Is it true that volcanoes that more lava is expected to erupt from
more flat volcanoes? Are there flatter and more cone-like volcanoes, or
do they all comply with a certain conical shape?
Ofer
Hi Ofer,
Volcanoes come in all shapes and sizes, so there is definitely no
preferred shape. About 60% of the world's volcanoes are a type called
strato-volcanoes because they are made up of interbedded layers of lava
and ash. Many of these look like the "typical" conical volcano, but many
do not. The largest volcanoes on Earth are shield volcanoes such as those
in Hawai'i and the Galapagos. These are mostly made up of lava that was
fluid when erupted. Because it is so hard to pile up fluid lava, these
volcanoes have very gentle slopes (supposedly in profile they look like a
warrior's shield lying on a table, hence the name).
However, the most explosive volcanoes have an inverse shape--they
are negative topographic features rather than cones. This is because they
are so explosive that their products are spread to great distances from
the vent and don't build up. Additionally, they usually erupt so much
material that their magma chambers become emptied and the center of the
volcano collapses inward to form a depression. Famous examples of this
type of volcano are Yellowstone (USA), Taupo (New Zealand),
Taal(Philipines), Long Valley (USA).
good question
Sincerely,
Scott Rowland
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