Relationships between Payenia volcanism and deep-seated structural controls: Insights from geophysical methods at Nevado volcanic field, Mendoza, Argentina

Abstract

The Nevado Volcanic Field (NVF), in southern Mendoza foothills, is part of the Payenia Volcanic Province, a large Quaternary retro-arc volcanic area composed principally of basaltic lava flows and monogenetic volcanoes. Monogenetic volcanism location, distribution and evolution are extremely sensitive to previous rheological discontinuities or faults affecting their basement. With the aim of exploring the subsurface configuration and contributing to a better understanding of this volcanism, we analysed and interpreted aeromagnetic and gravity datasets in addition to structural and volcanic alignments information. Our results show that location of volcanism would have been mainly controlled by NW-SE trending structures. These structures would extend at least to middle crust levels. On the other hand, a secondary control might be related to crustal domains with different densities, which could have affected magma propagation to the surface, hence, controlling the spatio-temporal distribution of volcanoes. The complex interplay between these factors would be responsible for the distribution of volcanic centres. Finally, we discuss the implications of these controls concerning the tectonic stress regime contemporaneous with volcanic activity.