Global Volcanism Program

Latest Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Volcanic Activity Reports available for Payún Matrú.

Latest Bulletin Report

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Payún Matrú.

Weekly Volcanic Activity Reports

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Payún Matrú.

Bulletin Reports

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Payún Matrú.

General Information

Basic Data

Volcano Number

Last Known Eruption

Elevation

Latitude
Longitude

357066

5050 BCE

3,715 m / 12,188 ft

36.422°S
69.241°W

Morphology

Volcano Landform
Cluster

Volcano Types
Volcanic field
Shield
Caldera
Stratovolcano
Pyroclastic cone(s)
Lava dome(s)

Rock Types

Major
Trachybasalt / Tephrite Basanite
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Trachyte / Trachydacite
Trachyandesite / Basaltic Trachyandesite
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone
Continental crust (> 25 km)

Population

Within 5 km
Within 10 km
Within 30 km
Within 100 km

0
0
151
13,636

Geological Summary

The Payún Matrú volcanic field in Argentina includes a massive hawaiian-style shield volcano that lies 530 km from the oceanic trench. The 8 x 10 km alkaline caldera of Cerro Payún Matrú was formed after about 168,000 years ago. The high point of the massif, Cerro Payen stratovolcano, was constructed on the SW flank of the shield. The Pleistocene Pampas Onduladas pāhoehoe lava flow traveled 181 km, Earth's longest known Quaternary lava flow. Post-caldera basaltic eruptions produced more than 300 eruptive centers, mostly along E-W fissures that extend across the entire edifice. Fluid lava flows from a concentration of vents on the W flank known as Los Volcanes traveled more than 10 km. Other vent clusters of the 5,200 km² volcanic field are found on the lower NE and S flanks, and a lava flow from Volcán Santa María on the NW flank traveled 15 km NE. At least 30 trachyandesitic lava domes and basaltic lava flows were erupted contemporaneously with the basaltic fissure eruptions. The Puente and Chapua volcanic units east of the main shield and south of the Ondulas flow are considered part of the field. Oral traditions note that indigenous tribes were present at the time of the latest eruption.

References

The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography.

Germa A, Quidelleur X, Gillot P Y, Tchilinguirian P, 2010. Volcanic evolution of the back-arc Pleistocene Payun Matru volcanic field (Argentina). Journal of South American Earth Sciences 29, 717-730. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsames.2010.01.002

Gonzalez-Ferran O, 1995. Volcanes de Chile. Santiago: Instituto Geografico Militar, 635 p.

Hernando I R, Llambias E J, Gonzalez P D, Sato K, 2012. Volcanic stratigraphy and evidence of magma mixing in the Quaternary Payún Matrú volcano, andean backarc in western Argentina. Andean Geology 39(1), 158-179.

Inbar M, Risso C, 2001. A morphological and morphometeric analysis of a high density cinder cone volcanic field - Payun Matru, south-central Andes, Argentina. Zeit Geomorph, 45: 321-343.

Moreno H, 1985. (pers. comm.).

Pasquare G, Bistacchi A, Francalanci L, Bertotto G W, Boari E, Massironi M, Rossotti A, 2008. Very long pahoehoe inflated basaltic lava flows in the Payena volcanic province (Mendoza and La Pampa, Argentina). Rev Asso Geol Argentina, 63: 131-149.

Ramos V A, Folguera A, 2011. Payenia volcanic province in the Southern Andes: An appraisal of an exceptional Quaternary tectonic setting. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 201, 53-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2010.09.008

Eruptive History

There is data available for 1 confirmed eruptive period.

5050 BCE ± 1000 years Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive) VEI: 0 (?)

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

Escorial del Matru caldera

5050 BCE ± 1000 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: K/Ar

List of 1 Events for Episode 1 at Escorial del Matru caldera

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

Synonyms and Subfeatures

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.

