Electrical and Thermal Anomalies in the Central Andean Subduction Zone

An enhancement of the electrical conductivity in the upper layers in the subduction zones of southern Peru and northern Argentina is found by analyzing the solar quiet geomagnetic variations. This feature appears in a zone associated with large subduction angles. In this region high values of heat flow have been measured, therefore a one-dimensional thermal model is proposed using regional characteristic parameters to reproduce these values. It is found that thermal convection necessarily plays a contributing role. This effect may be produced by the ascending magma and fluids, which can explain the enhancement of the electrical conductivity.