No abstract

The Central Andes of southern Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile (between 12 • S and 42 • S) comprise the largest orogenic plateau in the world associated with abundant arc volcanism, the Central Andean Plateau, as well as multiple segments of flat-slab subduction making this part of the Earth a unique place to study various aspects of active plate tectonics. The goal of this continental-scale ambient noise tomography study is to incorporate broad-band seismic data from 20 seismic networks deployed incrementally in the Central Andes from 1994 May to 2012 August, to image the vertically polarized shear wave velocity (V sv) structure of the South American Cordillera. Using dispersion measurements calculated from the cross-correlation of 330 broad-band seismic stations, we construct Rayleigh wave phase velocity maps in the period range of 8-40 s and invert these for the shear wave velocity (V sv) structure of the Andean crust. We provide a dispersion misfit map as well as uncertainty envelopes for our V sv model and observe striking first-order correlations with our shallow results (∼5 km) and the morphotectonic provinces as well as subtler geological features indicating our results are robust. Our results reveal for the first time the full extent of the mid-crustal Andean lowvelocity zone that we tentatively interpret as the signature of a very large volume Neogene batholith. This study demonstrates the efficacy of integrating seismic data from numerous regional broad-band seismic networks to approximate the high-resolution coverage previously only available though larger networks such as the EarthScope USArray Transportable Array in the United States.

Two arrays of broad-band seismic stations were deployed in the north central Andes between 8 • and 21 • S, the CAUGHT array over the normally subducting slab in northwestern Bolivia and southern Peru, and the PULSE array over the southern part of the Peruvian flat slab where the Nazca Ridge is subducting under South America. We apply finite frequency teleseismic P-and S-wave tomography to data from these arrays to investigate the subducting Nazca plate and the surrounding mantle in this region where the subduction angle changes from flat north of 14 • S to normally dipping in the south. We present new constraints on the location and geometry of the Nazca slab under southern Peru and northwestern Bolivia from 95 to 660 km depth. Our tomographic images show that the Peruvian flat slab extends further inland than previously proposed along the projection of the Nazca Ridge. Once the slab re-steepens inboard of the flat slab region, the Nazca slab dips very steeply (∼70 • ) from about 150 km depth to 410 km depth. Below this the slab thickens and deforms in the mantle transition zone. We tentatively propose a ridge-parallel slab tear along the north edge of the Nazca Ridge between 130 and 350 km depth based on the offset between the slab anomaly north of the ridge and the location of the re-steepened Nazca slab inboard of the flat slab region, although additional work is needed to confirm the existence of this feature. The subslab mantle directly below the inboard projection of the Nazca Ridge is characterized by a prominent low-velocity anomaly. South of the Peruvian flat slab, fast anomalies are imaged in an area confined to the Eastern Cordillera and bounded to the east by well-resolved low-velocity anomalies. These low-velocity anomalies at depths greater than 100 km suggest that thick mantle lithosphere associated with underthrusting of cratonic crust from the east is not present. In northwestern Bolivia a vertically elongated fast anomaly under the Subandean Zone is interpreted as a block of delaminating lithosphere.

The Central Andes is a key global location to study the enigmatic relation between volcanism and plutonism because it has been the site of large ignim briteforming eruptions during the past several million years and currently hosts the world's largest zone of silicic partial melt in the form of the Alti plano Puna Magma (or Mush) Body (APMB) and the Southern Puna Magma Body (SPMB). In this themed issue, results from the recently completed PLUTONS project are synthesized. This project focused an interdisciplinary study on two regions of largescale surface uplift that have been found to represent ongoing movement of magmatic fluids in the middle to upper crust. The loca tions are Uturuncu in Bolivia near the center of the APMB and Lazufre on the Chile Argentina border, on the edge of the SPMB. These studies use a suite of geological, geochemical, geophysical (seismology, gravity, surface defor ma tion, and electromagnetic methods), petrological, and geomorphological techniques with numerical modeling to infer the subsurface distribution, quantity, and movements of magmatic fluids, as well as the past history of eruptions. Both Uturuncu and Lazufre show separate geophysical anomalies in the upper, middle, and lower crust (e.g., low seismic velocity, low resistiv ity, etc.) indicating multiple distinct reservoirs of magma and/or hydrothermal fluids with different physical properties. The characteristics of the geophysical anomalies differ somewhat depending on the technique used-reflecting the different sensitivity of each method to subsurface melt (or fluid) of different compositions, connectivity, and volatile content and highlight the need for integrated, multidisciplinary studies. While the PLUTONS project has led to significant progress, many unresolved issues remain and new questions have been raised.

Using a network of 15 seismometers around the inflating Uturuncu Volcano from April 2009 to 2010, we find an average rate of about three local volcano-tectonic earthquakes per day, and swarms of 5-60 events a few times per month with local magnitudes ranging from −1.2 to 3.7. The earthquake depths are near sea level, more than 10 km above the geodetically inferred inflation source and the Altiplano Puna Magma Body. The Mw 8.8 Maule earthquake on 27 February 2010 triggered hundreds of earthquakes at Uturuncu with the onset of the Love and Rayleigh waves and again with the passage of the X2/X3 overtone phases of Rayleigh waves. This is one of the first incidences in which triggering has been observed from multiple surface wave trains. The earthquakes are oriented NW-SE similar to the regional faults and lineaments. The b value of the catalog is 0.49, consistent with a tectonic origin of the earthquakes. We perform ambient noise tomography using Love wave cross-correlations to image a low-velocity zone at 1.9 to 3.9 km depth below the surface centered slightly north of the summit. The low velocities are perhaps related to the hydrothermal system and the low-velocity zone is spatially correlated with earthquake locations. The earthquake rate appears to vary with time-a seismic deployment from 1996 to 1997 reveals 1-5 earthquakes per day, whereas 60 events/day were seen during 5 days using one seismometer in 2003. However, differences in analysis methods and magnitudes of completeness do not allow direct comparison of these seismicity rates. The rate of seismic activity at Uturuncu is higher than at other wellmonitored inflating volcanoes during periods of repose. The frequent swarms and triggered earthquakes suggest the hydrothermal system is metastable.