Mauna Loa | volcano, Hawaii, United States | Britannica.com volcano, Hawaii, United States White Island Mauna Loa, the world’s largest volcano , located on the south-central part of the island of Hawaii, Hawaii state, U.S. , and a part of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park . One of the largest single mountain masses in the world, Mauna Loa (meaning “Long Mountain” in Hawaiian) rises to 13,677 feet (4,169 metres) above sea level and constitutes half of the island’s area. Its dome is 75 miles (120 km) long and 64 miles (103 km) wide. Moku‘āweoweo, its summit caldera , has an area of nearly 6 square miles (15 square km) and a depth of 600 feet (180 metres). Frequently snowcapped in winter, Mauna Loa is a shield volcano that has erupted some three dozen times since its first well-documented eruption in 1843.

Many of its eruptions are confined within Moku‘āweoweo Caldera; others are lower flank eruptions along northeast or southwest fissure zones. During eruptions in 1935 and 1942, U.S. military planes dropped bombs in attempts (that were partially successful) to divert the path of lava flows that threatened the city of Hilo . In June 1950 a 23-day flow from a 13-mile (21-km) fissure in the southwest rift destroyed a small village. Substantial eruptions at the summit occurred in 1975 and 1984. Lava fountains during the 1984 eruption of Mauna Loa, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii. J.D. Griggs/U.S. Geological Survey Mauna Loa volcano looming above a road on the island of Hawaii. Gordon Joly Mauna Loa | Volcano World | Oregon State University OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on Earth with an estimated volume of 9,600 cubic miles (40,000 cubic kilometers). It makes half of the area of the Island of Hawaii.

Mauna Loa began to form nearly a million years ago. There is a eruption was in 1984 and sent lavas within 4 miles (6.5 km) of Hilo. This photograph looks to the southwest to the northeast rift of Mauna Loa. Volcano Village is in the foreground. The summit of Kilauea volcano is left of center. Photograph by J.D. Griggs, U.S. Geological Survey, January 10, 1985. May 20, 2003 After nearly 10 years of slight deflation, inflation was observed where lengthening of the lines across the summit caldera was monitored. HVO believes replenishment within the volcano's reservoir may be the cause of inflation. Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawai`i Earth's Largest Volcano Photograph by J.D. Griggs on January 10, 1985 Rising gradually to more than 4 km above sea level, Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on our planet. Its long submarine flanks descend to the sea floor an additional 5 km, and the sea floor in turn is depressed by Mauna Loa's great mass another 8 km.

This makes the volcano's summit about 17 km (56,000 ft) above its base! The enormous volcano covers half of the Island of Hawai`i and by itself amounts to about 85 percent of all the other Hawaiian Islands combined. Mauna Loa is among Earth's most active volcanoes, having erupted 33 times since its first well-documented historical eruption in 1843. Its most recent eruption was in 1984. Mauna Loa is certain to erupt again, and we carefully monitor the volcano for signs of unrest. See current activity and long term activity for a summary of our monitoring efforts. | Hazards | Eruptive History | Hawaiian Meaning The Hawaiian name "Mauna Loa" means "Long Mountain." This name is apt, for the subaerial part of Mauna Loa extends for about 120 km from the southern tip of the island to the summit caldera and then east-northeast to the coastline near Hilo.

Mauna Loa Facts Global Volcanism Program | Report on Mauna Loa (United States) — May 2012 Report on Mauna Loa (United States) — May 2012 Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 37, no. 5 (May 2012) Managing Editor: Richard Wunderman Mauna Loa (United States) 2004-2010 deformation trends; intrusive bodies modeled Please cite this report as: Global Volcanism Program, 2012. Report on Mauna Loa (United States). In: Wunderman, R (ed.), Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, 37:5. Smithsonian Institution. Volcano Profile | Complete Bulletin | Download PDF [future] | Export Citation [future] Mauna Loa 19.475°N, 155.608°W; summit elev. 4170 m All times are local (unless otherwise noted) Mauna Loa has remained non-eruptive since April 1984.

