Stratovolcano Stratovolcano A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a conical volcano built up by many layers (strata) of hardened lava, tephra, pumice and ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile with a summit crater and periodic intervals of explosive eruptions and effusive eruptions, although some have collapsed summit craters called calderas. The lava flowing from stratovolcanoes typically cools and hardens before spreading far due to high viscosity. The magma forming this lava is often felsic, having high-to-intermediate levels of silica (as in rhyolite, dacite, or andesite), with lesser amounts of less-viscous mafic magma. Extensive
Archean felsic volcanic rocks rocks in Archean greenstone belts is between dacite to rhyolite (Table 2). In comparison, the modern felsic volcanic rock average composition (after Archean, <2.5 Ga) is similar to rhyolite, indicating a more felsic shift in felsic volcanism. However, the composition may be biased because of weathering right after deposition or metamorphism during later stages of deformation. In addition, Archean felsic volcanic rocks have high zircon abundance. Incompatible elements, like zirconium, are reluctant to substitute into early-forming crystals. So, they tend to remain in the melt. In strongly fractionated felsic magma, zircon is easily saturated. As a result, zircon is common