Essay on Kilauea and the Volcanism of the Hawaiian Islands

It is believed that this volcanic area was caused by a localised hot spot within the Pacific plate. A concentration of radioactive elements inside of the mantle may have caused this hot spot to develop. The hot spot is stationary so as the Pacific plate moves over it a line of volcanoes are made. This is more proof that the Earth’s crust is moving as suggested by Wegener.

In conclusion the recent conception and development of plate tectonic theory has greatly aided our understanding of the distribution of seismic events. We now understand that there is a correlation between earthquakes/volcanoes locations and their proximity to a plate boundary plates are continually moving and earthquakes and volcanoes are found along these boundaries. Exceptions to this rule such as Hawaii also help prove tectonic theory due to their unique creation. Whilst this has helped our understanding we also recognise the fact those in LEDCs with poor access to education are unaware of plate tectonic theory so they cannot understand the hazards that some countries face, nor have the means to mitigate against them thus worsening the

Anpother factor that can have an impact on the level of hazard posed by a volcano is the type of plate margin on which it occurs. Volcanoes occuring at constructive plate boundaries are usually much less violent than those occuring at destructive plate boundaries. This is because the magma produced by plates moving apart is Basic, and therefoe has a low viscosity, allowing it to flow easily. The lava is produced from a central vent or fissure and erupts regularly but not usually violently. Also,constructive plate boundaries are often found under the sea and create submarine volcanoes, such as along the Mid-Atalntic ridge, so pose few threats to humans. As a result, the hazards posed by volcanoes at constructive plat eboundaries is relatively low. However, the subduction of one plate under another at destrctive plat eboundaries can form an acidic magma chamber, due to the build up of intense heat. Acidic magma is very viscous and resisitant to flow, meaning that there is often a huge build up of pressure, which can result in very violent and dangerous eruptions involving ash and pyroclastic flow. This can pose a a serious hazard. Pyroclastic flowsa are extremely dense, containing toxic gases at very high temperatures, and can move at speeds over 100km/h. The consequences of such an unpredictable hazard can be extremely seruous

The gravitational stress on the volcano flanks develops large-scale on-shore and off-shore sliding, related to the activity of the rift zones. The M=7.2 earthquake at Kilauea on 1975 was probably related to strain accumulated throughout the south flank from dikes intruded in the rift zone (Swanson et al., 1976). However, the earthquake itself resulted from abrupt southward movement of the south flank across the underlying oceanic crust, activating the Hilina-Pali fault system. Such faulting not only provides a means for the flanks to adjust continuously to intrusions, but also generates the stress patterns needed to constrain future dikes to propagate along the rift axis. Therefore, rift intrusion and lateral spreading are major contributors

The volcanoes are located where there is a divergence or convergence in the tectonic plates and bring their lava from the deepest of the terrestrial mantle. The materials and explosions of these ginates represent a constant risk in the places inhabited by the human being, nevertheless the people ususually live in these areas no matter the risk. On the other hand the volcanos can change the geology of an impressive form, or to cool the temperature of the earth, or to darken the sky. The scientific community increases its efforts to try to understand better what happens in volcanoes, however it is impossible to predict these conditions.

The new volcanic material welling up into the void, which forms a ribbon of new materials and breaks down its center gradually, when the plates move apart from the axis of the mid-oceanic ridge system. Therefore, every separating plate accretes one half a ribbon of new lithosphere, and, thus, a new surface is added (Pitman, W.C, 2007). The process is continuous, and separation is always happening at the

Kilauea is a volcano in the Hawaiian Islands it is one of the five shield volcanoes in the Hawaiian language Kilauea means spewing or spreading. Mt St. Helens is an active stratovolcano in Washington it is named after British diplomat lord st Helens.

There is an assortment of geologic activity at Yellowstone and Hawaii. At Yellowstone there are 1,000-3,000 earthquakes per year at Yellowstone. There are also over 10,000 thermal features found in Yellowstone (Volcano Questions & Answers). In Hawaii Mauna Loa and Kilauea are regarded as active volcanoes. Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984 and scientist predict this volcano will erupt again in the future. Kilauea is the world most active volcano and has been continuously erupting since 1983

The estimated age of the earliest above ground (subaerial) eruptions of Kilauea is between 50,000-100,000 years.

The basic theory of plate tectonics says that all volcanic activity should occur between lithosphere plates (Physical Geology). However, the Hawaiian Islands bend this rule by being located directly in the middle of the Pacific plate. The Hawaiian volcanoes are known as intraplate volcanoes. This may not seem possible because it disrupts the rule of plate tectonics, but there’s the exception of a hot spot. T. Wilson suggested that the Pacific plate moved in the northwestward direction over a melting spot deep within the mantle, and this hot spot remained relatively stationary and supplied magma to the moving Pacific plate to form the Hawaiian Island chain (Volcanoes in the Sea). In order to prove this suggestion, the structure of the Hawaiian Islands must be in line with a hot spot origin. This will be

Volcanoes are one of the most destructive, yet, most beautiful things on Earth. They can make a famous city choke in its own ashes in one day, like Pompeii. Or they can turn a once damaging mountain into a graceful and peaceful home for new life, like Mount St. Helen’s. All volcanoes are unique, and no two are the same. Some erupt differently than others, some look different than others, and all are located in different spots all over the world. I learned this while completing the project and the five volcanoes I researched are examples of my discoveries. The five volcanoes I researched were Mount Hood, Mount Mageik, Long Island, Mount Muria, and Las Pilas.

Out of the six islands that make up Hawaii, the island of Oahu is the third largest and second oldest. Oahu is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and plate at a latitude and longitude of 21.4389° N, 158.0001° W (Wikipedia, 2016). The island was created from the pacific plate hot spot, a still active intrusion of magma. A hot spot is a geological feature where hot magma from the inside of the earth leaks out onto the Earth’s crust through cracks in the lithosphere. Once the ejected magma hardens it adds to the surface of the Earth, increasing the land elevation in the area surrounding the hot spot. Over millions of years, the collected cooled magma breaks the surface of the ocean, forming a small island. The islands of Hawaii were all formed from the same hot spot in the center of the pacific. The pacific plate moves in the Northwest direction relative to the North American plate due to typical plate tectonics. While this occurs, the hot spot in the pacific remains in the same place ejecting magma on to the Earth’s surface. The movement of the plate has

Kilauea is made on the pacific plate on a hotspot. Unlike most volcanoes kilauea is not formed on a boundary line. At hotspots magma rises up and eventually breaks the surface creating a volcano. Since Kilauea is a Hotspot volcano they grow in size very slowly, and will stay active for thousands of years.

This Hawaii Volcano has erupted 33 times since 1843. Its most recent eruption was in 1984. The 1984 eruption lasted from March 25 to April 15. Before the eruption, increasing seismic activity could be felt on the island. During the eruption, many lava flows were produced, but fortunately, no lava reached the city of Hilo (“1984 Eruption”). There is a high likelihood that Mauna Loa will erupt again someday, so the volcano is closely monitored.

The earthquakes above give a brief glimpse into the importance of analyzing past and present fault configurations. If scientists could make a breakthrough in this area perhaps we could better predict earthquake activity and better prepare ourselves if it is deemed a potential disaster is looming.