Several mechanisms have been proposed for the inflation, including the movement of magma underground, the injection of new magma, or the action of volcanic gases and volatiles which are released by the magma. Another proposal is that the inflation may be situated in a hydrothermal system; unless the away are part of a hydrothermal system there is little evidence that such a system exists at Laguna del Maule. Carbon dioxide () anomalies, concentrated on the northern lakeshore, have been found around Laguna del Maule, possibly triggered by the stress of the inflation activating old faults. These anamolies may indicate that the inflation is of mafic composition, as rhyolite only poorly dissolves CO2. Gravity change measurements also show an interaction between magma source, faults and the hydrothermal system.