Volcanic plateau

A volcanic plateau is a raised area of land made by volcanic activity. It forms when many eruptions pour out thick layers of lava or ash over a large region. These eruptions happen many times over millions of years, building up the land slowly.

There are two main kinds of volcanic plateaus. One is called a lava plateau, where rivers of lava flow and harden in layers. The other is a pyroclastic plateau, made from pieces of rock and ash thrown into the air during eruptions. Both types change the shape of the Earth and create unique landscapes.

These plateaus are important because they tell us about the history of volcanoes and how they shape the world. They also often hold valuable resources, like minerals, that people use. Studying them helps scientists understand how volcanoes work and how landscapes change over time.

Volcanic plateaus are not the same as oceanic plateaus, which are found under the sea.

Lava plateau

Lava plateaus are formed when smooth, fluid basaltic lava flows during many quiet eruptions. The lava flows out from long cracks called fissures or rifts, or from big eruptions in many places. Over time, many layers of lava build up and create a flat area called a plateau. These plateaus can have lava fields, small hill-like cinder cones, and big shield volcanoes, along with other volcanic landforms.

One example is the large Level Mountain shield volcano in northern British Columbia, Canada. There are also big lava plateaus under the ocean, like the Ontong Java Plateau, and ones on land, such as the Columbia River Plateau.

Pyroclastic plateau

Pyroclastic plateaus are made by big flows of volcanic material. They are formed from rocks like volcanic ash that have cooled into solid layers. These plateaus are also called ignimbrite plateaus.

One example is the Shirasu-Daichi in southern Kyūshū, Japan. Another is the North Island Volcanic Plateau in New Zealand.