We previously reported on an April-October 2004, deep, long-period (LP) earthquake swarm and associated brief period of contraction (BGVN 29:09). After that and through 2010, deformation continued at variable rates and with brief pauses. During 2004-2010, HVO reported little variation in gas emissions at Mauna Loa. The material in this report is drawn from monitoring data collected by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) and, in particular, Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data provided by HVO’s Mike Poland. A subsection below discusses the use of deformation data as a basis for modeling inferred magma bodies in the subsurface at Mauna Loa (Amelung and others, 2007). Slowed edifice inflation. Increased rates of inflation following the April-October 2004 deep LP earthquake swarm continued through 2007, when HVO reported that GPS and InSAR-based inflation rates had slowed substantially.

Comparison of radar interferograms covering two intervals (11 October 2003-19 November 2005 and 24 March 2007-17 April 2010) highlights the slowed deformation rates during the latter interval (figure 24). To better understand the technique used to observe the slowed rate of deformation at Mauna Loa, see the next section. Figure 24. Radar interferograms of Mauna Loa covering the time intervals of (a) 11 October 2003-19 November 2005 and (b) 24 March 2007-17 April 2010. These interferograms highlight the slowing of inflation during the latter interval. The large number of color bands (‘fringes’) in (a) indicates an increased rate of inflation compared to the fewer number of fringes in (b). As depicted in the scale bar (bottom center), concentric and cyclical sets of fringes indicate a ground movement of 2.83 cm towards the satellite’s line-of-sight during the time interval shown in each image.

The images were produced from data acquired by the European Space Agency’s Environmental Satellite (ENVISAT), with an incidence angle of 25° from the ground, looking W to E. Courtesy of Michael Poland, USGS-HVO. InSAR technique to monitor deformation. A technique has emerged that enables scientists to create an image of where and how much displacement occurred over a ground or glacial (ice) surface (e.g., Rosen and others, 2000). The technique’s spatial coverage is variable from hundreds of square meters to hundreds of square kilometers. Measurements of the component of deformation along the instrument’s line-of-sight typically have centimeter-scale precision. While the precision may be less than some other deformation techniques (i.e., GPS monitoring or tilt measurements), the broad coverage can pinpoint particularly interesting patterns and help define areas for collateral studies, including further modeling of the causes of deformation (see next section). The image, which is called a radar interferogram, compares two separate ‘snapshots’ acquired at distinct points in time. The snapshots are radar images of the topography of the ground surface in the area of interest (figure 25) acquired by an instrument mounted on an airplane or satellite.

The images are generated by transmitting radar waves to the earth’s surface; the radar waves then reflect (backscatter) and are measured upon their return to the instrument. To make one interferogram, two such images taken at different times are compared. Variations in the phase of the coherent radar signal in the two snapshots disclose areas where displacement occurred along the instrument’s line-of-sight (example radar waves A-E, figure 25). In some cases scientists collect and process enough data to enable them to make a time series of interferograms, for example, annual interferograms that enable yearly comparisons of the ground surface over a decade of time. Figure 25. A cartoon representation of the basic principles of radar interferometry. As the satellite makes its first pass over a ground surface (‘Initial ground surface’), it collects radar waves reflected off of the ground surface (solid wave, ‘pass 1’). During a subsequent orbit (often months to years later), when the satellite again passes over the same ground surface, another collection is made from very nearly the same orbital location (dashed wave, ‘pass 2’).

If the ground surface deformed during the time between data collections (e.g., ‘Subsided ground surface’), then the collected radar waves of the second pass will be out of phase compared to those collected during the first pass (example waves A-E, at right). The phase difference of the waves is then converted into the component of ground motion along the line-of-sight of the satellite (either towards or away from the satellite), and is represented by a color as part of a full color cycle. Since the technique is based on the phase difference of multiple waves, the accuracy is constrained by detectable fractions of the radar wave’s wavelength. In figure 24, C-band radar (wavelength = 5.6 cm) was used. Image not drawn to scale. Image created by GVP staff. On the interferograms, interference patterns appear as full color cycles, or ‘fringes’, indicating how far out of phase the radar waves are when they return to the satellite (figure 25); one fringe indicates a line-of-sight ground offset equivalent to one half of the radar waves’ wavelength.

