Uturuncu Volcano

A team of scientists from China, the United Kingdom, and the United States has been studying the inner dynamics of Bolivia’s Uturuncu Volcano. Their collaborative research has helped pinpoint the reasons behind the volcano’s ongoing activity, easing concerns about a potential eruption in the near future.

Overview of Uturuncu Volcano

• Uturuncu is situated in the Andes Mountains of southwestern Bolivia.
• It is a stratovolcano primarily composed of dacitic lava flows and domes.
• The volcano stands at an elevation of approximately 6,008 meters (19,711 feet), making it the highest peak in southern Bolivia.
• Although it has not erupted for around 250,000 years, Uturuncu remains seismically active and is located at the center of a 70-kilometer-wide uplifted region.
• The volcano lies above the vast Altiplano-Puna Magma Body (APMB), a deep, extensive magma reservoir that spans southern Bolivia, northern Chile, and northern Argentina.
• Nicknamed the “zombie” volcano, Uturuncu exhibits signs of subterranean activity without erupting.
• This persistent but non-eruptive behavior is linked to the movement of gases and molten rock beneath the surface, with current research indicating a low probability of an eruption occurring soon.