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Effusive eruption identification and geology

A volcanic eruption characterized by the relatively gentle outpouring of lava onto the surface, as opposed to explosive fragmentation of magma. Effusive eruptions are typical of low-viscosity, low-silica mafic magmas such as basalt and produce lava flows, lava tubes, and shield volcanoes. The Hawaiian and Strombolian eruption styles are predominantly effusive. Field: volcanology. Example: Kilauea volcano in Hawaii has been erupting effusively for decades, producing fluid basaltic lava flows that have added over 2 km² of new land to the island.. Related terms: Explosive eruption, Lava flow, Shield volcano, Viscosity.

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Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:41.999576+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Effusive eruption mean in geology?
A volcanic eruption characterized by the relatively gentle outpouring of lava onto the surface, as opposed to explosive fragmentation of magma. Effusive eruptions are typical of low-viscosity, low-silica mafic magmas such as basalt and produce lava flows, lava tubes, and shield volcanoes. The Hawaiian and Strombolian eruption styles are predominantly effusive.
What is an example of Effusive eruption?
Kilauea volcano in Hawaii has been erupting effusively for decades, producing fluid basaltic lava flows that have added over 2 km² of new land to the island.
Which earth-science field uses the term Effusive eruption?
Effusive eruption is used in volcanology.
Which terms are related to Effusive eruption?
Related terms in this reference are Explosive eruption, Lava flow, Shield volcano, Viscosity.

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