Vilama (caldera)

Vilama is a large caldera located in the Altiplano of South America, straddling the border between Argentina and Bolivia. It is part of the Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes. The caldera is roughly 4 x 2 kilometers in size and formed during a major ignimbrite eruption that occurred approximately 2 million years ago in the Pliocene epoch.

The eruption that created the Vilama caldera produced a vast sheet of volcanic ash and pumice known as the Vilama Ignimbrite, which covers a significant area surrounding the caldera. Following the caldera's formation, later volcanic activity has occurred within and near its boundaries, including the construction of lava domes and flows.

The terrain within and around Vilama caldera is characterized by high altitude, harsh environmental conditions, and limited vegetation. The region is sparsely populated. Studies of the Vilama caldera and its associated ignimbrites have contributed to a better understanding of large-scale volcanic processes and the evolution of the Central Volcanic Zone. The area is of interest to geologists and volcanologists researching caldera formation and ignimbrite eruptions.