TYPES OF VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS

Volcanic Eruptions

The most common type of volcanic eruption occurs when magma (the term for lava when it is below the
Earth's surface) is released from a volcanic vent. Eruptions can be effusive, where lava flows like a thick,
sticky liquid, or explosive, where fragmented lava explodes out of a vent. In explosive eruptions, the
fragmented rock may be accompanied by ash and gases; in effusive eruptions, degassing is common but
ash is usually not.
Volcanologists classify eruptions into several different types. Some are named for particular volcanoes
where the type of eruption is common; others concern the resulting shape of the eruptive products or
the place where the eruptions occur. Here are some of the most common types of eruptions.

Hawaiian Eruption

In a Hawaiian eruption, fluid basaltic lava is thrown into the air in jets from a vent or line of vents (a
fissure) at the summit or on the flank of a volcano. The jets can last for hours or even days, a
phenomenon known as fire fountaining. The spatter created by bits of hot lava falling out of the fountain
can melt together and form lava flows, or build hills called spatter cones. Lava flows may also come from
vents at the same time as fountaining occurs, or during periods where fountaining has paused. Because
these flows are very fluid, they can travel miles from their source before they cool and harden.
Hawaiian eruptions get their names from the Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, which is
famous for producing spectacular fire fountains. Two excellent examples of these are the 1969-1974
Mauna Ulu eruption on the volcano's flank, and the 1959 eruption of the Kilauea Iki Crater at the summit
of Kilauea. In both of these eruptions, lava fountains reached heights of well over a thousand feet.

Strombolian Eruption

Strombolian eruptions are distinct bursts of fluid lava (usually basalt or basaltic andesite) from the
mouth of a magma-filled summit conduit. The explosions usually occur every few minutes at regular or
irregular intervals. The explosions of lava, which can reach heights of hundreds of meters, are caused by
the bursting of large bubbles of gas, which travel upward in the magma-filled conduit until they reach
the open air.
This kind of eruption can create a variety of forms of eruptive products: spatter, or hardened globs of
glassy lava; scoria, which are hardened chunks of bubbly lava; lava bombs, or chunks of lava a few cm to
a few m in size; ash; and small lava flows (which form when hot spatter melts together and flows
downslope). Products of an explosive eruption are often collectively called tephra.
Strombolian eruptions are often associated with small lava lakes, which can build up in the conduits of
volcanoes. They are one of the least violent of the explosive eruptions, although they can still be very
dangerous if bombs or lava flows reach inhabited areas. Strombolian eruptions are named for the
volcano that makes up the Italian island of Stromboli, which has several erupting summit vents. These
eruptions are particularly spectacular at night, when the lava glows brightly.
Vulcanian Eruption

A Vulcanian eruption is a short, violent, relatively small explosion of viscous magma (usually andesite,
dacite, or rhyolite). This type of eruption results from the fragmentation and explosion of a plug of lava
in a volcanic conduit, or from the rupture of a lava dome (viscous lava that piles up over a vent).
Vulcanian eruptions create powerful explosions in which material can travel faster than 350 meters per
second (800 mph) and rise several kilometers into the air. They produce tephra, ash clouds, and
pyroclastic density currents (clouds of hot ash, gas and rock that flow almost like fluids).
Vulcanian eruptions may be repetitive and go on for days, months, or years, or they may precede even
larger explosive eruptions. They are named for the Italian island of Vulcano, where a small volcano that
experienced this type of explosive eruption was thought to be the vent above the forge of the Roman
smith god Vulcan.

Plinian Eruption

The largest and most violent of all the types of volcanic eruptions are Plinian eruptions. They are caused
by the fragmentation of gassy magma, and are usually associated with very viscous magmas (dacite and
rhyolite). They release enormous amounts of energy and create eruption columns of gas and ash that
can rise up to 50 km (35 miles) high at speeds of hundreds of meters per second. Ash from an eruption
column can drift or be blown hundreds or thousands of miles away from the volcano. The eruption
columns are usually shaped like a mushroom (similar to a nuclear explosion) or an Italian pine tree; Pliny
the Younger, a Roman historian, made the comparison while viewing the 79 AD eruption of Mount
Vesuvius, and Plinian eruptions are named for him.
Plinian eruptions are extremely destructive, and can even obliterate the entire top of a mountain, as
occurred at Mount St. Helens in 1980. They can produce falls of ash, scoria and lava bombs miles from
the volcano, and pyroclastic density currents that raze forests, strip soil from bedrock and obliterate
anything in their paths. These eruptions are often climactic, and a volcano with a magma chamber
emptied by a large Plinian eruption may subsequently enter a period of inactivity.

