Parasitic Volcano Landscape

This is a type of volcanic landscape composed of small volcanoes around a main volcano. When the main volcanic eruption stops or during the later stage of its eruption, the main volcanic conduit can be blocked. A small amount of rising magma flows from the crater or from cracks on the sides of the volcanic cone and eventually forms small volcanoes. On Fenglu Ridge Volcano in Haikou, a pair of small volcanoes flank the main volcano. These small volcanoes, which are parasitic volcanoes, look like a pair of glasses; hence, they are also called Eye-Glasses Ridge. On Ji’an Ridge in Haikou, a small parasitic volcano formed inside the crater. This small volcano is also called an internal parasitic volcano (see the diagram of the Haikou Saddle Ridge crater and its lateral parasitic crater) (Fig. 7).

Fig. 7

Parasitic volcano landscape beside Ma’anling Ridge Volcano, Haikou