Volcanism is the eruption of molten rock, ash and gas onto the Earth's surface through vents where buoyant, gas-charged magma forces its way up from depth. Most of the roughly 1,350 potentially active volcanoes worldwide are concentrated along tectonic plate boundaries, especially the Pacific Ring of Fire, and take characteristic forms ranging from steep cinder cones built by explosive eruptions to broad shield volcanoes built from fluid lava flows.
Facts
Timescale
Timescale (category) Timescale (category) Timescale (category) Timescale (category) Timescale (category) Process Type TimescaleA single eruption can last days, months or years, while the growth of a volcanic edifice itself unfolds over thousands to millions of years. 1 Connections
Caused By
Source United States Geological Survey
Causes
Demonstrated By
An active continental rift zone with ongoing volcanic activity along its length.
Source United States Geological Survey
Shaped
Cotopaxi is an active stratovolcano.
Source Cotopaxi (Wikipedia)
The Giant's Causeway is the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption, part of the North Atlantic Igneous Province.
Source Giant's Causeway (Wikipedia)
Kamchatka contains the volcanoes of Kamchatka, part of the Ring of Fire.
Source Kamchatka Peninsula (Wikipedia)
Source Mesoamerica (Wikipedia)
Source Kilimanjaro (Volcano World, Oregon State University)
A volcanic arc built by subduction-driven volcanism along the Pacific margin of South America.
Source United States Geological Survey
Source Pacific Northwest (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. United States Geological Survey
United States Geological SurveyPlate tectonics and people, This Dynamic Earth
As with earthquakes, volcanic activity is linked to plate-tectonic processes.
- Shaped: The Andes
- Demonstrated By: The Great Rift Valley
View the Source Volcanism (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead section, opening sentenceQuote, Lead section, opening sentence
Volcanism, vulcanism, volcanicity, or volcanic activity
Kilimanjaro (Volcano World, Oregon State University)
Oregon State University, Volcano WorldShaped: Mount Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro pageQuote, Shaped: Mount Kilimanjaro, Kilimanjaro page
Kilimanjaro is a giant stratovolcano reaching an elevation of 19,335.6 ft. (5,895 m).
Cotopaxi (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: Cotopaxi, Lead sectionQuote, Shaped: Cotopaxi, Lead section
Cotopaxi is an active stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains.
Giant's Causeway (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: Giant's Causeway, Lead sectionQuote, Shaped: Giant's Causeway, Lead section
the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption, part of the North Atlantic Igneous Province.
Kamchatka Peninsula (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: Kamchatka Peninsula, Lead sectionQuote, Shaped: Kamchatka Peninsula, Lead section
The Kamchatka Peninsula contains the volcanoes of Kamchatka, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that form part of the Ring of Fire.
Mesoamerica (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: Mesoamerica, Geography section, Sierra Madre volcanoes paragraphQuote, Shaped: Mesoamerica, Geography section, Sierra Madre volcanoes paragraph
There are 83 inactive and active volcanoes within the Sierra Madre range, including 11 in Mexico, 37 in Guatemala, 23 in El Salvador, 25 in Nicaragua, and 3 in northwestern Costa Rica.
Pacific Northwest (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationShaped: The Pacific Northwest, Geology section, list of active volcanoesQuote, Shaped: The Pacific Northwest, Geology section, list of active volcanoes
Active volcanoes in the region include Mount Garibaldi, Mount Baker, Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, Mount Hood, Mount Meager, Mount Jefferson, Mount Shasta, Lassen Peak and Glacier Peak.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.