Pelean

A Pelean eruption is associated with explosive outbursts that generate pyroclastic flows, dense mixtures
of hot volcanic fragments and gas described in the section Lava, gas, and other hazards. Pelean eruptions
are named for the destructive eruption of Mount Pelée on the Caribbean island of Martinique in 1902.
The fluidized slurries produced by these eruptions are heavier than air but are of low viscosity and pour
down valleys and slopes at great velocities. As a result, they are extremely destructive.

Phreatomagmatic eruption

An eruption resulting from the interaction of new magma or lava with water and can be very explosive.
The water can be from groundwater, hydrothermal systems, surface runoff, a lake or the sea.

Phreatic eruption

An eruption driven by the heat from magma interacting with water. The water can be from groundwater,
hydrothermal systems, surface runoff, a lake or the sea. Phreatic eruptions pulverise surrounding rocks
and can produce ash, but do not include new magma.
Surtseyan

A Surtseyan eruption (or hydrovolcanic) is a type of volcanic eruption caused by shallow-water

interactions between water and lava, named so after its most famous example, the eruption and
formation of the island of Surtsey off the coast of Iceland in 1963. Surtseyan eruptions are the “wet”
equivalent of ground-based Strombolian eruptions, but because of where they are taking place they are
much more explosive. This is because as water is heated by lava, it flashes in steam and expands
violently, fragmenting the magma it is in contact with into fine-grained ash. Surtseyan eruptions are the
hallmark of shallow-water volcanic oceanic islands, however they are not specifically confined to them.
Surtseyan eruptions can happen on land as well, and are caused by rising magma that comes into
contact with an aquifer (water-bearing rock formation) at shallow levels under the volcano. The products
of Surtseyan eruptions are generally oxidized palagonite basalts (though andesitic eruptions do occur,
albeit rarely), and like Strombolian eruptions Surtseyan eruptions are generally continuous or otherwise
rhythmic.

Submarine

Submarine eruptions are a type of volcanic eruption that occurs underwater. An estimated 75% of the
total volcanic eruptive volume is generated by submarine eruptions near mid ocean ridges alone,
however because of the problems associated with detecting deep sea volcanics, they remained virtually
unknown until advances in the 1990s made it possible to observe them.
Submarine eruptions may produce seamounts which may break the surface to form volcanic islands and
island chains.
Submarine volcanism is driven by various processes. Volcanoes near plate boundaries and mid-ocean
ridges are built by the decompression melting of mantle rock that rises on an upwelling portion of a
convection cell to the crustal surface. Eruptions associated with subducting zones, meanwhile, are driven
by subducting plates that add volatiles to the rising plate, lowering its melting point. Each process
generates different rock; mid-ocean ridge volcanics are primarily basaltic, whereas subduction flows are
mostly calc-alkaline, and more explosive and viscous.

Subglacial

Subglacial eruptions are a type of volcanic eruption characterized by interactions between lava and ice,
often under a glacier. The nature of glaciovolcanism dictates that it occurs at areas of high latitude and
high altitude. It has been suggested that subglacial volcanoes that are not actively erupting often dump
heat into the ice covering them, producing meltwater. This meltwater mix means that subglacial
eruptions often generate dangerous jökulhlaups (floods) and lahars.
 Hawaiian pelean

phreatic plinian

strombolian vulcanian
 surtseyan submarine

subglacial

Lumen (N/A). Types of Eruptions. Retrieved from

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/geo/chapter/reading-types-of-eruptions/
 Active Highlighted Volcanoes

Babuyan Claro

Babuyan Islands, Cagayan (19°31.5'N, 121° 57'E)

Region II
Cagayan Province
The oldest volcanoes (Cayonan, Naydi, and Dionisio) started to form 1.7 million years ago and consist
mainly of calc-alkaline andesitic and basaltic andesitic lava flows.
Magma Type: Basaltic
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Number of Historical Eruptions: 4
Year: 1831, 1860, 1913, 1917
Eruption Type: strombolian, phreatomagmatic
Volcanic Hazards: lava flow, tsunami
Type of Volcano: Stratovolcano

