Hawaii's volcanoes
The Hawaiian Islands are truly unique in geographic terms. As the
only state in the USA composed entirely of volcanic rock, Hawaii is
riddled with incredibly impressive volcanoes that began evolving over
70 million years ago. Because of its volcanic origins, you could say
that Hawaii is essentially just a chain of massive volcanoes that are
rooted thousands of feet below the ocean floor. What you see above sea
level is only a fraction of the giant volcanic topography that exists
here. Each Hawaiian Island is proof that the volcanoes that created
it erupted many times to push the island above sea level. Although there
are many volcanoes beneath the surface, we’ll discuss the volcanoes
that make up the Hawaiian Island chain.
Volcanoes on the Big Island
Mauna Loa
At 60 miles long and 30 miles wide, Mauna Loa encompasses a whopping
85 % of Hawaii’s total land base! Mauna Loa is a Hawaiian name meaning
“Long Mountain” and has an above sea level elevation of 13,681 feet.
As one of the world’s tallest mountains, Mauna Loa is also one of the
world’s most active volcanoes. Due to its tall height, Mauna Loa actually
receives snowfall during the winter months!
The first time its eruption was recorded was in 1843, and 33 subsequent
eruptions have been recorded since. Mauna Loa’s latest eruption was
in March-April of 1984, and the volcano remains under constant observation
by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory as it is expected to erupt again
in the near future.
Mauna Loa is a shield volcano, meaning it is a gently sloping mountain
produced from a large number of generally very fluid lava flows. An
interesting fact about shield volcanoes is that they can form on other
planets. For example, the largest discovered mountain on a planet in
the solar system is Olympus Mons, located on Mars.
Kohala
Kohala is more than 500,000 years old, which makes it the oldest
of all subareal (on dry land) volcanoes. Kohala is a shield volcano
that rises at 5,480 ft above the sea level and it comprises 5.8% of
the area of Island of Hawaii. It is estimated that Kohala’s erupting
activity began to diminish 300,000 years ago when the volcano was twice
wider than it is now, and it is currently an inactive volcano. The last
eruption is estimated at about 120,000 years ago.
While Kohala was gradually diminishing in activity, the younger volcanoes
Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa buried its southern flanks. This factor makes
it difficult to determine the exact volcano’s shape and size during
its element phase.
Loihi
As the youngest volcano of the Hawaiian Volcanic Chain, Loihi remains
1,000 meters beneath the ocean's surface as a subaqueous type. This
undersea mountain off the southeastern coast of the Big Island rises
3000 meters above the ocean floor. The name Loihi means "long" and was
given due to the volcano’s elongated shape.
Its current location on the “Hawaiian Hotspot” is also shared with active
volcanoes Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Once dormant, Loihi again became an
active volcano with a sizeable eruption in 1996. Since 1996, Loihi has
been only intermittently active.
Kilauea
As one of the most active volcanoes on earth, Kilauea is also the
youngest. Located in the southeast region of the Big Island, Kilauea
sits on the flank of the active Mauna Loa volcano. Kilauea is a highly
studied and constantly monitored because of its continuous lava flow
from the cinder and spatter cone of Puu Oo along the east rift zone.
The name “Kilauea" means "spewing" or "much spreading," referring to
the constant eruption that began in 1983. Kilauea volcano is an integral
location in Hawaiian mythology – It is considered by many to be the
home of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes. Pele can be kind and
gracious if appeased, or show anger if disresected in the form of fiery
volcano activity.
Mauna Kea
The shield volcano Mauna Kea rises 13,784 feet above sea level, and
continues another 15,000 feet below sea level. That’s a total height
of about 29,000 feet, making it the tallest volcano and mountain on
earth! “Mauna Kea” means “White Mountain” in Hawaiian and this particular
volcano is a bit different than its neighbors Mauna Loa and Kilauea.
Mauna Kea is currently dormant, its last eruption occurring about 4,500
years ago. It has fewer eruptions, steeper topography, no summit caldera,
and varying chemical compositions in its lava. Mauna Kea is also unique
because the volcano is home to glacial deposits formed thousands of
years ago. Not many people realize that glaciers exist in Hawaii! Because
of its height, the summit of Mauna Kea also receives snowfall in the
winter.
Mahukona
Mahukona volcano is a subaqueous volcano located on the northwest
side of the Big Island. Once an above ground volcano that topped 800
feet, Mahukona now resides 3,600 feet below sea level. The name “Mahukona”
means “Leeward steam” in Hawaiian.
Hualalai
Hualalai has the distinction of being the third youngest and third
most historically active volcano on the Big Island (after Mauna Loa
and Kilauea). The town of Kailua-Kona, birthplace of the infamous Kona
Coffee, is built on the southwestern slope of Hualalai. Hualalai is
named after the wife of Hawaii Loa, a famous Hawaiian navigator.
Hualalai is credited with creating numerous lava flows in the past.
The Keahole Airport is built atop one of Hualalai’s lava flows. A series
of earthquakes in 1929 are evidence that Hualalai may threaten Hawaii
with an eruption again within this century.
Volcanoes on Maui
The two volcanoes that make up the island of Maui are East and West
Maui.
East Maui Volcano
It is also known as Haleakala is the only other Hawaiian volcano
besides Kilauea to have erupted since the late 1700s. As the third largest
volcano in the Islands, Haleakala has a very active history, with ten
eruptions estimated in the past 10,000 years, the last eruption dated
1790. In geologic time frames, this is considered very active! Thus,
many scientists believe Haleakala may be due for another eruption again
soon.
The Hawaiian term “Haleakala” literally means “House of the Sun”, and
the summit of Haleakala holds a prominent place in Hawaiian history
and mythology. Haleakala Crater at the summit of the volcano is an ever
popular tourist destination.
West Maui Volcano
It is said to have been formed between 1.3 and 2 million years ago.
Scientists estimate the last eruptions occurred about 1 million years
ago; however, West Maui is considered extinct and non-threatening today.
Volcanoes on Molokai
The two volcanoes that comprise the island of Molokai are
West Molokai, sometimes referred
to as Mauna Loa, and East Molokai,
otherwise referred to as Wailau.
West Molokai volcano is the smaller of the two (above sea level), and
East Molokai encompasses the eastern two-thirds of the island. Much
of West Molokai lies below sea level, is buried by lava flow from other
volcanoes, or was moved through the landslide process.
Volcanoes on Oahu
The Koolau and Waianae volcanoes comprise the island of Oahu. Waianae
towers over the western or windward half, and Koolau rises over the
eastern or leeward side.
Koolau
It is a basaltic volcano, comprises roughly two thirds of the island
of Oahu.
The infamous Diamond Head Crater, Hanauma Bay and Koko Crater are
volcanic features that draw thousands of tourists a year. Koolau is
a favorite volcanic subject as its lavas are unique in makeup with higher
silica content than other Hawaiian volcanoes.
Waianae
Waianae volcano is the taller and older of the two. It is also much
drier than Koolau, keeping the coastal waters pristine due to lack of
runoff.
As Hawaii’s volcanoes continue to erupt, the Hawaiian Islands continue
to grow and change. Out of the destructive eruptions comes the land
that perpetuates life in Hawaii. Take a visit to one of these amazing
volcanoes and see for yourself how these beautiful islands were (and
continue to be) created.
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