Earth and Environment Atlas

How The Planet Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Geological Formation

Laccolith

Volcanic Formations

A laccolith is a body of intrusive rock with a dome shaped upper surface and a flat base, fed by a conduit from below. It forms when magma rising through the crust begins to spread out horizontally, prying apart the surrounding layers of rock; the pressure of the magma is great enough to force the overlying rock upward, giving the laccolith its dome like shape.

Connections

Caused By

Volcanism, Processes
Source Laccolith (Wikipedia)

In Discipline

Source Laccolith (Wikipedia)
Sources
Laccolith (Wikipedia)
  • In Discipline: Geomorphology, Lead paragraph
    A laccolith is a body of intrusive rock with a dome-shaped upper surface and a level base, fed by a conduit from below
  • Caused By: Volcanism, Lead sentence
    A laccolith forms when magma (molten rock) rising through the Earth's crust begins to spread out horizontally, prying apart the host rock strata.
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.