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Why is Kilauea classified as a shield volcano?
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Kilauea
Eruption of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii.
Kilauea is classified as a shield volcano because it is a broad, dome-shaped mountain built up by successive outpourings of very fluid lava. These volcanoes are typically composed of basalt and have gentle slopes, seldom exceeding 6 degrees. Kilauea's structure, characterized by an elongated dome formed from lava eruptions extending from its central crater and along rift zones, fits this description. While Kilauea has a caldera at its summit, this feature is common on shield volcanoes and forms when magma is removed from beneath the summit, causing the ground above to collapse. The Hawaiian Islands, including Kilauea, are formed by volcanic mountains created by magma erupting from a hotspot.12345