Cinder cone on Mauna Kea Volcano, Hawai`i.

Photograph by J.P. Lockwood on 1 December 1975

Cinder cone

A cinder cone is a steep, conical hill of volcanic fragments that accumulate around and downwind from a vent. The rock fragments, often called cinders or scoria, are glassy and contain numerous gas bubbles quot;frozenquot; into place as magma exploded into the air and then cooled quickly. Cinder cones range in size from tens to hundreds of meters tall.


This cinder cone (Pu`u ka Pele) was erupted low on the southeast flank of Mauna Kea Volcano. The cone is 95 m in height, and the diameter of the crater at the top is 400 m. Hualalai Volcano in background.


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