Wikipedia:Today's featured article/March 18, 2022
The Pali-Aike volcanic field is a volcanic field in Argentina that straddles the border with Chile. It is part of a family of back-arc volcanoes in Patagonia that formed from the collision of the Chile Ridge with the Peru–Chile Trench. There are approximately 467 vents in an area of 4,500 square kilometres (1,700 square miles). The field was first active 3.78 million years ago, and is noteworthy for the presence of large amounts of xenoliths in its rocks. The latest eruptions occurred during the Holocene, as indicated by the burial of archaeological artifacts; the Laguna Azul maar formed about 3,400 years before present. Humans have lived in the region for thousands of years, and a number of archaeological sites such as the Fell Cave are located in the field. Presently, parts of the volcanic field are protected areas in Chile and Argentina. The city of Río Gallegos in Argentina is within 23 kilometres (14 mi) of the volcanic field. (Full article...)