What is "jotabeche"

Jotabeche is a Miocene- Pliocene caldera in the Atacama Region of Chile. It is part of the volcanic Andes, more specifically of the extreme southern end of the Central Volcanic Zone (CVZ). This sector of the Andean Volcanic Belt contains about 44 volcanic centres and numerous more minor volcanic systems, as well as some caldera and ignimbrite systems. Jotabeche is located in a now inactive segment of the CVZ, the Maricunga Belt.

Jotabeche formed from the subduction of the Nazca plate beneath the South America plate, like the other volcanoes in the CVZ and the Andean Volcanic Belt. In the region of Jotabeche, during the late Miocene and Pliocene a change in the subduction geometry has caused volcanism to end, with volcanism shifting eastwards to the Incapillo volcanic centre. The crust beneath Jotabeche is thick, which has had effects on the rock composition of the volcano.

Jotabeche has erupted two major ignimbrites between 8,500,000 and 5,900,000 years ago. The first ignimbrite was the larger one and is named Negro Francisco and the second is called Jotabeche proper. A caldera and some lava domes are also part of the complex. Volcanism ceased 5 million years ago.