Volcanoes
Latest update: 20 February 2003
The Basic Types Volcanoes
There are three basic types of volcanoes, which are Cinder Cone, Shield Volcano and Strato Volcano.
The Cinder Cones are also called Scoria Cones, which are most common type of volcano. They are also the smallest type, with
heights generally less than 300 meters. A cinded cone has straight sides with steep slopes and a large summit crater in at the top. It's basic composition is Basalt tephra, but it can occasionally be andesitic. This volcano has a Strombolian eruption, which produce eruptive colums of basalt tephra that is usually a few hundred meters high.
Scoria cone on Mauna Kea, Hawaii This lies near the summit of the Mauna Kea shield volcano.
Shield Volcanoes have broad gentle slopes and are built by eruptions, which consists of the fluid called basalt lava. The volcanoes names has come from the resemblance to the shape of a warrior's shield. These volcanoes are the largest amongst the three different kinds of volcanoes. This particular volcano has and eruption called a Hawaiian, because of the Hawaiian Islands.
Mauna Loa is located on the big island of Hawaii.
Stratovolcanoes are also known as coposite cones, which have lower gentler slopes along with steep upper slopes that concaves upward with a small summit crater on top. The composition of a Stratovolcano consists from basaltic to rhyolitic lavas and tephra with an andesite composition overall.
Mt.Mayon in the Philippines is and example of a stratovolcano.
For more information about volcanoes, see:
Links
Link to Northern Michigan University
Lisa Fogle: lfogle@nmu.edu