Flood basalts are vast, flat-lying lava flows that cover large areas of the Earth’s surface, formed from highly fluid basaltic magma during periods of intense volcanic activity. These flows are significant in the study of volcanic processes, mass extinctions, and large igneous provinces, as they are associated with some of the most extensive and voluminous eruptions in Earth’s history.
Reference: Coffin, M. F., & Eldholm, O. (1994). Large Igneous Provinces: Crustal Structure, Dimensions, and External Consequences. Reviews of Geophysics.