Composite Volcano Facts

The most interesting composite volcano facts

A volcano is a mountain, hill or mound constructed by lava flows, solid fragments and extrusions of dome-like structure.  The overall shape of a volcano is depending on several factors like volume of water and explosivity of eruptions.  Many kids and teenagers have an interest to know composite volcano facts these days. If you are willing to be aware of the composite volcano comprehensively, then focus on following details.

What is a composite volcano?

A composite volcano is a famous volcano genre in our time. This volcano is otherwise known as a stratovolcano.  More than a few layers of strong volcanic ash, pumice tephra and lava build this kind of volcanoes. The main factors that differentiate the composite volcano from the shield volcano are effusive eruptions, periodic explosive eruptions and a steep profile.

In general, multiple eruptions are causes of composite volcanoes formation in the world.  The grandest mountains in the earth are composite volcanoes beyond doubt. This is because these mountains are formed through alternative layers of blocks, bombs, volcanic ash, cinders and lava flows.  The following famous mountains are composite volcanoes.

  • Mount Fuji in Japan
  • Mount Cotopaxi in Ecuador
  • Mount Shasta in California
  • Mount Hood in Oregon
  • Mount St. Helens in Washington
  • Mount Rainier in Washington

The maximum percentage of feldspar minerals and quartz in the composite volcanoes reveals the power of rhyolite lavas, andesite and decite. The overall gases in the magma play the major role behind the highly explosive nature of minerals in the lavas of composite volcanoes.

Surprising facts about the stratovolcano

If you look at the active composite volcano, then you can listen to thick lava flows on its sides. The less fluid nature of these lavas has so many minerals. Even though the composite volcano erupts less frequently than other volcanoes such as shield volcano, the power of the eruption is stronger than the shield volcano eruption.  Students who listen to composite volcano facts in their academic know about the deadly pyroclastic flows production from the composite volcano.

A conduit system is the main part of a composite volcano. The crust of the earth has the magma reservoir. This magma rises to the earth surface sometimes. A proper accumulation of different materials erupted through this system is responsible for the formation of a composite volcano.  The size of the composite volcano is increased when so many categories of elements like cinders, ash and lava added to slopes of the volcano.

If the erosion begins to tear down the cone of the volcano, then the composite volcano turns out to be dormant. Toughened magma fills the conduit system when the cone is exposed away. The plug is only remains in this process. This is because the fissures complex is projecting above the surface of the land.

Crater Lake in Oregon has the most interesting variation of the stratovolcano. Scientists who research volcanoes in particular composite volcanoes nowadays listen to different aspects of this volcano. Geologists have ensured about so many changes to this Crater Lake about 6,800 years ago. These changes destroyed the top portion of this volcano.