An increased number of fringes at a specific area within an image thus indicates increased deformation during the time between images, allowing estimation of deformation rates over the time period analyzed. Our discussion of this technique has omitted various assumptions, sources of error, and corrections used to process and interpret the data. Magma chamber and dike modeling. Amelung and others (2007) assessed measured ground deformation at Mauna Loa from InSAR data. They modeled the size, location, and geometry of inferred intrusive bodies beneath Mauna Loa that led to the observed surface deformation. Their modeling suggested a spherical magma chamber of 1.1 km radius, centered under the SE caldera margin at 4.7 km depth below the summit (0.5 km below sea level), and a vertical dike with most of its inflation occurring along an 8-km-long zone at depths of 4-8 km (Figure 26). The dike’s direction of opening was normal to its inferred planar orientation. An HVO model, fit to ground-based GPS measurements, agrees with the model of Amelung and others (2007). Figure 26.

(a) Vertical and (b) East components of ground-velocity measured at Mauna Loa during 2002-2005, determined from RADARSAT-1 InSAR data, and (c) the resultant model of the subsurface along a vertical cross-section oriented NE-SW. The satellite looked towards the E (‘look direction’) and had an incidence angle of ~45° from the ground. The white lines indicate the NE and SW rift zones (NERZ and SWRZ, respectively) that branch off of the caldera. The black line and circle in (a) and (b) indicate the map location of the modeled dike and magma chamber, respectively, also shown in cross-section view in (c). The location and span of Mauna Loa’s summit caldera is indicated at the top of (c). The modeled spherical magma chamber and dike beneath the summit are shown in (c), indicating modeled opening rates of the dike (shown by the colored squares, with scale at bottom right).

The dike opening rates are based on a uniform excess-magma pressure model of 1.8 Mpa/year, and are modeled to fit the measured ground-velocities shown in (a) and (b). Modified from Amelung and others (2007). References. Amelung, F., Yun, S.H., Walter, T.R., Segall, P., and Kim, S.W. (2007) Stress Control of Deep Rift Intrusion at Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawaii. Science, 316 (5827), pg. 1026-1030 (DOI: 10.1126/science.1140035). Rosen, P.A., Hensley, S., Joughin, I.R., Li, F.K., Madsen, S.N., Rodriguez, E., and Goldstein, R.M. (2000) Synthetic aperture radar interferometry, Proc. IEEE, 88, 333- 382. Geologic Background. Massive Mauna Loa shield volcano rises almost 9 km above the sea floor to form the world's largest active volcano.

Flank eruptions are predominately from the lengthy NE and SW rift zones, and the summit is cut by the Mokuaweoweo caldera, which sits within an older and larger 6 x 8 km caldera. Two of the youngest large debris avalanches documented in Hawaii traveled nearly 100 km from Mauna Loa; the second of the Alika avalanches was emplaced about 105,000 years ago (Moore et al. 1989). Almost 90% of the surface of the basaltic shield volcano is covered by lavas less than 4000 years old (Lockwood and Lipman, 1987). During a 750-year eruptive period beginning about 1500 years ago, a series of voluminous overflows from a summit lava lake covered about one fourth of the volcano's surface. The ensuing 750-year period, from shortly after the formation of Mokuaweoweo caldera until the present, saw an additional quarter of the volcano covered with lava flows predominately from summit and NW rift zone vents. Information Contacts: Michael Poland, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), U.S.

Geological Survey, PO Box 51, Hawai'i National Park, HI 96718, USA (URL: Christelle Wauthier, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institute of Washington, Washington, DC. Hale Mauna Loa (Volcano, USA) | Expedia Hale Mauna Loa, Hawaii Hale Mauna Loa, Hawaii, current page Hale Mauna Loa Hotel Price Guarantee Exclusive for Expedia+ members Book your hotel today, and if you find the same hotel for a cheaper price elsewhere online, we'll refund the difference up until midnight before check-in. Terms & ConditionsOpens in a new window apply. Price Guarantee Get more as an Expedia+ member Hotel Price Guarantee available Find a cheaper hotel within 24 hours of booking. We will refund the difference and give you a travel coupon worth $50. As a member, you receive price matching up until midnight before check-in. Not a member? Join now.

