Types of Volcanoes

Let us understand about Volcanoes

• Volcanoes are the gap within the layer through which gases, melted rocks material (Lava), Ash, Stream, etc are emitted outward, is that the course of the outburst. Such vents or openings occur in those parts of the planet’s crust wherever the rock strata are comparatively weak.
• The word volcano is derived from Vulcano, a volcanic island in the Aeolian Islands of Italy whose name, in turn, comes from Vulcan, the god of fire in Roman mythology. the study of volcanoes is called Volcanology.

Let’s come on to classification-

• Volcanoes are classified based on their nature of eruption and the form developed at their surfaces.

Let’s take a look at the world’s most famous volcanoes and their locations-

Major types of volcanoes are as follow-

Shield Volcanoes

• Shield volcanoes are the largest of all volcanoes on the earth these volcanoes are mostly made up of basalt which is the type of Lava that is very fluid when erupted.
• These volcanoes become explosive if somehow water gets into them otherwise, they are characterized by Low-explosivity.
• The upcoming Lava moves in the form of a foundation and throws out the cone at the top of the vent and develops into a cinder cone.
• The major examples of shield Volcanoes are- Hawaiian Volcanoes, Prospect Peak, Belknap Crater, Galapagos Islands, etc.

Caldera volcanoes

• These volcanoes are the most explosive of the earth’s volcanoes.
• They are usually so explosive that when they erupt they tend to collapse on themselves rather than Building any tall structure.
• Collapsed depressions are called calderas. Their explosiveness indicates that the magma chamber supplying the Lava is not only huge but is also in a closer vicinity.
• Since 1900, only seven calderas have occurred till now and the most recent occurred was at bardarbunga volcano in 2014.
• The major examples of Caldera Volcanoes are – Mount Meru, Mount Elgon, Long Valley Caldera, Yellow stone caldera, etc

Composite Volcanoes

• Composite volcanoes are characterized by eruptions of cooler and more vicious Lavas than basalt.
• These volcanoes result in explosive eruptions along with large quantities of pyroclastic material and ashes that find their way to the ground.
• These materials accumulated in the vicinity of the vent openings leading to the formation of layers and this makes the mounts appear as composite volcanoes.
• The Major composite volcanoes are- Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Shasta in California, Mount St. Helens in Washington and the major volcano chains are Pacific Rim which known as the Rim of Fire.

The most volcanoes on earth are in the ocean.

Hawaii is the home of earth’s biggest volcano on land mauna loa.

Mid Ocean Ridge Volcanoes

• These volcanoes occur mostly in oceanic areas. There is a system of Mid-ocean ridges more than 70,000 km long that stretches through all the ocean basins.
• The central portion of this ridge experiences frequent eruptions.

Flood Basalt Provinces

• These volcanoes outpour highly fluid Lava that flows for long distances. they are the result of landmasses due to thick basalt lava flows for long-distance.
• There can be a series of floors with some flows attending thickness of more than 50m.
• Individual flows may extend for hundreds of kilometres.
• The major examples of flood basalt provinces are- Deccan Traps of India, Siberian traps, etc.

Major abundant volcanic gas -Water Vapour
Other important gases- CO2, SO2.

To know about the surface of the earth click on the given button below