A Pompeii-Like Eruption Buried This Landscape 22 Million Years Ago—Scientists Just Discovered What Lies Beneath

A Pompeii-like eruption 22 million years ago buried a portion of Chile, similar in scale to the Vesuvius eruption, but much larger. The study, published in Science Advances, analyzed a mountain of ancient volcanic rock covering an area six times the size of Santiago. The Lauca Caldera erupted, forming a layer of molten ignimbrite up to a kilometer deep, which preserved the landscape from typical erosion. The researchers used computer models to infer what the region might have looked like before the eruption, concluding it had a low-relief landscape, such as foothills.

The study highlights that the Andes rose very slowly, by about an inch per century. This slow movement is supported by the shape of the volcanic blanket and how rivers shape mountains. The findings provide new evidence in a longstanding debate about whether the Andes rose rapidly or gradually. The method used allows for estimating rock uplift over a much longer period, offering a new approach to understanding Earth's history.

The research also has implications for climate studies. By understanding the Andes' slow development, climatologists have a better data set to reconstruct global climate change. The approach could be applied to other volcanic deposits worldwide, helping to reconstruct landscapes buried for millions of years. The paper, "Landscapes Buried Beneath Large-Volume Ignimbrites Reveal Preeruptive Uplift Rates," was published in Science Advances on September 11, 2026.

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