1/29 Featured Image Featured image 1 of 29 Switch main photo to previous photo Switch main photo to next photo Switch main photo to photo of 29/29 Exterior detail Property Features Along with laundry facilities, this smoke-free guesthouse has a garden and barbecue grills. Free WiFi in public areas and free self parking are also provided. Room Amenities All 3 rooms boast private spa tubs and fireplaces, while conveniences include kitchens and refrigerators. Other amenities available to guests include free WiFi, furnished balconies or patios, and microwaves. Housekeeping is available once per stay. Select to view moreAbout the Guest house Tab 1 of 2 selected Select to viewGuest Reviews Tab 2 of 2 Hale Mauna Loa Guest House Amenities Guest House Amenities Hale Mauna Loa features a terrace, barbecue grills, and a garden. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access. Complimentary self parking is available on site. Hale Mauna Loa is a smoke-free property. Total number of rooms - 3 Barbecue grill(s) What Happens When The World's Largest Volcano Erupts Again?

| The Huffington Post What Happens When The World's Largest Volcano Erupts Again? 05/20/2014 05:06 pm ET | Updated May 20, 2014 270 James Cave Staff Writer, Lifestyle, The Huffington Post Joe Carini via Getty Images Imagine living in the shadow of the world's largest -- and still active -- volcano. For residents on Hawaii's Big Island, a threat has long rumbled within the Mauna Loa volcano, which takes up almost half of the island. Not only is it more than 1,000 feet taller than Mount Everest from seafloor to summit, Mauna Loa seems primed -- some might even say overdue -- for an eruption. Of the five active volcanoes in Hawaii, only the Kilauea and Loihi volcanoes have been quietly erupting consistently for decades. But Mauna Loa is seen as the big threat there. What Kilauea erupts in one day, Mauna Loa has erupted in 20 minutes , as it did in 1984.

It came way too close to destroying Hilo, where more than 35,000 people lived at the time. “The eruption rates on Mauna Loa are scary in comparison to Kilauea. The amount of lava coming out per unit is actually life threatening,” Frank Trusdell, a leading Mauna Loa scientist for the United States Geological Survey at the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, told Hawaii News Now . Over recorded history, Mauna Loa has erupted an average of every six years -- 39 times since 1832 . But its last eruption was in 1984, and scientists say there is a 100 percent chance that Mauna Loa will erupt again. Perhaps scariest is that researchers don't know where the next eruption will take place, making it really hard to plan for, in terms of both time and danger zone. John Drummond, of the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency , told The Huffington Post that their first response will be to set up an evacuation center, then, depending on wind direction and flow of the lava, get people out of harm’s way. "We look at the situation as it happens and react accordingly," he said.

"Everything is situational.” Big Island volcanoes aren’t typically explosive in the Mount St. Helens or Eyjafjallajökull way, so there’s no huge threat of debris or ash clouds. But, according to the civil defense's mitigation plan, the Big Island's lava is exceptionally fluid and voluminous, making lava flowing down the volcano the greatest threat . Scientists at the Hawaii Volcano Observatory monitor earthquakes and chart possible lava flows based on theoretical vent maps. When earthquakes cluster at high rates, it can mean that the magma (or underground lava) is on the move , rearranging rock and other earth. When Hawaii sees 500 to 600 earthquakes-per-day, “we’re on high alert ,” Trusdell told Hawaii News Now. Ten years ago, for example, a cluster of earthquakes signaled something big might happen at Mauna Loa. Instead, half the mountain shifted south, giving the magma more room to stay beneath the surface. That bank of extra magma is still underground . Does that mean Hawaii is in for an even bigger eruption? Nobody really knows, Trusdell said, but he’s confident that scientists will forecast the next eruption.

