar González-Ferrán, revealed no evidence of a recent eruption.]

Figure (see Caption) Figure 1. Sketch map of the Nevados de Quimsachata area. Volcano names are in large type, town names in smaller type. Roads are indicated by pairs of dashed lines. Contour interval is 500 m. Robert Koeppen's line of sight fro his observation point near Sajama, Bolivia, is shown by a dashed line. The border between Chile and Bolivia is not shown, but follows the crest of the Andes. Courtesy of Robert Koeppen, USGS.

The quoted material is a report from Robert Koeppen. "On 1 December at 0750, Robert Koeppen (USGS), Walter West (U. S. Embassy, La Paz, Bolivia), and Jaime Jauregui (Geological Survey of Bolivia) observed steam plumes erupting from a source near the crest of Nevados de Quimsachata. The observation was made from a point about 25 km to the NNE, near the W base of Volcán Nevado Sajama, Bolivia. Visibility was initially excellent, but within about 45 minutes cloud cover completely obscured the mountain's summit. Intervening peaks prevented exact determination of the vent, but the eruption appeared to originate from Cerro Acotango, either from the main summit or possibly immediately to the NW. If the eruption plume came from Volcán Guallatiri, the next possible source area along the line of sight, then it would represent a significantly larger eruption (figure 1).

"The eruptions produced white, billowing clouds that rose vertically above the Quimsachata crest, perhaps about 500 m, then drifted W. The eruptions occurred in episodic bursts, and, based on first sightings of the plumes, at intervals ranging from 45-75 seconds. One large plume drifted more NW and appeared to trail a curtain, possibly of ash fallout. Several bursts seemed particularly vigorous and appeared to consist of several plumes coalescing at higher levels."

Chilean forest service personnel based near Lago Chungara, roughly 20 km to the NW, reported that they had seen no activity, but visibilities in the area are frequently poor.

No eruptions are known in historic time from Cerro Acotango, but Yoshio Katsui and Oscar González-Ferrán (1968) mapped it as Holocene. Four historic eruptions bave been reported from Guallatiri, most recently in December 1960. Chilean geologists note that fumarolic activity from Guallatiri is apparently continuous but less vigorous than the plume emission observed 1 December.

Reference. Katsui, Y., and González-Ferrán, O., 1968, Geología del area neovolcánica de los Nevados de Payachata: Publicaciones del Instituto de Geología, Universidad de Chile, no. 29, 161 p.

Information Contacts: R. Koeppen, USGS, Reston, VA; L. López E., Univ. de Chile, Santiago.


December 1987 (SEAN 12:12) Citation IconCite this Report

Increased fumarolic activity; distant 1985 observation probably of this volcano

"During a reconaissance in the Nevados de Pachayata/Nevados de Quimsachata region between 2 and 5 December, vigorous fumarolic activity was observed at Guallatiri. The activity was much more intense than in previous years and the emissions were more frequent, occurring about every 30 minutes. Whitish-yellow columns rose 300-500 m above the volcano's central dacitic dome. Nearby secondary fumaroles extended from the principal vent onto the W part of the volcano (figure 2).

Figure (see Caption) Figure 2. Sketch map of Guallatiri showing fumaroles active on 3 December 1987. Courtesy of O. González-Ferrán.

"In December 1985, Robert Koeppen had observed (from the base of Sajama volcano 25 km to the NE) strong fumaroles that appeared to be from Acotango. During the 1987 reconaissance, the volcanoes Capurata, Acotango, and Humarata did not show any signs of activity; their craters were covered with ice and clean snow. Consequently, we believe that the activity observed by Koeppen was not from Acotango, but from Guallatiri [farther along Koeppen's line of sight from Sajama; see map in 10:11], which recently has notably increased its activity."

Information Contacts: O. González-Ferrán, Univ de Chile.


May 1991 (BGVN 16:05) Citation IconCite this Report

Strong fumarolic activity

Two strongly active zones of fumaroles were observed during a summit visit on 2 November 1990. The more intense fumaroles, 80 m below the . . . summit, produced a plume 200 m high accompanied by a jet-engine noise. Some boiling mud pools were also seen. The second zone, on the S side of the volcano at ~3,000 m elev, contained about 10 fumaroles. The volcano was otherwise snow-covered.

Information Contacts: P. Vetsch and R. Haubrichs, SVG, Switzerland.


July 1996 (BGVN 21:07) Citation IconCite this Report

Quiet emission of vapor from summit crater and S flank fumaroles

On 19 and 20 July, quiet emissions and occasional denser puffs of white vapor from the summit crater were observed. A zone of fumaroles on the S flank of the volcano, free of snow and ~400 m below the summit, also released a similar amount of vapor as that from the summit crater.

