Descabezado Grande

Stratovolcano(es) in Chile

Last Eruption: 1933

Key Facts

Elevation

3,953 m (12,969 ft)

Type

Stratovolcano(es)

Location

-35.580°, -70.750°

Region

Southern Andean Volcanic Arc

Rock Type

Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

Volcán Descabezado Grande is a late-Pleistocene to Holocene andesitic-to-rhyodacitic stratovolcano with a 1. 4-km-wide ice-filled summit crater. It lies at the center of a 20 x 30 km volcanic complex, 7 km N of the Cerro Azul stratovolcano.

A lateral crater, which formed on the upper NNE flank in 1932 shortly after the end of the major 1932 eruption from nearby Quizapu cone on the N flank of Cerro Azul, was the site of the only recorded eruption. The Holocene Alto de las Mulas fissure on the lower NW flank produced young rhyodacitic lava flows. Numerous small late-Pleistocene to Holocene volcanic centers are located N of the volcano.

The northernmost of these, Lengua de Vulcano (or Mondaca), produced a very youthful rhyodacitic lava flow that dammed the Río Lentué.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

Risk Level

Population at RiskModerate

Infrastructure RiskHigh

Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary

Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Silica Content

Intermediate (57-63% SiO₂)

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Formed by oceanic plate subduction, typically producing explosive eruptions due to water-rich magmas.

Age & Formation

Epoch

Holocene

Evidence

Eruption Observed

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

Metric	Value	Global Ranking	Significance
Total Recorded Eruptions	Unknown	Low	Moderately active volcano
Maximum VEI	VEI Unknown	Minor	Local impact potential
Recent Activity	93 years ago	Historical	Recently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program

International eruption database

Current Status

Normal

No recent activity. Routine monitoring continues.

Nearby Volcanoes in South America Volcanic Regions

Regional Volcanic Activity

The South America Volcanic Regions contains multiple active volcanic systems. Cross-regional magma interactions and tectonic stresses can influence eruption patterns across the entire arc. Monitor regional seismic activity and volcanic alerts.

Quick Info

•Smithsonian ID: 357050
•Evidence: Eruption Observed
•Epoch: Holocene

About the Photo

Volcán Descabezado Grande, seen here from the west, is a late-Pleistocene to Holocene stratovolcano with a 1.4-km-wide ice-filled summit crater. The Holocene Alto de las Mulas fissure on the lower NW flank (out of view to the left) produced young rhyodacitic lava flows. A lateral crater formed on the upper NNE flank in 1932, shortly after the end of the major 1932 eruption from nearby Quizapú volcano. This was the site of the only historical eruption of Descabezado Grande.

Photo by Hugo Moreno (University of Chile).