Research projects in Bolivia
Bolivia is one of the most geologically impressive countries on the planet. From the billions-year-old craton in the east, to the active volcanic arc in the west, and nearly everything else in between, Bolivia has it all. The Universidad Mayor de San Andres (UMSA) is the center of geologic research in the country. At UMSA, students and faculty are studying nearly every aspect of Bolivia’s geology, however, this is a lot for one university - and this is where international collaboration can play an important role. My research focuses on the volcanic rocks of Bolivia, and I am pleased to be collaborating with UMSA professors and their students on a variety of different projects. If you are a student or professor who is interested in any aspect of Bolivian geology, please feel free to contact me and we can discuss opportunities for collaborative projects.
Finding the sources of explosive volcanic deposits in La Paz
Bolivia is home to numerous volcanoes, including some of the largest volcanoes on Earth. In the younger sediments surrounding La Paz, Bolivia, a number of thick ash layers have been identified that have likely came from very large eruptions. Where did these ash layers come from? Are they related to some of the newly discovered super volcanoes on the Bolivian Altiplano? Or perhaps a large volcano in Chile or Peru? We will be using a variety of analytical techniques to investigate the source of these unknown ash layers.
Chijini tuff, Sopochachi, La Paz
Chijini tuff, Sopocachi, La Paz
Chijini tuff, Cota Cota, La Paz
Cota Cota tuff, Cota Cota, La Paz
Cota Cota tuff, Cota Cota, La Paz
Cota Cota tuff, Cota Cota, La Paz
Turaquiri Caldera, Northern Altiplano
The Turaquiri caldera is situated on the Northern Altiplano of Bolivia, located between the towns of Curahuara de Carangas and Turco, approximately 40 km east of Sajama volcano. Very little research has been conducted on the enormous ignimbrites of this potentially very large caldera system. Our goal is to determine the distribution, ages and geochemical composition of the main eruptive deposits from this caldera. We are also interested in investigating the Turaquiri caldera as a potential source for the Cota Cota tuffs, which can be found in the sediments of the capital city of La Paz, located 180 km to the north of Turaquiri.
Los Frailes Volcanic Complex
The Frailes Volcanic Complex was initially studied by Néstor Jiménez. We are adding to his studies with new age and geochemical data.
