Corcovado Volcano

Corcovado Volcano (Spanish pronunciation: [koɾkoˈβaðo]) is a stratovolcano located about 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of the mouth of the Yelcho River, in the Palena Province, Los Lagos Region, Chile. The glacially eroded volcano is flanked by Holocene cinder cones. The volcano's base has likely prehistoric lava flows that are densely vegetated. The most distinctive feature of this volcano is its stepped top, similar to that of Puntiagudo Volcano. At its foot lies a series of lakes. Corcovado dominates the landscape of the Gulf of Corcovado area and is visible from Chiloé Island, weather permitting.

Corcovado
The volcano seen from the west on a commercial flight.
Highest point
Elevation2,300 m (7,500 ft)
Coordinates43°11′S 72°48′W 
Geography
LocationChile
Parent rangeAndes
Geology
Mountain typeStratovolcano
Last eruption4920 BCE ± 100

The volcano and the adjacent area form part of Corcovado National Park. The town of Chaitén was formerly the main gateway to this protected area, but much of the town was destroyed by an eruption of Chaitén Volcano and the resultant mudflow in 2008.

The volcano as seen from Quellón

Eruptive history

Corcovado has had two unconfirmed eruptions in 1834 and 1835 with lava flows from flank cones, which are probably based on confusion with Michinmahuida volcano. Three tephra layers are linked to Corcovado volcano, of which the two youngest are dated 7,980 BP and 6,870 BP respectively.

See also

References
  • "Corcovado". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  • González-Ferrán, Oscar (1995). Volcanes de Chile. Santiago, Chile: Instituto Geográfico Militar. p. 640 pp. ISBN 956-202-054-1. (in Spanish; also includes volcanoes of Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru)
  • Naranjo, José A.; Stern, Charles R. (December 2004). "Holocene tephrochronology of the southernmost part (42°30'-45°S) of the Andean Southern Volcanic Zone". Revista geológica de Chile. 31 (2). doi:10.4067/S0716-02082004000200003.
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