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Viramonte, José G.
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Viramonte, José G.
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- PublicationRestrictedPreliminary conceptual model of the Cerro Blanco caldera-hosted geothermal system (Southern Puna, Argentina): Inferences from geochemical investigations(2019-05)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; The Cerro Blanco Caldera (CBC) is the youngest collapse caldera system in the Southern Central Andes (Southern Puna, Argentina). The CBC is subsiding with at an average velocity of 0.87 cm/year and hosts an active geothermal system. A geochemical characterization of emitted fluids was carried out based on the chemical and isotopic compositions of fumaroles, and thermal and cold springs discharged in this volcanic area with the aim of constructing the first hydrogeochemical conceptual model and preliminary estimate the geothermal potential. The main hydrothermal reservoir, likely hosted within the pre-caldera basement rocks, has a Na+-Clˉ(HCO3)ˉ composition with estimated temperatures ≥135 °C. The unconsolidated, fine-grained Cerro Blanco ignimbrite likely acts as the cap-rock of the hydrothermal system. The presence of phreatic eruption breccias in the surrounding area of the geothermal fumaroles supports the effectiveness of the pyroclastic deposit as sealing rocks. The isotopic data of water (δ18O and δD) indicate a meteoric recharge of the hydrothermal reservoir, suggesting as recharge areas the sectors surrounding the CBC, mainly towards the W and NW where large outcrops of the pre-caldera basement exist. A fault-controlled hydraulic connection between the hot springs and the hydrothermal reservoir is proposed for the Los Hornitos area. The fumaroles show the typical compositional features of hydrothermal fluids, being dominated by water vapor with significant concentrations of H2S, CH4 and H2. Considering the high geothermal gradient of this area (∼104 °C/km) and the relatively high fraction of mantle He (∼39%) calculated on the basis of the measured R/Ra values, the hydrothermal aquifer likely receives inputs of magmatic fluids from the degassing magma chamber. The preliminary geothermal potential at CBC was evaluated with the Volume Method, calculating up to E = 11.4*1018 J. Both the scarce presence of superficial thermal manifestations and the occurrence of an efficient cap-rock likely contribute to minimize the loss of thermal energy from the reservoir. The results here presented constitute the necessary base of knowledge for further accurate assessment of the geothermal potential and ultimately the implementation of the geothermal resource as a viable energy alternative for small localities or mining facilities isolated from the National Interconnected System due to their remote localization.139 3 - PublicationOpen AccessEstructura gravimetrica preliminar del Complejo volcanico Cerro Blanco, Puna Austral, Argentina(2008-10)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;Cerro Blanco Volcanic Complex is located in Catamarca Province in the southern limit of Andean plateau. This study presents a gravity study for the Cerro Blanco Volcanic Complex using a combination of lithostratigraphic units. The results allowed to reconstruct the Cerro Blanco Volcanic Complex evolution in three main eruptive epochs that constitute an eruptive period. The results presented in this study could contribute to the evaluation of the potential hazard associated with a possible renewal of explosive activity at Cerro Blanco Volcanic Complex.419 205 - PublicationRestrictedMagmatic Mn-rich garnets in volcanic settings: Age and longevity of the magmatic plumbing system of the Miocene Ramadas volcanism (NW Argentina)(2018)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;; ;The Miocene “Corte Blanco Tuff” rhyolite deposit is the product of a large volume and high intensity Plinian erup-tion from the solitary and monogenetic Ramadas Volcanic Centre (Central Andes, Province of Salta, NWArgentina). The“Corte Blanco Tuff”consists of vitreous tube pumices with rare euhedral sub-millimetricMn-garnet phenocrysts, typically hosting inclusions of U-phases as zircon and monazite. Here, we present newtextural, major and trace elemental analyses of garnet, zircon and glass that, combined with in situ U-(Th)-Pbzircon and monazitedating, are used to reconstruct thethermobaricenvironment offormation,age andlongevityof the magmatic plumbing system of the Ramadas magma. The results indicate to a crystallization path of aperaluminous rhyolitic melt at shallow crustal levels (≤6 km), as sequentially tracked by the initial nucleationof zircon (780 °C at 9.16 Ma) and garnet (above or at ca. 700 °C), to thefinal monazite growth (660–670 °C, at8.70 Ma) in a water-saturated (H2O=3–5 wt%) environment, shortly before the eruption started. These data(1) define for thefirst time the primary magmatic origin of Mn-garnet in a rhyolitic volcanic setting; (2) providenew partition coefficients of rare earth elements (REE) between natural garnet, zircon and rhyolitic melts; and(3) permit reconstruction of the magmatic processes that resulted in the Ramadas eruption. On a wider scale,our results document the spatio-temporal (P-Tconditions, timing and longevity) time scales involved in the pet-rogenesis of a shallow peraluminous water-saturated rhyolitic magmatic plumbing system that is able to gener-ate the conditions for extremely explosive Plinian eruptions.94 1 - PublicationOpen AccessGeological Map of the Tocomar Basin (Puna Plateau, NW Argentina). Implication for the Geothermal System Investigation(2020)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; This paper presents a detailed geological map at the 1:20,000 scale of the Tocomar basin in the Central Puna (north-western Argentina), which extends over an area of about 80 km2 and displays the spatial distribution of the Quaternary deposits and the structures that cover the Ordovician basement and the Tertiary sedimentary and volcanic units. The new dataset includes litho-facies descriptions, stratigraphic and structural data and new 234U/230Th ages for travertine rocks. The new reconstructed stratigraphic framework, along with the structural analysis, has revealed the complex evolution of a small extensional basin including a period of prolonged volcanic activity with different eruptive centres and styles. The geological map improves the knowledge of the geology of the Tocomar basin and the local interplay between orogen-parallel thrusts and orogen-oblique fault systems. This contribution represents a fundamental support for in depth research and also for encouraging geothermal exploration and exploitation in the Puna Plateau region.259 40