Most island arcs originate on oceanic crust and have resulted from the descent of the lithosphere into the mantle along the subduction zone. They are the principal way by which continental growth is achieved.

Island arcs are volcanic islands that form parallel to ocean trenches in subduction zones. The Pacific Ring of Fire is home to many of these groups of islands. Volcanoes that form above hot spots like the Hawaiian islands are not volcanic arcs.

Island arc, long, curved chain of oceanic islands associated with intense volcanic and seismic activity and orogenic (mountain-building) processes. Prime examples of this form of geologic feature include the Aleutian-Alaska Arc and the Kuril-Kamchatka Arc.

The long zone of Pacific plate subduction at the eastern margin of the Philippine Sea Plate is responsible for the generation of the deep Izu-Bonin, Mariana, and Yap trenches as well as parallel chains of islands and volcanoes, typical of circum-pacific island arcs.

The caldera was formed by prehistoric eruptions between 140,000 and 5,380 BP. The volcano is located about 50 kilometers (31 mi) south of Manila, the capital of the Philippines….

Taal Volcano, located in southern Luzon, Philippines, is an unusual, tholeiitic volcano situated within a calc-alkaline arc. It is one of the most active volcanic centers in the Philippines, with some 33 historic volcanic eruptions over the past four centuries.

Despite standing at only 1,020-feet, Taal can be deadly and an eruption in 1911 killed more than 1,300 people. MANILA — Authorities in the Philippines started evacuating thousands of people on Thursday after the alert status was raised on a restive volcano that spewed a 0.62 mile high plume of gas and steam.

Taal has had some of the country’s largest and deadliest eruptions: At least 6 eruptions during the recorded history of Taal since 1572 claimed fatalities, mostly from powerful pyroclastic flows, as well as tsunamis produced in the crater lake.

Taal is the most lethal of the Philippines’ 21 active volcanoes, although the country has more than 200 overall. Its eruptions have been recorded since the late 1500s but casualties were only recorded from 1754 onwards. So far, the volcano has caused at least 6,000 deaths.

Taal Volcano – Taal (Batangas) The smallest and second most active volcano in the Philippines. Taal Volcano has a mystical, otherworldly appeal.