The Central Volcanic Zone (CVZ) is a volcanic arc in western South America. It is one of the four volcanic zones of the Andes. The Central Volcanic Zone extends from Peru to Chile and forms the western boundary of the Altiplano plateau. The volcanic arc has formed due to subduction of the Nazca Plate under western South America along the Peru-Chile Trench. To the south the CVZ limits to the Norte Chico flat-slab segment, a region absent of volcanism due to a lower subduction angle caused by the subduction of Juan Fernández Ridge.
The CVZ is characterized by a continental crust that reaches a thickness of approximately 70 km.[1] Within this zone there are 44 major and 18 minor volcanic centers that are considered to be active.[1] This volcanic zone also contains not less than six potentially active large silicic volcanic systems, which include those of the Altiplano-Puna Volcanic Complex, as are Cerro Panizos, Pastos Grandes, Cerro Guacha and La Pacana. Other silicic systems are Los Frailes ignimbrite plateau in Bolivia, and the caldera complexes of Incapillo and Cerro Galán in Argentina.[1]
Volcanoes
Argentina
Chile
Peru
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External links
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