You can stay updated by keeping an eye on all the Hawaiian volcanoes for yourself. Also on HuffPost: Global Volcanism Program | Mauna Kea Cite this Report In repose; first report disclosing background conditions and hazards This is the first Bulletin report for Mauna Kea, the tallest volcano on the Island of Hawai`i (figures 1, 2, and 3). Although the most recent eruption occurred ~4,500 years ago, this volcano has the potential to reawaken. This report presents early observations by Western explorers; discussions from Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientists focusing on the potential for future eruptions; seismicity during 2000-2013; and a recent report by HVO scientists highlighting drastic changes at an alpine lake, Lake Waiau. Figure 1. Mauna Kea is one of five volcanoes comprising the Island of Hawai`i, the others being Kohala, Hualalai, Mauna Loa, and Kilauea.

The archipelago of Hawai`i includes the eight islands: Ni`ihau, Kaua`i, O`ahu, Moloka`i, Lana`i, Maui, Kaho`olawe, and Hawai`i (from W-to-E). Courtesy of Holt and others (2006) and Google Earth. Figure 2. This view of Mauna Kea is from the Keaukaha area, the S edge of Hilo Bay. Seasonal snowfall covers the summit area which is also dotted with cinder cones. The highest point, indicated with the arrow, is located at the highest point on the rim of the cinder cone Pu`u Wekiu. The small white points to the right of the arrow are several of the astronomical telescopes belonging to the Mauna Kea Observatories, part of the University of Hawai`i's Institute for Astronomy. Photo by Valerie Veriato Victorine; courtesy of Hawaii News Now. Figure 3. An aerial view of Mauna Kea's summit and S flank was acquired in 1995 from a NASA C-130 aircraft.

The Mauna Kea Access Road reaches the summit after numerous switchbacks that cross through fields of cinder cones (note the gray line above the propeller) on the S flank. This view is approximately centered on the cinder cone Pu`u Kole, which is one of the features remaining from the Holocene Laupahoehoe eruption. A forest reserve boundary encloses the upper flanks of Mauna Kea and appears in this photo as a line that makes a sharp corner as it includes the lower edge of Pu`u Kole. Courtesy of Scott Rowland (University of Hawaii at Manoa). Eruptive style and activity status. Mauna Kea is presently considered a volcano exhibiting quiescence that has, according to the known geologic record, an extensive history of lapsed activity. Between 6,000 and 4,000 years ago, eruptions occurred at at least seven separate vents. The record indicates that compared with Mauna Loa, which erupted every few years to few tens of years, and Hualalai, which erupted every few hundred years, Mauna Kea has exhibited long breaks in activity (USGS, 2002).

Based on the occurrence of 12 eruptions within a 10,000 year period, Mauna Kea's recurrence interval is ~ 1,000 years (Geohazards Consultants International, Inc., 2000). According to the Mauna Kea Science Reserve Master Plan released by the Geohazards Consultants International, Inc. in March 2000: "Mauna Kea's post-glacial eruptions have been episodic rather than periodic, however, with a particular concentration of eruptive activity between 4,400-5,600 years ago. The 1,000 year recurrence interval of the past 10,000 years does not thus indicate that an eruption is 'overdue', but does reinforce the likelihood that eruptions will occur sporadically in the future." This pattern of activity might also imply that the next eruption of Mauna Kea could be followed by others at much shorter intervals, representing a potential clustering of events in the given time interval (Jim Kauahikaua, personal communication, 30 May 2014).

Mauna Kea's most recent eruption occurred ~4,500 years ago, generating both lava flows and cinder cones. This activity is considered characteristic of a volcanic system that had evolved past the shield-building stage to the post-shield stage (Hoover and Fodor, 1997). The above-stated age determinations were made based on radiocarbon dating of charcoal collected within the Humu`ula soil (Porter, 1971; Wolfe and others, 1997); this soil lies directly beneath the S flank lava flows of Pu`ukole and Pu`u Loa Loa (figure 4). Figure 4. (Index map) The Island of Hawai`i encompasses five volcanic centers. Note Hilo Bay (HB), the location where the photo in figure 2 was taken. The shaded box shows the area of the main map. (Main Map) Holocene cinder cones and lava flows are located on Mauna Kea's lower S flank, the lower extent of which have been covered by Mauna Loa lava flows. The two sets of isopachs indicate tephra units vented from the cinder cones Pu`ukole and Pu`u Loa Loa.

