Mauna Loa is a shield volcano. It has broad, gently sloping sides built by many low-viscosity lava flows (basalt) emanating from rift zones and its summit caldera. This type is characteristic of large, long-lived volcanoes that produce lava flows capable of traveling long distances, creating the gentle domed profile seen on Mauna Loa. Key points:
- Volcano type: shield volcano
- Lava: predominantly basaltic, low-viscosity lava
- Structure: broad, rounded slopes with a summit caldera (Mokuʻāweoweo) and northeast/southwest rift zones
- Size and scale: among the largest volcanoes on Earth, rising about 13,679 feet (4,169 m) above sea level and extending many thousands of meters above the seafloor
If you’d like, I can add a concise comparison with another Hawaiian volcano (for example, Kīlauea) or provide sources for further reading.