Banahaw
Boundaries of Laguna and Quezon provinces (14°00’N, 121°29'E)
Region IV-A
Quezon Province
Banahaw has a 2-km-wide, 600-m-deep summit crater open to the SSW and contained a crater lake until
1730, when it drained to form mudflows. Similar events took place in 1743?, 1843 and 1909.
A large collapse of the NE flank of Banahaw produced a debris avalanche deposit with a volume of 5
cubic km. The event lest a 8 km wide and more than 1 km deep horse-shoe shaped depression extending
from 1700 m to 650 m altitude.
The oldest deposits from Banahaw volcano are known as the Lucena pyroclastic flow deposits, visible on
the shore at Tayabas Bay near Lucerna City and at the eastern base of Banhao de Lucban stratovolcano.
Magma Type: Andesitic
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Number of Historical Eruptions: 3
Year: 1730, 1743, 1843
Nature of eruption: explosive
Volcanic Hazards: debris avalanche, lahar and lake break-out
Type of Volcano: Stratovolcano, complex

Bulusan
Sorsogon Province, 70 km southeast of Mayon Volcano and approximately 250km SE of Manila
(12°46.2'N, 124°03'E)
Region V
Sorsogon Province
Bulusan is a young andesitic volcano built upon the NE rim of an older dacitic-to-rhyolitic caldera, the 11-
km wide Irosin caldera, which was formed about 35,000-40,000 years ago.
Bulusan is flanked by several other large intracaldera lava domes and cones, including the prominent
Mount Jormajan lava dome on the SW flank and Sharp Peak to the NE. The summit of 1565-m-high
Bulusan volcano is unvegetated and contains a 300-m-wide, 50-m-deep crater. Three small craters are
located on the SE flank.
Many moderate explosive eruptions have been recorded at Bulusan since the mid-19th century.
Magma Type: Andesitic
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Number of Historical Eruptions: 18
Latest Eruption/Activity: 2017 March 02 01:57 PM - 02:23 PM
Eruption Type:
1. Phreatic (e.g. 1918-1922, 1980)
2. Strombolian (e.g. 1918-1919)
3. Caldera-forming (e.g. 40,000 YBP)
Type of Volcano: Stratovolcano formed inside a caldera

Didicas
Babuyan Islands, Cagayan (19° 04.6'N, 122°12.1'E)
Region II
Cagayan Province
Didicas volcano now consists of a small, 244-m-high andesitic lava dome about 1.4 km in its longest
diameter.
A 400-m-wide crater was formed during the 1952 eruption. The first recorded submarine eruption of
Didicas occurred in 1773.
In an eruption in 1860, Didicas also built a new island, the first recorded cone of Didicas breaching the
sea surface. It reached a height of 213 m in 1860, when the eruption ended, but it was soon eroded
beneath the sea, because it mainly consisted of loose tephra. 3 rock masses up to 82 m high were left
after an eruption in 1900. 2 more eruptions occurred since 1952 at an explosion crater on the northern
side of the island
Magma Type: Andesitic
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Number of Historical Eruptions: 6
Year: 1773, 1856-1857, 1900, 1952, 1969, 1978 (Jan. 6-9, explosive, phreatic)
Eruption Type: Submarine, phreatic, dome building
Type of Volcano: Submarine/Dome

