Why is Kilauea a shield volcano?

Kilauea is one of the world's most active volcanoes. It is a shield-type volcano that makes up the southeastern side of the Big Island of Hawaii. The volcano rises 4,190 feet (1,227 meters) above sea level and is about 14 percent of the land area of the Big Island. read more

Shield volcanoes are volcanoes with broad, gentle slopes and built by the eruption of fluid basalt lava (lava flows of low viscosity). Lawa flows out of volcano in all directions from a central summit vent, or group of vents, building a broad, gently sloping cone of flat, domical shape, with a profile much like that a a warrior's shield. read more

Kilauea, like all of the Hawaiian island volcanos, is a shield volcano because it was fed by and built with mafic basalt lava. The source of the lava is from a mantle plume / hot spot. read more

Kilauea volcano, a youthful shield volcano, sitting on the south east flank of the massive Mauna Loa shield volcano, is the youngest volcano (on land) of the Hawaiian hot spot and not only the most active volcano of Hawaii but at the same time also the world's active volcano. read more

Kilauea, like all of the Hawaiian island volcanos, is a shield volcano because it was fed by and built with mafic basalt lava. The source of the lava is from a mantle plume / hot spot. This page may be out of date. read more

These volcanoes are created when layers of lava ooze out of the volcano and harden. Over the course of many years, shield volcanoes grow into giant domes that look like warriors’ shields. Kilauea, the volcano in Hawaii that is currently erupting, is a shield volcano. read more