Volcanoes are part of Earth's geomorphology. Geomorphology is a branch of geography and geology that studies the Earth's surface features, describing them, understanding their origins, and analyzing their current behavior. Within geomorphology, we find volcanology , the science that specifically studies everything related to volcanoes.
All types of volcanoes are divided into three main categories based on their geomorphology, volcanic activity, and eruption. If you want to learn more about them with some examples, this post will tell you about them.
Volcanoes, as we have said at the beginning of this post, are classified according to their morphology, the volcanic activity they have and the type of volcanic eruption. Let's make a brief introduction to this classification:
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Types of volcanoes according to their activity : active, inactive and extinct volcanoes
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Types of volcanoes according to their geomorphology : shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes, volcanic calderas, cinder cones (or scoria cones), and lava domes.
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Types of volcanoes according to their eruption : Hawaiian volcanoes, Strombolian volcanoes, Vulcanian volcanoes, Pelean volcanoes, hydromagmatic volcanoes, Icelandic volcanoes, and submarine volcanoes.
Types of volcanoes according to their activity
As we mentioned earlier, volcanoes are classified according to their activity as active, inactive, and extinct . Below, we'll discuss each of these.
Active volcanos
These are volcanoes that could erupt at any time . This is true for most volcanoes; some examples include Cumbre Vieja on the Spanish island of La Palma (currently erupting), Sicily , Mount Etna in Italy (currently erupting), Fuego in Guatemala (also currently erupting), and the Irazú Volcano in Costa Rica.
Dormant volcanoes
These are volcanoes that maintain minimal activity ; they are also known as dormant volcanoes . Although their activity is low, they sometimes erupt. A volcano is considered inactive if it has not erupted for centuries. Mount Teide in the Canary Islands of Spain and the Yellowstone supervolcano in the United States are examples of inactive volcanoes. However, these two recent examples show movement, with minor earthquakes in their area, suggesting that they are still "alive" and could become active at some point; they are neither extinct nor displaced.
extinct volcanoes
These are volcanoes whose last eruption dates back more than 25.000 years . In any case, researchers do not rule out the possibility that they may erupt again at some point. The term is also used for volcanoes that have been displaced by tectonic movements relative to their magma source. Diamond Head volcano in Hawaii is an example of an extinct volcano.
Types of volcanoes according to their geomorphology
shield volcanoes
These are large volcanoes. They are characterized by having a diameter much greater than their height . The shape of this volcano is determined by the continuous accumulation of volcanic eruptions. For example, most of the volcanoes in the Galápagos Islands have this shape, such as Wolf Volcano.
stratovolcanoes
As its name suggests, this type of volcano is formed by layers of basaltic lava and rock . They are cone-shaped and originate from explosive eruptions that alternate with quieter ones. An example of a stratovolcano is the Colima volcano in Mexico.
volcanic calderas
They originate from a large explosion or the collapse of a magma chamber. Their main characteristic is their shape, which resembles a large crater . The Bandama crater in Gran Canaria is an example of such a volcano.
Cinder (or slag) cones
These are the most abundant volcanoes on Earth. They are characterized by their small size and rarely exceed 300 meters in height. As their name indicates, they are built from ash and/or scoria. In Peru, more than 45 cinder cones are found exclusively in the Arequipa and Cusco regions.
lava dome
This type of volcano forms when lava is not very fluid ; it accumulates and compresses the crater. As the lava builds up, a dome-like structure forms at the volcano's summit. An example is the lava dome of the Chaitén volcano in Chile.
Types of volcanoes according to their eruption
Hawaiian volcanoes
The lava from these volcanoes is fluid and does not release gases or produce explosions during the eruption . Therefore, the eruption is silent. Most volcanoes in Hawaii have this type of eruption, hence the name. Specifically, we can mention the Hawaiian volcano called Mauna Loa.
Strombolian volcanoes
Unlike the volcano just described, a Strombolian volcano has viscous, less fluid lava , and its eruption consists of successive explosions . In fact, the lava crystallized as it rose through the conduits, and then volcanic activity was reduced to projecting semi-solidified balls of lava, called volcanic ejecta. This type of volcano is named after the Stromboli volcano in Italy, which erupts rhythmically every 10 minutes.
vulcanian volcanoes
In this case, these are very violent eruptions that can destroy the volcanoes they are located on. The lava is characterized by being very viscous and having a high gas content . As an example, we can mention the Vulcano volcano in Italy, whose volcanic activity gave rise to this type of volcano.
fighting volcanoes
These volcanoes have highly viscous lava that solidifies rapidly to form a plug in the crater. The enormous pressure created by the gas inside causes lateral fissures to open, and sometimes the plug is violently ejected. An example is the Perret volcano on the island of Martinique, from which this volcano takes its name.
hydromagmatic volcanoes
Eruptions result from the interaction of magma masses with groundwater or surface water . Depending on the magma-to-water ratio, a large amount of steam can be released. This type of volcanic activity is common among the volcanoes in the Campo de Calatrava region of Spain.
Icelandic volcanoes
In this type of volcano, lava flows and the eruption is expelled through fissures in the ground, not from the crater. This is how the Great Lava Plateau was formed . Most of these volcanoes are located in Iceland , hence their name. A specific example is the Krafla volcano in Iceland.
underwater volcanoes
Although surprising, there are also active volcanoes underwater. Of course, oceanic eruptions are usually short-lived . In some cases, the ejected lava can reach the surface and form volcanic islands as it cools. An example of an underwater volcano is the Kavachi volcano near the Solomon Islands.
I hope this article has helped you learn more about the types of volcanoes and their characteristics. If you'd like to learn more about volcanoes, you can visit this link.