Ocean island or hotspot volcanos generally go through several distinct magmatic phases. The shield stage represents the first stage major episode of magmatism and nearly 95% of the volcano is formed during this stage. The rate of eruption is also maximized during the shield stage and is dominated by tholeiitic basaltic eruptions. Following the shield […]
La Gomera I am currently on the island of Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. Initially, my wife, son, and I came to Tenerife for a relaxing holiday at the beach for the wife and son and a quiet place for me to finish a few manuscripts that have burning a hole in my […]
Thanks to Chloe for this great report on her recent trip to the Big Island. Chloe Skidmore in her element Kilauea, Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and the other well-known Hawaiian volcanoes are just a few of many on the Hawaiian-Emperor Seamount chain. All this volcanism is the result of a volcanic hotspot – an upwelling […]
Death Valley National Park contains arguably the most diverse set of geologic features per square mile than any other national park in the world. Among the highlights are the Ubehebe volcanic field and Titus Canyon. The Ubehebe (you-bee-hee-bee) volcanic field is a classic example of a phreatomagmatic eruption. A phreatomagmatic eruption occurs when rising magma […]
The idea of traveling to the far flung, rarely visited regions of the planet is a dream for most geologists. What about the prospect of traveling beyond the comfort of our own planet? For this type of adventure, geologists can only dream. This goes for all the geologists this world has to offer with the […]
