Structural pattern of the western Las Cañadas caldera (Tenerife, Canary Islands) revealed by audiomagnetotellurics

Abstract

The local and regional structural pattern of volcanic edifices strongly controls the space distribution of electrical resistivity. Here we report on the structural context of the western part of the Las Cañadas caldera of Tenerife (LCC) thought to have initiated the formation of the caldera. Using a new dataset of 11 audiomagnetotelluric tensors we emphasize the resistivity distribution of Ucanca caldera and propose a major revision of its extension. We find that Ucanca caldera has a limited westwards extent and that El Cedro sector is a depression margin of the caldera. According to the extent of hydrothermalized rocks at the base of the LCC wall and the distribution of Pico Teide - Pico Viejo vents, we constrain the location and size of Ucanca caldera. The interpretation of these results also constrains the extension of the Icod Valley and proposes a headwall located below the Pico Teide - Pico Viejo Complex. © Birkhaueser 2008.