A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Why are volcanic islands formed in arc shape?

Best Answers

Mt. Fuji, over 12,000 feet tall and one of the world's most beautiful mountains, is an island arc volcano. Considered active, its last eruption was in 1708 - in geological time, that was just last week. read more

From the north to the south, you will find Mount Baker, Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Hood, Crater Lake (a collapsed ancient volcano called Mt. Mazama), Mt. Shasta, and others - a volcanic arc, but not made of islands. read more

Farther north is the Aleutian Arc, formed by the subduction zone in the Aleutian Trench. The volcanic arc extends from Southeast Alaska 1,500 miles along the Aleutian Islands chain across the northern Pacific Ocean to the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia. read more

A volcanic arc is a chain of volcanoes formed above a subducting plate, positioned in an arc shape as seen from above. Offshore volcanoes form islands, resulting in a volcanic island arc. Generally, volcanic arcs result from the subduction of an oceanic tectonic plate under another tectonic plate, and often parallel an oceanic trench. read more

Image Answers