SHIELD VOLCANOES

TYPE OF MAGMA

• Has very liquidy lava.
• Almost exclusively basalt.
• Low viscosity lava

SHAPE & SIZE

• Broad summit areas, low slopping sides (shield shape)
• Usually surrounded by hills in circular or fan shape
• Largest volcanoq

EXAMPLES

• Mauna Kea
• Mauna Loa
• Hualalai
• Kohala

HOW IT ERUPTS

• Characterized by low explosivity fountaining that forms
• Cinder cones and spatter cones at the vent
• Eruptions are only explosive if water somehow gets into the vent
• Lava flow is very slow and eventually accumulates and cools around
• The volcano