Which type of volcano is the least explosive?

Answer 1

Those of Cinder Cone volcanoes.

The scale of violent eruptions is based upon the Volcanic Explosive Index (VEI) and it is as follows:

1: Hawaiian and other similar effusive eruptions which erupt almost 100% lava, a small amount of ash and a lot of fume like Mauna Loa, Kilauea on Hawaii. This type of eruption builds shield volcanoes like Mauna Kea (White Mountain) and Mauna Loa (Long Mountain), Piton de la Fournaise, Iceland and other volcanic ocean islands.

2: More explosive producing ash, cinders and lava along with fumes. Mercalli described such eruptions as follows - "... Moderate explosions at regular intervals ..." and he based this description on the eruptive activity at Stromboli volcano, Italy. These eruptions build cinder cones which have steeper slopes and can be found on islands and land.

3: Stronger explosions which emit mostly ash and cinder and blocks. A characteristic ballistic or volcanic bomb is the bread-crust bomb. These explosions occur at irregular intervals, resemble canon fire and eject bombs to about 10 km. These fall at high velocity and will kill anyone underneath them. Such and eruption is called a "Vulcanian eruption" after the type eruption at Vulcano which Mercalli observed from his observatory on nearby Lipari.

4: Explosive volcanoes which are powerful but not as powerful as volcanoes like Tambora, Krakatau, Vesuvius. These eruptions are almost totally explosive with very little lave, blocks can be hurled several kilometres and pyroclastic flows are also a feature. The eruption column resembles that of Vesuvius etc., but the explosion is not as powerful.

5: Similar to 4 and a typical volcanic eruption with a VEI 5 that has erupted in recent times was Mount St Helens.

6: Very explosive eruptions mostly pyroclastic flows, large high 20 to 30 km high eruption columns. Such eruptions are called Plinian after the vivid description written by Pliny the Younger to his uncle Tacitus who was enquiring about the circumstances of Pliny the elders death. For those who think that the "pine tree" that Pliny describes resembles the northern coniferous tree with its zig-zag profile, it isn't the pine tree Pliny used as his example is the Mediterranean Pine - which has an "umbrella canopy" at the top. It is also known as the "Stone Pine." Vesuvius was almost certainly a VEI 6.

7: The better description is probably "super-plinian" and it indicates an increase in explosiveness. The volcano Tambora is considered to have erupted in 1815 in a super-plinian or VEI 7 explosion. The Minoan eruption of about 1650 BC about 3500 BP is considered to have been a VEI 7.

8: There is only one VEI 8 that has occurred within human history - Toba approximately 75,000 years ago. Others that have occurred in the past include Yellowstone which incidentally if the full trail of explosive eruptions are examined has erupted about 19 times over a longer period of time and the interval is closer to 1 million years between the massive explosions.

Each increase in number indicates a ten fold increase in material ejected - which includes solid rock, lava, ash, cinders and gases.

Answer 2

the least explosive volcano is a shield volcano, baby!

Answer 3

shield volcano

Answer 4

shield volcano

Answer 5

which lava is the least explosive

Answer 6

The one that doesn't explode

Answer 7

dormant is the least dangerous of volcano

Answer 8

Hawaiian

Answer 9

Hawiw