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Fissure eruption
under thousands of metres of water. Fissure eruptions occasionally
occur on land, as is shown in Iceland. In the past they have been so huge that they have covered hundreds of thousands of square kilometres. The world’s largest example is the Deccan Traps in India, where lava flows have built
 Fissure eruption – Fissure eruptions are spectacular flows of lava from long fissures. The basaltic lava that flows from them can travel long distances very quickly.
up rock thousands of metres thick. This is the result of a flood basalt eruption and is a form of super- volcano. There are other gigantic lava plateaux. In North America basalt occupies much of the basins of the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Fingal’s Cave in Scotland and
the Giant’s Causeway in Northern
Ireland are both parts of old fissure eruptions.
Fortunately, these giant eruptions are rare and none have happened on land in recorded history. If it did, the loss of life might be immense, while the heat released might alter the climate.
 Fissure eruption – The nature of a fissure eruption.
 Fissure eruption – The result of a fissure eruption allowing basalts to flood over the landscape, Columbia Plateau, Idaho.
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