What is a "lava dome"?

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Welcome to CoreFacts, where we're always short on time and big on science. I'm Brian Campbell. Today's question is ...

What is a "lava dome"?

Volcanic domes are masses of solid rock that are formed when viscous lava is erupted slowly from a vent. If the lava is viscous enough, it will pile up above the vent to form a dome rather than move away as a lava flow. The sides of most domes are very steep and typically are mantled with unstable rock debris formed during or shortly after dome emplacement. Most domes are composed of silica-rich lavas that have a lower gas content than do the lavas erupted earlier in the same eruptive sequence; nevertheless, some dome lavas still contain enough gas to cause explosions within a dome as it is being formed.

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