State Highway 200 (the Saddle Road) is indicated in red, located at the lower margin. The point marked as Hale Pohaku is the location of the Visitor Information Station and the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy. Map modified from Porter (1971). The designations of shield-building and post-shield stages come from a system of structural development that represents the current understanding of Hawaiian volcanism. Significant cinder cone eruptions are a hallmark of the post-shield stage as well as: "(1) the absence of a summit caldera and elongated fissure vents that radiate across its summit; (2) steeper and more irregular topography (for example, the upper flanks of Mauna Kea are twice as steep as those of Mauna Loa; [figure 5]); and (3) different chemical compositions of the lava" (Clague and Dalrymple, 1987; USGS, 2002). Figure 5.Two profile photos of Mauna Kea (top) and Mauna Loa (bottom).

Mauna Kea (top) displays an irregular profile due to the abundance of steep-sided cinder cones formed by hawaiite, a less fluid and more explosive lava composition compared with the tholeiitic basalt that characterizes shield-stage volcanism. Mauna Loa (bottom) exhibits the classic, shield-stage morphology that results due to numerous tholeiitic basalt eruptions (and known to be particularly voluminous). This morphology is relatively smooth and shallow compared with Mauna Kea. USGS photos taken by Taeko Jane Takahashi in 1991 with caption details from Wright and others (1992b). Gravity model. Investigations by Kauahikaua and others (2000) determined a three-dimensional gravity model for the Island of Hawai`i distinguished the five volcanic centers comprising the island: Kohala, Mauna Kea, Hualalai, Mauna Loa, and Kilauea (figure 6). The base data for that map came from more than 3,300 gravity measurements made above sea level.

Positive gravity anomalies define gravitationally dense zones caused by intrusions and cumulates beneath the summit and known rift zones of each of the five volcanoes composing the island. Figure 6 maps the 3-dimensional structure as modeled from the gravity data and expresses the gravity anomalies in terms of elevation from the overlying ground surface. Figure 6. The Island of Hawai`i, including Mauna Kea, in a map showing the distance from the ground surface to the modeled upper surface of dense volcanic cores. Near the center of the island, the edifice of Mauna Kea appears covered with alkali basalt vents (gray diamonds). The contour interval represents 1 km. The authors plot known vents and other features such as slumps in order to compare them to the model. The subaerial features were taken from Wolfe and Morris (1996) and the submarine geologic features, from Holcomb (1996). Rift zones are marked by linear distributions of vents; alternative locations for the summit of Mahukona volcano are shown by "a" and "b." Modified from Kauahikaua and others, 2000.

"Mauna Kea has an elliptical-shaped core, slightly elongated east-west, with a broad, linear feature trending southeast. This linear feature may be a buried rift zone of Mauna Kea, although no surface expressions of those rift zones have been mapped (Kauahikaua and others, 2000)." The submarine feature known as the Hilo Ridge was also included in the density study with data contributed by GLORIA (a side-scan sonar) as well as satellites ERS-1, Geosat, and Seasat. Prior to this investigation, the Hilo Ridge had been attributed to Mauna Kea as its possible rift zone; however, the authors determined a stronger connection with Kohala due to multiple factors including the strongly NW-trending linear zone that extends ~80 km from the modelled core of Kohala. Early European observations. An early survey of Hawai`i was conducted by Archibald Menzies, a botanist who accompanied Captain George Vancouver during the cruises of 1792-1794.

Menzies successfully ascended Mauna Loa in February 1794 (a team from Captain Cook's crew had unsuccessfully attempted the summit in 1779; see figure 7). Menzies estimated the heights of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea to within 31 m of the currently accepted value, "a remarkable surveying feat for that time" (Wright and others, 1992b). Figure 7. This map of the Hawaiian Islands has been cropped and centered on the area of the Big Island. Mauna Kea and other major landmarks were annotated with the early spelling conventions. According to Wright and others, 1992b, "This was the first map of the island of Hawai`i, made in 1779 by Henry Roberts, a member of Captain Cook's crew. Four volcanoes are shown, and only the two largest ones are named. Kilauea is conspicuously absent from this map and from a similar one made following Vancouver's voyages of 1792-1794.

