Putana Volcano 2.83

Putana, sometimes referred to as Jorqencal or Machuca, is a volcano on the border between Bolivia and Chile and close to the Sairecabur volcanic complex. Part of the Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes, its summit is above sea level and contains a summit crater with two smaller craters nested within it. Beneath the summit, the volcano features a number of lava domes and lava flows, some of which originated in flank vents.While the occurrence of historical activity is unclear (aside from an episode in 2009–2010 where the edifice was uplifted by ), the volcano features vigorous fumarolic activity that creates a large plume of gas above the summit. Sulfur deposited by the fumaroles has been mined.ContextPutana lies on the border between Chile and Bolivia, and is also known as Jorgencal, Jorjencal or Machuca. The area is remote and difficult to access and thus poorly studied.Volcanism in the Central Andes is the consequence of the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate and occurs in form of the long Central Volcanic Zone, one of four volcanic belts in the Andes. The Peruvian and the Pampean "flat slab" segments separate this volcanic belt from its neighbours, the Northern Volcanic Zone to the north and the Southern Volcanic Zone south respectively.Putana is part of the Central Volcanic Zone, which aside from this volcano contains a number of large calderas associated with silicic volcanism. Over 13 volcanoes in the Central Volcanic Zone have been active in historical time, out of about 69 with evidence of Holocene activity. Of these volcanoes Láscar is the most active volcano in the Central Volcanic Zone; a major eruption occurred there in 1993.