Volcano

Characteristics

Quiescent Eruptions
involve fairly calm flows of very fluid basaltic lavas which are often triggered by the arrival of a new batch of molten rock into the near-surface magma chamber.

Explosive Eruptions
have magmas which contain some water vapor and other gases that are kept in solution by the immense pressure of the overlying rock

source of material

Magma

Composition

Dissolved Gases

Temperature

Anatomy

Lava
when magma reaches the surface

Conduit

Vent

Crater

Calderas

Parasitic Cones

Materials Extended during an Eruption

Lava Flows

Gases

Pyroclastic Materials (pyro=fire) (clast=fragment)

Aa Flow
has surfaced of rough, jagged blocks with dangerously sharp edges and spiny projections.

Pahoehoe Flows exhibits smooth surfaces that sometimes resemble twisted braids of ropes.

Pillow Lavas are lava flow composed of numerous the like structures stacked one atop the other.

75% found in

Ring of Fire