Hibok-hibok
Camiguin Island, located at the northwestern end of the Island (9°12.2'N, 124°40.5’E)
Region X
Camiguin Province
Geologic history of Camiguin Island and its volcanoes. The Camiguin volcanoes formed on an NW-SE
trend, roughly parallel to the Central Mindanao Arc, with the active vents migrating from SE to NW over
time. The earliest eruption center was from Camiguin Tanda volcano, now buried on the floor of the
Bohol Sea. Later volcanic activity formed the now eroded Mt Butay and Ginsiliba stratovolcanoes on the
SE tip of Camiguin Island, as well as the Binone cinder cone on the SE coast.
Mt. Mambajao volcano in the center forms the highest peak of Camiguin Island. Its fresh-looking shape
including a summit and flank lava domes suggests a relatively age, but there are no known historic
eruptions. One of its flank domes partially fills a crater breached to the NW.
Young Hibok-Hibok lies in the NW of the island about 6 km NW of Mt. Mambajao. It is andesitic-to-
rhyolitic in composition and contains several lava domes, including Mt. Vulcan on its NW flank. Major
eruptions during 1871-75 and 1948-53 formed flank lava domes and produced pyroclastic flows that
devastated villages at the coast.
Magma Type: Andesitic
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Number of Historical Eruptions: 5
Latest Eruption/Activity: 1948 Sept. 31 - 1953 July
Eruption Type:
1. Pelean (e.g. 1948-1952)
2. Dome building with nuee ardente (e.g. 1871, 1949-1953)
3. Solfataric activity with subterranean sounds (e.g. 1897-1902)
Type of Volcano: Stratovolcano and dome complex

Kanlaon
Negros Oriental, approximately 36 km southeast of Bacolod City (10°24.7'N, 123°7.9'E)
Region VI
Negros Occidental Province
Canlaon, part of the Negros Volcanic Belt, is a large stratovolcano dotted with numerous flank cones and
craters, many of which contain lakes.
The summit of Kanlaon contains a 2-km-wide, elongated caldera with two craters. One is inactive and
contains a crater lake. The second crater to the south is smaller, higher and contains the historically
active vent, Lugud crater. Lugud crater is 250 m wide and 150-200 m deep. The base of Kanlaon
measures an area of 30 km x 14 km.
Historical eruptions from Kanlaon have been recorded since 1866. Most historic eruptions were small to
medium sized phreatic explosions, causing minor ash fall near the volcano. Canlaon's geologic record of
past deposits include a remarkable large debris avalanche, that resulted from flank failure of the volcano
and traveled 33 km to the SW.
Magma Type: Pyroxene andesite with minor amounts of basalt and dacite
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Number of Historical Eruptions: 30
Latest Eruption/Activity: 2016 June 18 09:19 AM
Eruption Type:
1. Phreatic (e.g. 1985, 1992, 1993)
2. Phreatomagmatic (e.g. 1884)
3. Strombolian (e.g. 1902)
Type of Volcano: Stratovolcano

Makaturing
Located at about 40 km South of Marawi City, in central Mindanao (7°38.5’N, 124°20.5’E)
ARMM
Lanao Del Sur Province
Makaturing is a stratovolcano at the shore of Illana Bay located about 40 km South of Marawi city, in
central Mindanao, Philippines.
It is part of the Central Mindanao Arc. Many eruptions reported from Makaturing were actually from
neighboring Ragang volcano, and there are only 2 confirmed historic eruptions at Makaturing, the last
being in 1882. Makaturing volcano is densely vegetated at present, but there is solfataric activity
suggesting that the volcano is only dormant.
Type of Magma:
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Number of Historical Eruptions: 10
Latest Eruption/Activity: March 18, 1882
Type of Volcano: Stratovolcano
Matutum
Cotabato, 15 km north of Polomolok, South Cotabato and around 30 km north-northwest of General
Santos City (6°22'N, 125°06.5'E)
Region XII
South Cotabato Province
The plains around Matatum volcano are covered by silicic pyroclastic-flow deposits, the youngest of
which were radiocarbon dated at about 2000 years ago.
2 thermal areas, Akmoan and Lianan, are found on the WSW flank of the volcano.
Type of Magma: Andesitic
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Number of Historical Eruptions: 1
Date: 07 March 1911
Eruption Type: Phreatic (?)
Type of Volcano: Stratovolcano

