What is a Maude cone?

A Maude cone is a specialized concept within geology referring to a specific type of volcanic feature named after Maude Island, which is located in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. This geological structure represents a distinctive, steep-sided cone that forms on the flanks of larger volcanoes or shields. Maude cones are often created by the eruption of more viscous lava as opposed to the fluid lava that forms broader, gently sloping shield volcanoes. These structures are characterized by their conical shape and can be composed of various volcanic materials, including cinders, tephra, and sometimes lava flows, depending on the nature of the eruptive activity that created them. The term emphasizes their identifiable shape and genesis related to volcanic processes.