Stratovolcano

A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a typically conical volcano built up from many alternating layers of hardened lava and tephra. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes have a steep profile with a summit crater and are prone to explosive eruptions; some develop collapsed summit craters called calderas. Their lava is often felsic, with high to intermediate silica content, and typically cools and solidifies before spreading far, though extensive felsic flows can occasionally travel as far as eight kilometers.