Mayon
Albay, 300 km southeast of Manila (13°15.4'N, 123°41.1’E)
Region V
Albay Province
Mayon is the archetype of a symmetrical stratovolcano and one of the world most active ones. It has
frequent eruptions producing pyroclastic flows, mud flows and ash falls that repeatedly triggered large-
scale evacuations. Mayon's most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1200 people and devastated
several towns.
the volcano rises 2462 m above the Albay Gulf and has very steep upper slopes averaging 35-40 degrees
capped by a small summit crater.
Historical records of eruptions date back to 1616 and range from strombolian to basaltic plinian, with
cyclical activity beginning with basaltic eruptions, followed by longer term andesitic lava flows. Eruptions
occur predominately from the central conduit and have also produced lava flows that travel far down the
flanks. Pyroclastic flows and mudflows have commonly swept down many of the approximately 40
ravines that radiate from the summit and have often devastated populated lowland areas.
Type of Magma: Basalt to Olivine-bearing Pyroxene Andesite
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Number of Historical Eruptions: 51
Latest Eruption/Activity:
12 August 2014 (lava dome growth)
Eruption Type:
1. Strombolian (e.g. 1978, 1st phase of 1984 eruption)
2. Vulcanian (e.g. 1st phase of 1968 eruption, 2nd phase of 1984 eruption)
3. Plinian (e.g. 1814)
Type of Volcano: Stratovolcano

Ragang
Boundaries of Lanao del Sur and Cotabato (7°41.5’ N, 124°30.3’ E)
ARMM
Lanao Del Sur Province
Ragang is an active stratovolcano 40 km SE of Marawi city, Mindanao Island, Philippines. It is Mindanao's
most active volcanoes and belongs to the Central Mindanao Arc. Most of its historic eruptions were
small explosive eruptions from the summit crater.
The volcano has a deep summit crater with a prominent 3 km long lava flow extending to the SE.
The last confirmed eruption of Ragang volcano was in 1873.
(Source: GVP volcano information)
Type of Magma:
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Number of Historical Eruptions: 8
Latest Eruption/Activity: 1916 July
Type of Volcano: Stratovolcano
Active Volcanoes
Cabalian
Located on the SE tip of Leyte Island, Philippines.
Latitude (deg-min) 10°17'13.2"
Longitude (deg-min) 125°13.25'
Region VIII
Southern Leyte

Cagua
Cagayan, approximately 12 km south of Gonzaga and 14 km south of Port Irene (18°13.3'N, 122°7.4'E)
Region II
Cagayan Province

Iraya
Batan Island, Batanes (20°29'N, 124°01'E)
Region II
Batanes

Iriga
Camarines Sur (13°27.4'N, 123°27.4'E)
Region V
Camarines Sur

Isarog
Camarines Sur (13°39'N, 123°24'E)
Region V
Camarines Sur

Musuan
Bukidnon, 4.5 km south of Valencia or 81 km southeast of Cagayan de Oro City (7°52'N, 125°04.4' E)
Region X
Cagayan de Oro
Parker
Cotabato, approximately 30 aerial kilometers west of General Santos City and 44 kilometers south of
Marbel (6°06.8' N, 124°53.5' E)
Region XII
Cotabato
Smith
Cagayan, northwestern portion of Babuyan Island (19°32.4' N, 121°55' E)
Region II
Cagayan Province

Camiguin De Babuyanes
Calayan Island, Cagayan (18°50'N, 121°51.6'E)
Region II
Cagayan Province

Potentially Active

Apo
Kidapawan, Davao City
Latitude (deg-min) 7°0.5'
Longitude (deg-min) 125°16'
Region XI
Davao

Balut
Latitude (deg-min) 5°23.5'
Longitude (deg-min) 125°22.5'
Region XI
Davao

Corregidor
Lat (deg-min) 14°24'
Long (deg-min) 120°24'
Region III
Bataan

Dakut
Latitude (deg-min) 5°44'
Longitude (deg-min) 120°56'
ARMM
Sulu

Gorra
Latitude (deg-min) 5°33.4'
Longitude (deg-min) 120°49"
ARMM
Sulu

Kalatungan
Latitude (deg-min) 7°57'
Longitude (deg-min) 124°48'
Region X
Bukidnon
Labo
Latitude (deg-min) 14°02'
Longitude (deg-min) 122°48'
Region V
Camarines Sur

Malinao
Latitude (deg-min) 13°28'
Longitude (deg-min) 123°36'
Region V
Albay, Camarines Sur

Negron
Latitude (deg-min) 15°05'
Longitude (deg-min) 120°20'
Region III
Zambales (near the boundaries of Zambales and Pampanga)

Silay
Latitude (deg-min) 10°46.5'
Longitude (deg-min) 123°14'
Region VI
Negros Occidental

