Morphometric evolution of composite volcanoes

Abstract

Statistical relations between geometry, slope, and age for 26 circum-Pacific composite volcanoes (stratovolcanoes) are presented. Topics considered include morphometry, eruption characteristics, growth rates, repose periods, flow lengths, and petrological/chemical trends. Composite and cinder cones are compared, and it is suggested that, if cinder cones do evolve into composite volcanoes, a fundamental change in cone morphometry, eruption style, and petrology occurs at a basal diameter of 2 km.