Deciphering Andean glaciovolcanic processes through geomorphic analysis: the Toro Chico valley, Chile's south (37ºS)

Chile’s geomorphology displays the majority of terrestrial morphogenetic environments. Within the Laja River Basin (37ºS), along the central Mediterranean zone, the Valle del Toro Chico's hanging valley stands out as mixture of a variety of geomorphological environments, including glacial, volcanic, lacustrine, aeolian, and fluvial. The excellent preservation of landforms here, allows for investigation of the multiple coexisting environments and their associated processes that might have caused a sediment infill in the valley of such thickness that left the system relatively disconnected from the containing basin. Here we present our current research on the evolution of this hanging valley. Firstly, to characterize and determine the geomorphology present in Valle del Toro Chico, we have conducted detailed geomorphological mapping, revealing the landform history of the sector, alowing us to propose a relative chronology of events. Secondly, given the apparent complex interaction of processes, we employ geomorphic evidences to discuss whether the valley is indeed a hanging valley or instead a sediment infill from glacial, lacustrine, and volcanic processes.