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 and northwest of Juriques volcano. The volcano dominates the landscape of the Salar de Atacama area. The summit crater is about 400 m wide and contains a 70 by 90 m crater lake which is ice-covered most of the year. This is one of the highest lakes in the world, and despite air temperatures which can drop to -30 °C, it contains planktonic fauna.

Licancabur's most recent volcanic activity produced extensive lava flows which extend 6 km down the northwest and southwest flanks, with older lava flows reaching 15 km and pyroclastic flow deposits as far as 12 km from the peak. Extensive Inca ruins are located at the summit, providing proof of pre-Columbian ascents as well as evidence for a lack of major eruptions over the past 500–1,000 years.

Naming

See also

• Sairecabur
• Purico Complex
• Putana Volcano
• Tocorpuri
• Llano de Chajnantor Observatory
• List of volcanoes in Bolivia
• List of volcanoes in Chile

References

• Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program: Licancabur
• Biggar, John The Andes: A Guide for Climbers (3rd ed.). Andes Publishing (Scotland).
• González-Ferrán, Oscar Volcanes de Chile. Santiago, Chile: Instituto Geográfico Militar. (in Spanish; also includes volcanoes of Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru)
• De Silva, Shanaka L.; Francis, Peter Volcanoes of the Central Andes. Springer-Verlag.
• NASA Licancabur Expedition: Exploring the Highest Lakes on Earth
• The Highest Lakes in the World

External links

• Licancabur, tour 2003