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Volcán Villarrica
by Martin Mergili
The Villarrica is one of the most active volcanoes in Chile. With a summit elevation of 2860 m, this glacier-capped stratovolcano rises southeast of the lake of the same name, close to the tourist resort of Pucón, which serves as a base for the exploration of the volcano. The northern slopes of the Villarrica are developed by a road: in winter, some ski lifts operate in this area. Guided ascents to the summit, in contrast, are possible in summer. The volcano can be widely seen, like from the slopes of the Sierra Nevada in the Conguillío National Park in the title image. Monkey puzzle trees, which can be seen in the title image as well, also exist in the Villarrica National Park surrounding the volcano. The somewhat irregular shape of the volcano - the summit cone appears steeper than the area below - is a consequence of the changeable geological history of the Villarrica: at least two very strong prehistoric eruptions have been confirmed, in which the summit could have been blasted away, and calderas have formed.
Villarrica: views of a stratovolcano
Change your perspective by clicking on the arrows or into the photograph.
The slopes of the Villarrica consist of a sequence of countless layers of pyroclastic material. The magma beneath the volcano is andesitic and basaltic in composition and therefore - at least in theory - liquid enough to flow out as lava. The high gas content, however, leads to a rather explosive behaviour, so that Strombolian eruptions frequently produce pyroclastic material, much of which is deposited directly on the slopes. This hardly consolidated material can be incorporated into lahar flows, leading to the formation of gullies such as shown in this image.
