Introduction
Kohala Volcano is the oldest of five volcanoes in hawaii. Kohala is estimated of 1,000 years old and it emerged above sea level over 500,000 years ago. The most recent eruptions were 120,000 years ago. That was a long time ago! I wonder when it were to ever erupt again! Hopefully it won't erupt soon! Kohala volcano is extinct. Kohala is so old, that it experienced, and recorded a reversal of magnetic field 780,000 years ago. Kohala is a shield volcano cut by multiple gorges. Between 250,000 and 300,000 years ago, a huge avalanche consumed a slice of the volcano’s northeast flank more than 12 miles wide at the shoreline. The debris spilled more than 80 miles out and onto the ocean floor. The lasting effects can still be seen today
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An international group of scientists led by University of Hawaii researchers revisited a fossil deposit first found high on Kohala’s flanks in the 1930s. And, there’s much more to learn about Kohala’s past in the future.
Big Island Hawaii Volcanoes
All Hawaii volcanoes have their own distinct features. While the entire chain of Hawaiian volcanoes extends more than 3000 miles nearly 5000 km across the Pacific Ocean, most have been quiet for hundreds of thousands, even millions of years. Six Hawaii Island volcanoes coalesced, or joined, to form the Big Island: Mahukona Volcano, Kohala Volcano, Mauna Kea Volcano, Mauna Loa Volcano, Hualalai Volcano and Kilauea. While Kilauea may be the most famous of the Hawaii Island volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Hualalai are also active volcanoes. To be considered active, a volcano will have erupted at least once in the last 10,000 years, and there continues to be sufficient seismic activity below the surface to suggest that another eruption may occur in the next 1000 years or less. Kohala was devastated by a massive landslide between 250,000 and 300,000 years ago. The Hawaiian
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As Kohala Volcano emerged from the sea and joined with Mahukona, a much larger Big Island began forming. With continued movement of the Pacific Plate, the center of volcanism migrated on to Mauna Kea and Hualalai, the middle-aged volcanoes, and finally on to Mauna Loa and Kilauea, which are the youngest volcanoes on the island. Over the geologically short time of several hundred thousand years, these volcanoes erupted thousands of thin flows which spread over, and built upon, older flows; each volcano growing until it finally emerged from the sea. As time went on, lava flows from one volcano began to overlap flows from other, nearby volcanoes and eventually the peaks coalesced into a single island, the Big Island. In geologically recent times, a new volcano, Loihi, began forming about 18 miles off the southeast coast of the Big Island. In time, Loihi may join its mass with that of Kilauea, again changing the size and shape of the Big Island. It is estimated that Loihi, whose summit lies approximately 3,178 feet below the surface of the ocean today, will begin
While Kamiak butte is primarily made of quartzite, it is surrounded by a thick layer of basalt. Basalt is an intrusive igneous rock. The basalt at Kamiak Butte is 6 to 17 million years old.1 It is dense and dark in color- grays or black hues.2 Through research I learned that the basalt at Kamiak Butte was formed on a rift zone. Lava flowed from the rift zone into the area. In turn flattening out what were the preexisti...
Mauna Loa is Earth’s largest volcano and most massive mountain as it takes up nearly half of the flourishing landscape of the island of Hawai’i. This island is actually made up of five volcanoes, Kohala, Mauna Kea, Hualalai, Mauna Loa, and Kilauea, all in such close proximity that they fused together to form one whole island. Mauna Loa is located in the south central area of Hawai’i, in the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and its coordinates are 19°5' N, 155°6' W. It is 13,680 ft above sea level, but if one measures from its true base on the ocean floor, it is estimated to be 30,080 feet tall. Its name is quite fitting as it means “Tall Mountain”.
National Parks Service. "A Cultural History of Three Traditional Hawaiian Sites on the West Coast of Hawai'i Island." National Parks Service. http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/kona/history7a.htm.
Sonia P. Juvik, James O. Juvik. Atlas of Hawaii. 3rd Edition. Hilo: University of Hawai'i Press, 1998.
Island arcs form as oceanic plate subducts under oceanic plate. Volcanism is concentrated in an arc of volcanoes, generally approximately located above the leading edge of the subducting plate. A trench often forms where the slabs meet and subduction begins. On the non subducting slab a series of basins form, with a fore-arc basin nearest the subduction/trench, then the main arc, and a back-arc basin on the far side (Mitchell and Reading, 1971; Frisch, Meschede and Blakey, 2010).
