Shield volcano

A broad, gently sloping volcano built mainly from repeated eruptions of fluid lava that spreads over large distances.

Basaltic lava: Low-silica lava that is typically hot and fluid when erupted. Its low viscosity lets lava travel far and build broad, gentle slopes.
Mauna Loa: An active shield volcano on Hawaiʻi Island and one of Earth’s largest volcanoes by volume. Its immense lava-built mass is a classic example of shield growth.
Volcano: An opening in a planetary crust through which molten rock, gases, and ash can erupt. Shield volcanoes are one major form of volcanic edifice.
Stratovolcano: A steep-sided volcano built from alternating lava flows and fragmental deposits. Its steeper slopes and more varied deposits contrast with shield construction.
Hawaiian eruption: An eruption style characterized by relatively gentle effusion of fluid basaltic lava. This effusive style commonly produces the flows that enlarge shield volcanoes.
Kīlauea: An active shield volcano on Hawaiʻi Island with a history of frequent eruptions. Its fissures and summit eruptions illustrate how shield volcanoes grow.
Magma: Molten or partly molten rock beneath a planetary surface, often containing dissolved gases. Lava erupted from magma supplies the material that builds a shield.
Cinder cone: A small, steep volcano built mainly from loose pyroclastic fragments around a vent. It forms chiefly from erupted fragments rather than extensive fluid lava flows.
Lava flow: A mass of molten rock moving across Earth’s surface during or after an eruption. Successive long-running flows accumulate to form the volcano’s wide, shallow shape.
Skjaldbreiður: A shield volcano in Iceland formed during a prolonged eruption of fluid lava. It is a prominent shield volcano outside the Hawaiian chain.

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