Types of Volcanoes

Volcanoes are those ruptures in the Earth's surface or crust, that allows gases and hot and molten rock to escape from deep below the surface. Most volcanic activity forms mountains or mountainous regions over a period of time. There are three main types of volcanoes in the world. Here is a list of the 3 main types of volcanoes:

Supervolcanoes: Supervolcanoes produce the largest eruptions on Earth. The eruptions also produce the most volume and the ejections can severely impact and alter the global climate for years, as well as critically alter the landscape of the surrounding area. The two types of volcanic eruptions classified as Supervolcanoes are Massive Eruptions and Large Igneous Province. Large Igneous Provinces are extensive regions of basalt on a continental scale. These are a result of flood basalt eruptions.

Volcanic Cones: Volcanic cones are the simplest types of volcanoes. They are also known as volcanic cones. When small pieces of pyroclastics rocks and scoria, the vesicular ejections of basaltic and andestitic magmas are thrown out and built at the vent of a volcano, they are known as cinder volcanoes. Both these particles resemble cinders,and therefore the name cinder cones. These eruptions can be short-lived as compared to other volcanoes. They produce cone-shaped hills that are about thirty to four hundred meters high. Cinder Cones erupt only once.

There are different types of volcanic cones, as depends on the size of fragments thrown up during the eruption and size. They are named as Ash Cone, Spatter Cone and Cinder Cones.

Ash Cones have a composition of silt and sized particles. The interaction between the volcanic gases, magma and the expanding steam ejects very small particles called ash. This has a consistency of flour and forms an ash cone after the consolidation of the ash.

Spatter Cones are formed when the molten lava ejected has a shape similar to taffy. The expanded gases in the lava tear the liquid rock into mishapped or irregularly shaped rocks that fall back on the ground. This forms a heap around the vent of the volcano. Partly liquid rock splashed down during a volcano is called spatter. Spatter is not fully solid when it lands on the ground, therefore the size and shapes are completely irregular. This spatter then molds together. Spatter cones are formed during volcanic eruptions with high magma.

Cinder Cones are built entirely of loose volcanic fragments. These volcanic fragments are pumic, tephra or pyroclastic and are called cinders. Cinders are built from particles or congealed lava which erupts from a single vent. Bowl shaped craters are very common at the summit of these cinder cones.

These are the different types of Volcanic Cones.

Stratovolcano is a tall and conical volcano. It is composed of many layers of tephra, lava and volcanic ash. They have a steep profile and erupt in periodically. It spews out viscous lava which cools out before spreading very far. The source magma of the stratovolcano is acidic and having a high silica content.

Submarine Volcanoes: Submarine volcanoes are caused when magma erupts in the underwater fissures of planet earth. Submarine Volcanoes are largely present near the areas of tectonic plate movement. These volcanoes are generally located in the oceans, though some exist in shallow water. The shallow water submarine volcanoes can also eject into the air during eruptions. The lava formed by a Submarine Volcano is different from what is formed due to a terrestrial eruption. This lava is known as pillow lava.

Subglacial Volcano: Subglacial eruptions are eruptions below the surgace of a glacier or ice sheet. The heat of the volcano melts the ice, the water cools the lava and therefore pillow lava is formed, quite similar to the pillow lava formed by underwater or submarine volcanoes. The breaking of the pillow lava form pillow breccia, tuff breccia and hyaclastitie form.