Guallatiri, one of N Chile's most active volcanoes, is a symmetrical ice-clad volcano at the S end of the Nevados de Quimsachata volcano group.

Information Contacts: J. Sesiano, Département de Minéralogie, Université de Genève, 13 rue des Maraîchers, 1121 Genève 4, Switzerland.

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 4 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

[ 1985 Dec 1 ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption
1985 Dec 1 - Unknown Evidence from Unknown

List of 1 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity Uncertain

1960 Dec 2 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption
1960 Dec 2 - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Explosion
1960 Dec 2    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

1959 Jul 15 ± 5 days Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption
1959 Jul 15 ± 5 days - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 4 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Explosion weak or small
   - - - -    - - - - Ash Incandescent
   - - - -    - - - - Scoria
1959 Jul 15 ± 5 days    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

1913 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption
1913 - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Explosion
   - - - -    - - - - Ash Incandescent
1913    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

[ 1908 ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption
1908 - Unknown Evidence from Unknown

1825 ± 25 years Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2 (?)

Episode 1 | Eruption
1825 ± 25 years - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Ash
1825 ± 25 years    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)
Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Guallatiri.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Guallatiri.

Photo Gallery

One of northern Chile's most active volcanoes, Volcán Guallatiri (right) is a symmetrical ice-clad stratovolcano at the SW end of the Nevados de Quimsachata volcano group. This view from the west includes three other peaks of the Nevados de Quimsachata group at the extreme left, Pleistocene Volcán Humarata and Pleistocene-to-Holocene Volcán Acotango and Capurata volcano (center). Minor explosive eruptions have occurred since the beginning of the 19th century from 6071-m-high Guallatiri volcano.

Photo by Hugo Moreno (University of Chile).
A vigorous steam plume rises from the summit ridge of Volcán Guallatiri, one of northern Chile's most active volcanoes. The ice-clad stratovolcano is seen here from the north and lies at the SW end of the Nevados de Quimsachata volcano group. The 6071-m-high Guallatiri is capped by a central dacitic dome or lava complex, with the active vent situated at its southern side. Minor explosive eruptions have been reported from Guallatiri since the beginning of the 19th century, and intense fumarolic activity continues.

Photo by Oscar González-Ferrán (University of Chile).
This prominent fumarole is located in the summit region of Guallatiri volcano. The vigorous fumarole lies 30 m below the summit on the western side and produces a very audible "jet-like" noise. Many solfataras are located along a 300 m section of the upper west flank of the volcano, and another five fumaroles are located on the south side of the central cone.

Photo by Sergio Kunstmann-Z (courtesy of Oscar González-Ferrán, University of Chile).
Volcán Guallatiri rises to the SSE beyond Laguna Chungará, and steam rises from a prominent fumarole near its summit. The symmetrical ice-clad stratovolcano lies at the SW end of the Nevados de Quimsachata volcano group just west of the border with Bolivia and is capped by a central dacitic dome or lava complex. Thick lava flows can be seen on its lower northern and western flanks. Minor explosive eruptions have been reported from Guallatiri since the beginning of the 19th century, and intense fumarolic activity continues.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 2004 (Smithsonian Institution).
Snow capped volcanoes dot this NASA International Space Station image (with north to the upper right) taken along the Chile-Bolivia border. The snow-capped peak at the far left-center is Guallatiri volcano, and to its right are the three peaks of Nevados Quimsachata, which includes Acotango volcano. The two peaks at the upper left are Pomerape and Parinacota, with Laguna Chungara below. Nevado del Sajama in Bolivia lies at the upper right-center. At the lower right is the snow-free volcano of Macizo de Larancagua.

NASA International Space Station image ISS009-E-6848, 2004 (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/).
Glaciated Volcán Guallatiri is in the center of this December 2017 Planet Labs satellite image monthly mosaic (N is at the top; this image is approximately 23 km across). Thick lava flows, domes, and coulees form the flanks, a lava dome complex forms the summit, and both the summit and southwest fumarole fields remain active. The Domo Tinto lava dome formed on the SSW flank around 5,000 years ago.

Satellite image courtesy of Planet Labs Inc., 2017 (https://www.planet.com/).
GVP Map Holdings

Maps are not currently available due to technical issues.

The maps shown below have been scanned from the GVP map archives and include the volcano on this page. Clicking on the small images will load the full 300 dpi map. Very small-scale maps (such as world maps) are not included.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Guallatiri in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites