We know that volcanoes are geological structures that expel magma that comes from the interior of the earth. Magma is nothing more than a large mass of molten rock that comes from the Earth's mantle. When the magma reaches the surface it is called lava. There are numerous types of volcanoes according to their shape and the type of rash they have.
In this article we are going to tell you what are the different types of volcanoes that exist and what are their eruptions.
Types of volcanoes according to their activity
These are the main types of volcanoes according to their type of activity:
- Active volcano. These are volcanoes that are inactive and can erupt at any time. This happens to most volcanoes, but as examples, we can mention the Cumbre Vieja volcano in La Palma, Spain (now erupting), the Etna volcano in Sicily, Italy (currently erupting), the Fuego volcano in Guatemala (currently erupting), and the Irazú volcano in Costa Rica. The activity of the world's supervolcanoes which are also considered assets. In addition, it is interesting to know that volcanic activity in Indonesia It is very intense, which highlights the importance of knowing the types of volcanoes and their eruptions. To better understand the volcanic phenomenon, you can read about how volcanoes form.
- Inactive volcano. Also called dormant volcanoes, they are volcanoes that maintain minimal activity. Despite their low activity, they occasionally erupt. When there are no volcanic eruptions for centuries, the volcano is considered inactive. The Teide volcano in the Canary Islands of Spain and the Yellowstone supervolcano in the United States are examples of dormant volcanoes. However, both examples have shown movement in recent years; there has been a slight earthquake in their area, indicating that they are still "alive" and may become active at some point; they are not extinct or displaced. To learn more about their activity, you can visit the article on inactive volcanoes and their relevance. Also, it's good to know that there are volcanoes in the canaries which are also interesting to study.
- Extinct volcanoThey are the last volcano to erupt, dating back more than 25.000 years. In any case, researchers do not rule out the possibility that they may erupt again at some point. This method is also called a volcano whose tectonic movement is displaced from its magma source. Diamond Head Volcano in Hawaii is an example of an extinct volcano, although further information about it can be found here. dormant volcanoes and their relevance. The classification of extinct volcanoes is crucial to understanding the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.
Types of volcanoes according to their eruptions
These are the different types of volcanoes that exist according to their eruptions:
- Hawaiian volcanoes. The lava from these volcanoes is fluid and does not release gas or produce an explosion during the eruption. Therefore, the volcanic eruption is silent. Most of Hawaii's volcanoes have this type of eruption, hence the name. Specifically, we can mention the Hawaiian volcano called Mauna Loa, whose characteristics are studied by The NASAIt is also interesting to know the Particularities of the Mauna Loa volcano eruption, which is a representative example of the types of volcanoes and their eruptions. For more information on volcanic activity, you can consult the types of rashes.
- Strombolian volcanoUnlike the volcano just described, the Strombolian volcano exhibits a small amount of viscous lava flowing, with eruptions that include continuous explosions. In fact, the lava crystallizes as it rises through the pipe, and then the volcanic activity slows down to launch semi-consolidated lava balls called volcanic projectiles. The name of this volcano refers to the Strombolian volcano in Italy, which erupts rhythmically every 10 minutes; it is interesting to learn more about volcanoes in Italy, which are examples of varied volcanic activity.
- Vulcan volcanoes. In this case, they are very violent eruptions that can destroy the volcano in which they are located. Lava is characterized by being very viscous and containing a lot of gas. For example, we can mention the Vulcanian volcano in Italy, whose volcanic activity gave rise to this volcano; it is worth noting that many of these eruptions have been documented globally. active volcanoes around the worldTo better understand the types of eruptions and their relationship with volcanoes, you can review the article on Strombolian eruptions.
Types of eruptions
Let's focus a little more on the type of eruption that each volcano has. It depends on the training and development context. Let's see what are the types of eruptions that exist:
- Hawaiian: The volcano emits slightly viscous lava, which is quite fluid because it doesn't have much pyroclastic material (a hot mixture of gas, ash, and rock fragments). The gas is released gradually, so the explosion is small. This type of eruption is characteristic of volcanoes like Mauna Loa. This information is also related to the reasons why volcanoes erupt.
- Strombolian: Volcanoes release pyroclastic material. Explosions are sporadic, and the volcano doesn't continually emit lava. This is related to the way eruptions occur and their impact on the environment.
- Vulcanian: The volcano emits very viscous lava with very little liquid and solidifies very quickly. A large cloud of pyroclastic material forms and a large amount of ash is emitted. They are characterized by eruptions in the form of mushroom-like clouds. Activities usually begin with a diving eruption that emits debris. The main scenario usually includes the eruption of viscous magma, which is rich in volcanic gas and forms dark clouds, highlighting the largest volcanoes in the world.
- Pliniana or VesuvianaThe volcano erupts highly viscous lava in a violent manner. It is characterized by its unusual intensity, continuous gas eruption, and the discharge of large amounts of ash. Sometimes, the magma eruption causes the top of the volcano to collapse and create a crater. During the eruption of Prinia Volcano, fine ash can spread over large areas. The Plinius Volcano eruption is named after the famous Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder, who died in the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, making it a landmark example of volcanic activity.
- Brawler: This volcano is named after the 1902 eruption of Pelee in Martinique, which killed thousands of people. The lava quickly consolidated and created a plug in the crater. Since there's no outlet for the gas, a lot of pressure builds up inside the volcano, causing the volcano's wall to deform, and lava is discharged from both sides of the wall. This is important in understanding the different types of volcanoes.
- Hydro-volcanic: They are eruptions produced by the interaction of magma with groundwater or surface water. They are "liquid": equivalent to Strombolian eruptions, although they are more explosive. If you are interested in learning more about the characteristics of these eruptions, I recommend reading about the magma of volcanoes.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the different types of volcanoes and their eruptions.