Inactive Volcanoes

Abunug
Mount Abunug a mountain in the Philippines. It is located in the province of Leyte and the Eastern
Visayas region, in the south-eastern part of the country, 600 km southeast of the national capital Manila.
Region VIII
Leyte

Daclan
16°31.27′N 120°48.7′E
CAR
Benguet

Dagatan
14°0′N 121°22′E
Region IV-A
Quezon

Mount Abongabong
is a monolith located in Zamboanga City at the Zamboanga Peninsula, the western tip of the island of
Mindanao in the Philippines.
Mount Abuyog
is a mountain and is located in Province of Southern Leyte, Eastern Visayas, Philippines. The elevation
above sea level is 414 metres. Variant forms of spelling for Mount Abuyog or in other languages: Mount
Abuyog (en), Mount Abuyog.

Department of Science and Technology (N/A). PHIVOLCS. Retrieved from

. https://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/

N/A (N/A). Volcano Discovery. Retrieved from https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/home.html

Cinder cones
Cinder cones are the simplest type of volcano. They are built from particles and blobs of congealed lava
ejected from a single vent. As the gas-charged lava is blown violently into the air, it breaks into small
fragments that solidify and fall as cinders around the vent to form a circular or oval cone. Most cinder
cones have a bowl-shaped crater at the summit and rarely rise more than a thousand feet or so above
their surroundings. Cinder cones are numerous in western North America as well as throughout other
volcanic terrains of the world.

In 1943 a cinder cone started growing on a farm near the village of Parícutin in Mexico. Explosive
eruptions caused by gas rapidly expanding and escaping from molten lava formed cinders that fell back
around the vent, building up the cone to a height of 1,200 feet. The last explosive eruption left a funnel-
shaped crater at the top of the cone. After the excess gases had largely dissipated, the molten rock
quietly poured out on the surrounding surface of the cone and moved downslope as lava flows. This
order of events—eruption, formation of cone and crater, lava flow—is a common sequence in the
formation of cinder cones.

During 9 years of activity, Parícutin built a prominent cone, covered about 100 square miles with ashes,
and destroyed the town of San Juan. Geologists from many parts of the world studied Parícutin during its
lifetime and learned a great deal about volcanism, its products, and the modification of a volcanic
landform by erosion.

Composite volcanoes
Some of the Earth's grandest mountains are composite volcanoes—sometimes called stratovolcanoes.
They are typically steep-sided, symmetrical cones of large dimension built of alternating layers of lava
flows, volcanic ash, cinders, blocks, and bombs and may rise as much as 8,000 feet above their bases.
Some of the most conspicuous and beautiful mountains in the world are composite volcanoes, including
Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Cotopaxi in Ecuador, Mount Shasta in California, Mount Hood in Oregon, and
Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier in Washington.

Most composite volcanoes have a crater at the summit which contains a central vent or a clustered
group of vents. Lavas either flow through breaks in the crater wall or issue from fissures on the flanks of
the cone. Lava, solidified within the fissures, forms dikes that act as ribs which greatly strengthen the
cone.

The essential feature of a composite volcano is a conduit system through which magma from a reservoir
deep in the Earth's crust rises to the surface. The volcano is built up by the accumulation of material
erupted through the conduit and increases in size as lava, cinders, ash, etc., are added to its slopes.

When a composite volcano becomes dormant, erosion begins to destroy the cone. As the cone is
stripped away, the hardened magma filling the conduit (the volcanic plug) and fissures (the dikes)
becomes exposed, and it too is slowly reduced by erosion. Finally, all that remains is the plug and dike
complex projecting above the land surface—a telltale remnant of the vanished volcano.

An interesting variation of a composite volcano can be seen at Crater Lake in Oregon. From what
geologists can interpret of its past, a high volcano—called Mount Mazama- probably similar in
appearance to present-day Mount Rainier was once located at this spot. Following a series of
tremendous explosions about 6,800 years ago, the volcano lost its top. Enormous volumes of volcanic
ash and dust were expelled and swept down the slopes as ash flows and avalanches. These large-volume
explosions rapidly drained the lava beneath the mountain and weakened the upper part. The top then
collapsed to form a large depression, which later filled with water and is now completely occupied by
beautiful Crater Lake. A last gasp of eruptions produced a small cinder cone, which rises above the water
surface as Wizard Island near the rim of the lake. Depressions such as Crater Lake, formed by collapse of
volcanoes, are known as calderas. They are usually large, steep-walled, basin-shaped depressions formed
by the collapse of a large area over, and around, a volcanic vent or vents. Calderas range in form and size
from roughly circular depressions 1 to 15 miles in diameter to huge elongated depressions as much as 60
miles long.

