What is a Mud Volcano?
A mud volcano, sometimes also called a gas-oil volcano, is geological formation created by the extrusion of pressurized gases and mud from below the Earth’s crust. Just like igneous volcanoes, mud volcanoes can vary in size, and the strength of their eruptions is also quite diverse. The nation of Azerbaijan is famous for its mud volcanoes, most of which are located over petroleum deposits, but these volcanoes can be found all over the world. An igneous or magma volcano erupts with lava, molten rock which pushes up through the surface of the Earth. Mud volcanoes, on the other hand, are essentially like steam vents for the planet: they erupt with pressurized gases, hot water, and various sediments. Many of them also contain petroleum products, which can cause the volcano to flare.
