What are shield volcanoes?

Shield volcanoes are the common product of hotspot volcanism but they can also be found along subduction-related volcanic arcs or all by themselves. Examples of shield volcanoes are Kilauea and Mauna Loa (and their Hawaiian friends), Fernandina (and its Galápagos friends), Karthala, Erta Ale, Tolbachik, Masaya, and many others. read more

Shield volcanoes are the more quiescent, lumbering giants of the volcano world. Although these types of volcanoes are not small by any means, the eruptions they produce can be pretty"ho hum" compared to the enormous explosive potential of the Extreme Volcanoes. read more

A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually composed almost entirely of fluid lava flows. It is named for its low profile, resembling a warrior's shield lying on the ground. read more

Shield volcanoes are the largest volcanoes on Earth that actually look like volcanoes (i.e. not counting flood basalt flows). The Hawaiian shield volcanoes are the most famous examples. Shield volcanoes are almost exclusively basalt, a type of lava that is very fluid when erupted. read more

A shield volcano is most likely to form during a lava flow of fluid basaltic material, usually those that flow down from either a flank fissure system or the summit itself. The most common type of shield volcano is those that form during one long-term eruption. read more

A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. They are named for their low profile, resembling a warrior's shield lying on the ground. This is caused by the highly fluid (low viscosity) lava they erupt which travels farther than lava erupted from stratovolcanoes. read more