Jovik, Sonia P. and James O. Jovik. (1997). “History.” Atlas of Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, p.408.
Mauna Loa is the largest volcano in the world measuring 2,000 miles². Mauna Loa is 13,677 feet tall, 74 miles long, and 64 wide. On March 24, 1984, at 1:30 in the morning, Mauna Loa began to erupt. This eruption is known as a quiet eruption. The eruption does not cause the volcano to explode or make much of a loud noise. This is due to the basaltic lava and a low amount trapped gases. It just flows a low viscosity lava out of the volcano. When the eruption started, lava started pooling out of the top of Mauna Loa. Within 2-3 hours about 80% of the crater on top of the volcano was submerged in lava. Many worried that the lava would overflow and run to the Mauna Loa Observatory, but the eruption shifted to go northeast rift zone instead. This instead threatened the nearby city of Hilo, populating 40,000 people. The lava headed straight for the town. On the way, the lava reached a generator and left it destroyed. This took out the power for the observatory on the other side of the volcano. This lava that Mauna Loa erupted is a basaltic lava. Basaltic lava silica content is low and only contains 45-55% silica. This makes the magma more liquid and gives it the ability to move quickly. As the lava approaches the vulnerable city of Hilo, many of the people began evacuating. Luckily, the lava stopped at the outskirts of town, burying 16 miles of land owned by the state, never to be seen again. The
Stories about volcanoes are captivating. Myths come in different versions, but all of them are capable of capturing yours, and everybody’s imagination.
With the lava flowing at a rate of 800 to 1,300 gallons per second from vents on the east side zone of Kilauea, more than 500 acres of new land have been added to the island since 1938. The eruption of Kilauea still continues to flow at two places in the park. The vent within Halema'uma'u Crater and the Pu'u 'Ō'ō vent.
The Mauna Loa volcano is located in Hawaii and means "Long Mountain" in Hawaiian. It is a giant, basaltic shield volcano. It is one of the largest volcanoes and mountains in the world and has been called the "monarch of mountains". It has an estimated volume of 9,600 cubic miles and takes up half the land of Hawaii. It extends about 120 km starting from the southern tip of the island to the northern region. It is 97 km (60 miles) long, 48 km (30 miles) wide, and is 8,742 km (28,680 miles) high from the base on the sea floor to the top. The slopes are steeper than 12 degrees and about 4 degrees at the top of the volcano. Mauna Loa formed about half a million years ago and in the middle stages of forming into a shield volcano where lava flows to form a sloped and broad flat domed volcanic cone. Along with Mauna Kea, the Mauna Loa volcano is responsible for the creation of the Hawaiian Islands. Mauna Loa has erupted thirty-three times since 1843 and is known as one of the most active volcanoes in the world today. The last eruption was 1984 and lava flowed within 4 miles of the city of Hilo. This shows that it is dangerous to live anywhere near Mauna Loa and that it poses as a threat to anyone living near it because it has a very high possibility of erupting within a very short span of time. Below is a picture of Mauna Loa taken from a bird's eye view.
Super volcanoes are formed when magma rises from the mantle to create a scorching reservoir in the Earth's
The Big Island is a vital part of Hawaiian history and culture. In fact, people still believe that there is a Hawaiian god that still resides there and is among the living. Supposedly, there is a volcano goddess names Pele who lives in the Kilauea Volcano. Since 1983, she has provoked eruptions at the Kilauea Volcano.
Volcanoes can be one of the most destructive forces on Earth. It is estimated that some
There are many more attractions unique to Hawaii in a different more exciting rather than historical tone. Hawaii is known for their beautiful scenery. A well known and frequently visited location is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The park consists of active volcanoes and has viewing areas of lava running down the side of the mountains forming more and more area on the island (“9 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in
The earliest outcropping volcanic deposits date back to about 25,000 years ago. The lavas observed at a -1125 m bore-hole are about 0,3-0,5 million years old. It is known for the first eruption of which an eyewitness account is preserved, in 79 AD. Geologically, Vesuvio is unique for its unusual versatility. Its activity ranging from Hawaiian-style release of liquid lava, fountaining and lava lakes, over Strombolian and Vulcanian activity to violently explosive, plinian events that produce pyroclastic flows and surges.