Volcanism in the field has produced lavas and cones, with rocks having varying compositions dominated by trachyandesite.

[2] Potassium-rich volcanic activity in the Tibetan Plateau has been occurring since 50 million years ago.

[8] More generally, the crust beneath northern and central Tibet is suspected to be partially molten between 55–60 kilometres (34–37 mi) of depth.

[4] Rocks younger than 350,000 years have been found in the Tengchong system in the southeast and the Ashikule plateau in the northwestern part of Tibet.

[10] The volcanic areas of northwestern Tibet for the most part are situated at over 4,500 metres (14,800 ft) altitude and are poorly accessible.

[12] A pronounced seismic velocity anomaly in southern Tarim may be associated with the volcanism at Ashikule,[13] and a seismically imaged gap between the Tarim block and the Indian Plate below the crust may be a pathway for mantle upwelling that feeds the Ashikule volcanoes.

[14][15] The Ashikule volcanic field is located in the Kunlun Shan,[4] 131 kilometres (81 mi) south of Yutian County, Xinjiang.

[16] It is one of the highest volcanic regions in the world[17] and being remote and with a harsh climate, poorly researched.

[2] This basin covers a surface area of 700 square kilometres (270 sq mi) at an altitude of 4,700 metres (15,400 ft), sloping southeastward.

[7] The numerous strike slip faults in the area could be involved too, whereas subduction of the Tarim Basin beneath the Kunlun is unlikely.

[21] There are 11[22] or 14 principal volcanoes in Ashikule, formed by lava, pumice and pyroclastics,[19] with a total volume of about 20 cubic kilometres (4.8 cu mi).

[30] The trachyandesitic Ashi volcano, also known as Ka-er-daxi or Vulkan,[1] (35°41′56″N 81°34′34″E / 35.69885°N 81.57623°E / 35.69885; 81.57623,[31]) is south of Ashikule lake in a lava plateau,[19] at an altitude of 4,868 metres (15,971 ft).

[32][27] Lava flows from Ashi extend both north and south and cover a surface area of 33 square kilometres (13 sq mi), reaching as far as lake Ashikule.

[33] 40 metres (130 ft) deep Ashikule covers a surface area of 14 square kilometres (5.4 sq mi) and formed when a valley was dammed by lava.

Mati Shan and a volcanic episode 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of Ashikule occurred 1.63-1.21 million years ago.

[18] Sediments underlying volcanic rocks have ages of 9,700-6,700 years, indicating that eruptions took place during the Holocene.

[17] The report claimed that soldiers building a road heard roaring and saw a column of smoke, which continued for several days.