Emplacement history and inflation evidence of a long basaltic lava flow located in Southern Payenia Volcanic Province, Argentina

The morphological and structural characteristics of the flow and the presence of landforms associated with lava accumulation are the evidence of inflation. This process involved the formation of a tabular sheet flow up to 4 m of thick with a large areal extent in the proximal sectors, while at terminal sectors frontal lobes reached inflation values up to 10 m. The numerous swelling structures present at these portions of the flow suggest the movement of lava in lava tubes. We propose that this aspect and the low viscosity of the lava allowed the flow travel to a great distance on a gentle slope relief.