How do shield volcanoes erupt?
Eruptions at shield volcanoes are only explosive if water somehow gets into the vent, otherwise they are characterized by low-explosive fountaining that forms cinder cones and spatter cones at the vent. In a shield volcano, 90% of the volcano is lava rather than pyroclastic material. Due to high magma supply rates, the lava is hot and changes very little after it is generated.