It is one of several volcanic fields in Africa whose origin is explained by the activity of mantle plumes and their interaction with crustal structures.

The volcanic field has erupted rocks ranging from basanite to trachyte and rises from a tectonic uplift known as the Darfur dome.

There are no geothermal manifestations at Meidob, but legends of the local people imply that they witnessed volcanic eruptions in the field.

[6] The towns of Bir Harra, Ein Basoro and Malha are near the volcanic field,[7] while El Fasher is 220 kilometres (140 mi) south-southwest from it.

[14] The field has about 700 vents[9] such as lava domes, maars, mesas, tuff rings[7] and most commonly scoria cones.

It has been excavated into the basement rock beneath the volcanic field,[14] and is itself surrounded by a rim less than 30 metres (100 ft) high.

[13] Alternatively, an origin as an intracontinental triple junction has also been proposed[24] but it has been contested on because of a lack of evidence supporting it.

[9] The oldest volcanic activity in the region has been dated to 36 million years ago at Jebel Kussa.

[32] Various types of xenoliths are present in the eruption products, while phenocrysts include aegirine, amphibole, anorthoclase, augite, biotite, ulvospinel-magnetite, nepheline olivine, augitic-diopsidic pyroxene and sanidine.

[38] The Meidob volcanic field lies at the southern margin of the Sahara to the Sahel, with precipitation at Malha amounting to 170 millimetres per year (6.7 in/year)[16] mostly during summer months.

[1] There are no fumaroles in the field,[35] while hot springs may[46] or may not exist;[35] but legends of the Midob recall that many generations ago, fire erupted from the Malha crater, and that water levels within its lake underwent changes[47] accompanied by sounds.

[4] Apart from volcanism, aeolian processes and water erosion were active in Meidob, producing widespread sedimentary covers especially at the margins of the field.

A number of wadis extend radially away from the centre of the Meidob volcanic field and carry water during flash floods, transporting sediment and floating pumice.

[41] During the early and middle Holocene a number of craters contained lakes;[48] some of these have left diatomite sediments and were populated by ostracods living in freshwater.

The Meidob volcanic field was likely used as a source of obsidian,[41] and the Fur people obtained salt from the Malha crater.