Definition: Stratovolcano
From Open Energy Information
Stratovolcano
Stratovolcanoes, also known as composite volcanoes, are conical volcanoes composed of multiple layers of intermediate to felsic lava, ash, and other volcanic debris. Their steep profiles are the result of the high viscosity of less mafic lavas, which prevents them from flowing great distances during eruption and cooling. Stratovolcanoes are commonly encountered in chains adjacent to subduction zones, where dewatering of the subducting slab and melting of the slab and overlying mantle rocks leads to magma generation.[2]
References
- ↑ John Watson. Principal Types of Volcanoes [Internet]. 2011. U.S. Geological Survey. [updated 2011/01/03;cited 2013/12/24]. Available from: http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/volc/types.html
- ↑ [1]