Analysing the topographic form of stratovolcanoes

The goal of this study is to explore “ideal” analytic functional forms that best fit the topographic shape of N = 190 isolated stratovolcanoes from around the world. Using a stochastic model for the piling of lava flows to demonstrate one set of physical processes that give rise to a stratovolcano's topography, we find that although the ideal form fits well for many stratovolcanoes, there exist deviations from this shape—particularly where the edifice is more protuberant than expected. We explore sub-surface factors—such as the emplacement of magma beneath a volcano edifice—that may be responsible for these deviations and estimate the relative contribution of dyke intrusions on the height and shape of a volcanic edifice versus the constructional piling of lava. From this comparison, we are able to gain more insight into the role of important subsurface physical factors, such as chamber depth and total intruded volume.