Where are volcanoes found?

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Request for Question Clarification by revbrenda1st-ga on 18 Feb 2004 18:09 PST

Dear crysp,

Are you talking about extinct or live volcanoes?

Regards.
revbrenda

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Request for Question Clarification by robertskelton-ga on 18 Feb 2004 18:40 PST

Also, is your query only related to planet Earth?

Hi crysp ?

On earth, most continental volcanoes (those on continents) are found
along fault-lines ? that is, where two of earth?s tektonic plates come
together.

GEOSPHERE ? PLATES
http://www.hrw.com/science/si-science/physical/geology/geosphere/platelg.html

As the plates collide, one pushes under the other (subduction) causing
magma to be released. This forms the volcano.

SUBDUCTION
http://www.germantown.k12.il.us/gifs/subduc.gif

The Pacific Plate's Ring of Fire is the most active and famous of these regions. 

VOLCANO MAP ? CONTINENTAL PLATES - RING OF FIRE
http://www.volcanogallery.com/volcano_rofire.htm

RING OF FIRE
http://www.graphicmaps.com/aatlas/infopage/ringfire.htm

Oceanic volcanoes (most of which are not mapped and described) occur
in the deep trenches of the ocean where the plates are pulling apart
and the magma seeps up through the crack.

DIVERGING PLATES
http://ase.tufts.edu/geology/sem/images/zd_diverging_plates.jpg

Sometimes enough builds up that after many eons it crests the surface
of the ocean. This is how Hawaii was formed.

OCEANIC VOLCANOES
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Imgs/Gif/PlateTectonics/Graphics/oceanic_environment.gif

Here is a Smithsonian map of all of the active volcanoes of the world.
You can click the map to take a closer look at a specific region. Then
click the next map to read about the individual volcanoes.

http://www.volcano.si.edu/gvp/world/location.cfm

Smithsonian Volcanoes Homepage
http://www.volcano.si.edu/gvp/

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MORE ABOUT VOLCANOES AND CONTINENTAL PLATES
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EXPLORING THE ENVIRONMENT ? VOLCANOES
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/volcanoes/vlocation1.html

ENCHANTED LEARNING - CONTINENTS
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/earth/Continents.shtml


That should answer your question about where volcanoes are located.
Thanks for asking!

-K~

search terms ? 

volcanoes maps
volcanoes ring of fire
continental plates
GOOGLE IMAGE SEARCH: geology plates

HEY CRYSP IM SQUID001
WELL VOLCANOS ARE MOSTLY FOUND IN COLD PLACES EG
IN NEW ZEALAND MT RUAPEHU IS LOCATED IN THE SNOW 
AND THEY ARE ALSO ALL LOCATED IN A LINE WHICH IS
ALL IN THE SOUTHEN HEMISPHER

This is NOT correct:

"Oceanic volcanoes (most of which are not mapped and described) occur
in the deep trenches of the ocean where the plates are pulling apart
and the magma seeps up through the crack."

Trenches occur at subduction zones, not midoceanic rift zones.  The
two are not the same thing.  You do not find oceanic volcanoes at "the
deep trenches of the ocean" because this is NOT where "plates are
pulling apart" but rather where they are coming together in subduction
zones.  The trenches form where one plate is subducting under another,
and continental volcanoes form inland of these trenches.  Rifting and
subduction are NOT the same processes.

This is also NOT correct:

"Sometimes enough builds up that after many eons it crests the surface
of the ocean. This is how Hawaii was formed."

Hawaii is a hot spot volcano, NOT a subduction and trench coninental
volcano (the Cascade Ranges), nor an oceanic rift zone volcano
(Iceland).  Hot spots are NOT where "enough builds  up that after many
eos it crests the surface of the ocean."  Where you have midoceanic
ridge systems, such as the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, you do get
this happening.  But ridges are NOT treches.  It's not necessarily
about eons, though!

There's lots more to it than this.  However, your is NOT a good answer
because it is just plain wrong.

Volcanoes are also not mostly found in cold places--this has nothing
to do with volcanoes.  See the Galápagos and Hawaiin volcanoes for
examples.  The Ring of Fire probably has more volcanoes in hot or warm
places than in cold places.