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Tavurvur, an active stratovolcano near Rabaul in Papua New Guinea. Credit: Taro Taylor edit by Richard Bartz.
volcano:
1. An opening or vent in Earth’s crust, through which hot gases, lava, and ash are discharged during the time the volcano is active (an eruption). A volcano may be described as active, dormant, or extinct. About 500 volcanoes around the world are known to be active. 2. A cone-shaped hill or mountain built up around a volcanic vent by lava and ashes. 3. A similar structure found on other planets such as Mars, or found on moons such as Io, a satellite of Jupiter that has at least eight active volcanoes. [Volcano honors Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and metal-working.]