Cones

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Agua de Torres

Pyroclastic cone

Agua Poca

Vent

Aguila, El

Pyroclastic cone

Amarillo

Pyroclastic cone

Blanca, La

Pyroclastic cone

Chato

Pyroclastic cone

Chato Segundo

Pyroclastic cone

Chivo, del

Pyroclastic cone

Corrales, Los

Pyroclastic cone

Diaz, De

Pyroclastic cone

Escorial

Pyroclastic cone

Huanul

Vent

Jagüel del Moro, Loma

Shield volcano

Laguna, De la

Vent

Lindero, El

Pyroclastic cone

Morado

Pyroclastic cone

Morados Grandes, Los

Cone

36° 24' 0.00" S

69° 6' 0.00" W

Nariz, La

Cone

36° 24' 0.00" S

69° 9' 0.00" W

Negra, La

Pyroclastic cone

Negro

Pyroclastic cone

Nido, Del

Pyroclastic cone

Nire Co

Pyroclastic cone

Oscuro, El

Pyroclastic cone

Parva, La

Vent

Payún, Cerro
Payen, Cerro
Payún Liso

Stratovolcano

3796 m

36° 30' 51.00" S

69° 17' 9.00" W

Peludo, El

Pyroclastic cone

Pozo, El

Pyroclastic cone

Puntudo

Pyroclastic cone

Rial

Pyroclastic cone

Santa María, Volcán

Cone

36° 18' 6.00" S

69° 19' 12.00" W

Tapa

Vent

Tordillo

Pyroclastic cone

Yegua, La

Pyroclastic cone

Craters

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Payun Matru

Caldera

Photo Gallery

The Cerro Payún Matru volcanic field in Argentina covers 5,200 km² and contains a roughly 9-10 km diameter caldera in the center of this Planet Labs satellite image monthly mosaic (N is at the top; this image is approximately 81 km across). The caldera is associated with an ignimbrite deposit spanning 2,200 km², and since its formation 168,000 years ago over 300 vents erupted. There are several larger cones with Cerro Payún reaching the highest elevation SSW of the caldera. The Pampas Negras lavas are to the W, and the Santa Maria lava flow is N of the caldera.

Satellite image courtesy of Planet Labs Inc., 2019 (https://www.planet.com/).

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

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

External Sites

Copernicus Browser

The Copernicus Browser replaced the Sentinel Hub Playground browser in 2023, to provide access to Earth observation archives from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, the main distribution platform for data from the EU Copernicus missions.

MIROVA

Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity (MIROVA) is a near real time volcanic hot-spot detection system based on the analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. In particular, MIROVA uses the Middle InfraRed Radiation (MIR), measured over target volcanoes, in order to detect, locate and measure the heat radiation sourced from volcanic activity.

MODVOLC Thermal Alerts

Using infrared satellite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, scientists at the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i, developed an automated system called MODVOLC to map thermal hot-spots in near real time. For each MODIS image, the algorithm automatically scans each 1 km pixel within it to check for high-temperature hot-spots. When one is found the date, time, location, and intensity are recorded. MODIS looks at every square km of the Earth every 48 hours, once during the day and once during the night, and the presence of two MODIS sensors in space allows at least four hot-spot observations every two days. Each day updated global maps are compiled to display the locations of all hot spots detected in the previous 24 hours. There is a drop-down list with volcano names which allow users to 'zoom-in' and examine the distribution of hot-spots at a variety of spatial scales.

WOVOdat
   Single Volcano View
   Temporal Evolution of Unrest
   Side by Side Volcanoes

WOVOdat is a database of volcanic unrest; instrumentally and visually recorded changes in seismicity, ground deformation, gas emission, and other parameters from their normal baselines. It is sponsored by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) and presently hosted at the Earth Observatory of Singapore.

GVMID Data on Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure The Global Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure Database GVMID, is aimed at documenting and improving capabilities of volcano monitoring from the ground and space. GVMID should provide a snapshot and baseline view of the techniques and instrumentation that are in place at various volcanoes, which can be use by volcano observatories as reference to setup new monitoring system or improving networks at a specific volcano. These data will allow identification of what monitoring gaps exist, which can be then targeted by remote sensing infrastructure and future instrument deployments.

Volcanic Hazard Maps

The IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk has a Volcanic Hazard Maps database designed to serve as a resource for hazard mappers (or other interested parties) to explore how common issues in hazard map development have been addressed at different volcanoes, in different countries, for different hazards, and for different intended audiences. In addition to the comprehensive, searchable Volcanic Hazard Maps Database, this website contains information about diversity of volcanic hazard maps, illustrated using examples from the database. This site is for educational purposes related to volcanic hazard maps. Hazard maps found on this website should not be used for emergency purposes. For the most recent, official hazard map for a particular volcano, please seek out the proper institutional authorities on the matter.

EarthScope Consortium SAGE seismic stations/networks

EarthScope Consortium operates the NSF Geodetic Facility for the Advancement of Geoscience (GAGE) and NSF Seismological Facility for the Advancement of Geoscience (SAGE). The linked map shows the location of seismic stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 0.18° (about 20 km at mid-latitudes) from the given location of Payún Matrú. Users can customize a variety of filters and options in the left panel. Note that if there are no stations are known the map will default to show the entire world with a "No data matched request" error notice.

Large Eruptions of Payún Matrú

Information about large Quaternary eruptions (VEI >= 4) is cataloged in the Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions (LaMEVE) database of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

EarthChem

EarthChem develops and maintains databases, software, and services that support the preservation, discovery, access and analysis of geochemical data, and facilitate their integration with the broad array of other available earth science parameters. EarthChem is operated by a joint team of disciplinary scientists, data scientists, data managers and information technology developers who are part of the NSF-funded data facility Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA). IEDA is a collaborative effort of EarthChem and the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS).

Country	Argentina
Volcanic Region	Southern Andean Volcanic Arc
Landform \| Volc Type	Cluster \| Volcanic field
Last Known Eruption	5050 BCE
Coordinates	36.422°S, 69.241°W
Elevation	3,715 m (12,188 ft)
Volcano Number	357066
Google Earth Placemark with Features
Cite Volcano Profile