Although the Planchón-Peteroa Volcanic Complex (PPVC) has undergone many hazardous eruptions, only a small number of geological, geochemical, and geophysical studies have been performed to describe this active volcanic system. In order to characterize the subsurface structures present at the PPVC, we applied seismic interferometry to fracture seismicity originating in this volcanic complex and along active geologic faults located nearby. We utilized seismic data recorded by two arrays of stations deployed in Argentina and Chile. Nine of these stations (three in Chile and six in Argentina) recorded data simultaneously and were used for this application. Only seismic events with energy arriving (sub) vertically to the stations were chosen for processing. According to the magnitude and the location of the selected seismic events, relocated seismic sources were used for the Chilean stations while, for the Argentine stations, only seismic sources located near that array were used. We obtained seismic evidence of the location of the subsurface reflectors underneath each station using zero-offset reflection responses retrieved from seismic interferometry by autocorrelation of (time windows extracted from) the selected seismic events. Then, applying a comparative analysis between the seismic results and the available geological information, we imaged the shallow subsurface of the area enclosed by the Chilean stations, and also by the Argentine stations. The results are consistent with the available geological information, provide accurate depth values for several subsurface discontinuities, indicate areas of higher heterogeneity, and support the emplacement of a magma body at ∼4 km depth from the surface. This work shows the first application of a novel variation of seismic interferometry based on autocorrelations to local-earthquake data recorded in a volcanic area.@en

The Planchón-Peteroa Volcanic Complex (PPVC) is located in the Central Andes, Argentina-Chile. Even though this active volcanic system is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the region, with more than twenty modest (VEI < 4) Holocene eruptions, knowledge of its subsurface structures, internal processes, dynamics, and their relation, is still limited. Seismic interferometry (SI) is a high-resolution technique based on analyses of the interference of the propagation seismic energy at one or many stations. SI can be used to characterize the subsurface properties of a target area. In particular, previous SI studies performed in the area of the PPVC describe specific ranges of depth; therefore, more information is required for a thorough description of the subsurface features in the area and for a better understanding of the PPVC dynamics. We apply SI based on autocorrelations of selected regional and teleseismic events to image the subsurface structures below stations located in Argentina and Chile during 2012. The selection of the events is performed according to their location, magnitude, angle of incidence of P-wave seismic energy, and signal-to-noise ratio in the records. For each station, we extract time windows and we process them using two ranges of frequency, which are sensitive to different depth ranges. This work describes depths and zones previously not analyzed in the area using SI methods. The results not only complement the available geological, geochemical, and geophysical information, but present new information for depths between 10 and ~750 km depth, increasing the general knowledge of the subsurface features in the PPVC. Finally, we also propose a model for the subsurface down to the Moho, which indicates the crustal structure and the likely distribution of magma bodies in depth.@en