Shield volcanoes
Shield volcanoes, the third type of volcano, are built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. Flow after flow
pours out in all directions from a central summit vent, or group of vents, building a broad, gently sloping
cone of flat, domical shape, with a profile much like that of a warrior's shield. They are built up slowly by
the accretion of thousands of highly fluid lava flows called basalt lava that spread widely over great
distances, and then cool as thin, gently dipping sheets. Lavas also commonly erupt from vents along
fractures (rift zones) that develop on the flanks of the cone. Some of the largest volcanoes in the world
are shield volcanoes. In northern California and Oregon, many shield volcanoes have diameters of 3 or 4
miles and heights of 1,500 to 2,000 feet. The Hawaiian Islands are composed of linear chains of these
volcanoes including Kilauea and Mauna Loa on the island of Hawaii—two of the world's most active
volcanoes. The floor of the ocean is more than 15,000 feet deep at the bases of the islands. As Mauna
Loa, the largest of the shield volcanoes (and also the world's largest active volcano), projects 13,677 feet
above sea level, its top is over 28,000 feet above the deep ocean floor.

In some eruptions, basaltic lava pours out quietly from long fissures instead of central vents and floods
the surrounding countryside with lava flow upon lava flow, forming broad plateaus. Lava plateaus of this
type can be seen in Iceland, southeastern Washington, eastern Oregon, and southern Idaho. Along the
Snake River in Idaho, and the Columbia River in Washington and Oregon, these lava flows are beautifully
exposed and measure more than a mile in total thickness.

Lava domes
Volcanic or lava domes are formed by relatively small, bulbous masses of lava too viscous to flow any
great distance; consequently, on extrusion, the lava piles over and around its vent. A dome grows largely
by expansion from within. As it grows its outer surface cools and hardens, then shatters, spilling loose
fragments down its sides. Some domes form craggy knobs or spines over the volcanic vent, whereas
others form short, steep-sided lava flows known as “coulees.”
Volcanic domes commonly occur within the craters or on the flanks of large composite volcanoes. The
nearly circular Novarupta Dome that formed during the 1912 eruption of Katmai Volcano, Alaska,
measures 800 feet across and 200 feet high. The internal structure of this dome—defined by layering of
lava fanning upward and outward from the center—indicates that it grew largely by expansion from
within. Mont Pelée in Martinique, Lesser Antilles, and Lassen Peak and Mono domes in California are
examples of lava domes. An extremely destructive eruption accompanied the growth of a dome at Mont
Pelée in 1902. The coastal town of St. Pierre, about 4 miles downslope to the south, was demolished and
nearly 30,000 inhabitants were killed by an incandescent, high-velocity ash flow and associated hot
gases and volcanic dust.
 cinder

Fact Monster (N/A). Types Of Volcanoes. Retrieved from https://www.factmonster.com/world/world-

geography/types-volcanoes
Basaltic lava
Basaltic lava is another term for mafic lava. Mafic lava is molten rock that is enriched in iron and
magnesium and low in silica. When mafic lava cools on the earth's surface, it forms basalt, which is why
mafic lava is commonly called 'basaltic lava.

Andesitic
Andesitic magma is mostly produced by stratovolcanoes. It is a type of magma that hardens quickly once
it reaches the surface. Andesite is a type of fine extrusive igneous rock that contains plagioclase feldspar
minerals. Its composition is intermediate between basalt and granite. Andesite can be found in the
continental crust above subduction zones, in ocean ridges, and oceanic hotspots. There are many other
locations where andesite magma might appear. Some andesite stratovolcanoes can be found in New
Zealand, Central America, Japan, and Oregon.

Rhyolitic
Rhyolitic magma -- SiO2 65-75%, low in Fe, Mg, Ca, high in K, Na
Rhyolitic Rhyolite 65-75 SiO2 %, low in Fe, Mg, Ca, high in K, Na. 650 - 800 oC High
High