Neither Cook nor Vancouver visited the eastern side of Hawai`i or saw any volcanic activity." Modified from Wright and others (1992b) and Fitzpatrick (1986). The first petrologist to study Mauna Kea, R.A. Daly, determined not only that Mauna Kea's upper flanks were dominated by lava flows more rich in silica (he called them "andesite" although current classifications label them "hawaiite"), but also that the edifice had been modified by glaciers (Wolfe and others, 1997; Daly, 1911). Stearns and Macdonald (1946) and Washington (1923) expanded the knowledge base of Mauna Kea's geochemistry, and Gregory and Wentworth (1937) established that the glacial features from the most recent glacial episode (40,000 to 13,000 years ago) were interspersed with primary volcanic material.

Wolfe and others (1997) determined that "eruptive activity of Mauna Kea was partly contemporaneous with that at Kohala, Hualalai, and Mauna Loa, and the volcano boundaries are undoubtedly complex." HVO Volcano Watch article highlights a Mauna Kea forecast. The potential for a future eruption from Mauna Kea was addressed in a Volcano Watch article posted in June 2000 by then Scientist-in-Charge, Don Swanson, from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) (Swanson, 2000ab). The article addresses not only eruption frequency but also trends in eruption style, the potential response of the telescope installation at Mauna Kea's summit, and a general forecast for a likely scenario in the future. "The next eruption of Mauna Kea." "Mauna Kea's peaceful appearance is misleading. The volcano is not dead. It erupted many times between 60,000 and 4,000 years ago, and some periods of quiet during that time apparently lasted longer than 4,000 years. Given that record, future eruptions seem almost certain.

"Before the next one, we should have ample warning provided by our current seismic and geodetic monitoring systems. A number of earthquakes occur beneath Mauna Kea each year, and you can bet that we pay close attention to them. However, they all appear to be associated with tectonic faulting rather than movement of magma. "The telescopes on top of the volcano may be the first to indicate that something is amiss. The coordinates used for tracking their observations will begin to drift unexpectedly as the volcano is swelling. In a sense, the telescopes will serve as very expensive tiltmeters. "We cannot now say when the next eruption will take place, except that it is unlikely to be in the next several months, given the current lack of any precursory signs. Whether the timing is years, centuries, or millennia is entirely unclear. "But we can say something about the probable nature of the next eruption, because we know what the most recent ones were like, thanks to recently published research by Ed Wolfe [see Wolfe and others, 1997], former staff member of HVO, and colleagues. "The next eruption could take place anywhere on the upper flanks of the volcano.

As Mauna Kea evolved from its early shield stage (equivalent to Kilauea and Mauna Loa today) to its present postshield stage, the volcano lost its rift zones. Consequently, the postshield eruptions are not concentrated along narrow zones but instead are scattered across the mountain. [See figure 6.] "For example, the most recent eruptive period, 6,000-4,000 years ago, involved eight vents on the south flank of the volcano between Kala`i`eha cone (near Humu`ula) and Pu`ukole (east of Hale Pohaku). During this same period, eruptions took place on the northeast flank at Pu`u Lehu and Pu`u Kanakaleonui. Lava from Pu`u Kanakaleonui flowed more than 20 km (12 miles) northeastward, entering the sea to form Laupahoehoe Point. "The next eruption will likely produce a lava flow, because each eruption in the past 60,000 years has done so. The longest flows will reach 15-25 km (9-15 miles) downslope.

Most of each flow will be `a`a, but pahoehoe may form near vents. "A prominent cinder cone will probably be constructed at each vent. The cinder cones responsible for the "bumpy" appearance of Mauna Kea's surface formed during the 60,000-4,000-year interval. The cones mentioned by name above, and several others, were built during the latest eruptive period 6,000-4,000 years ago. The next eruption will likely produce a similar cone. "Cinder cones form at vents that are point sources, not elongate fissures. All activity is concentrated at one place, so that fountaining and spattering build a high cone rather than a long rampart. Past eruptions-and hence future ones--probably lasted months to several years, providing enough time to construct a substantial cone. Those eruptions spread voluminous ash deposits far beyond the cinder cones themselves, and the next eruption will probably do so, too. "Possibly, however, there will not be enough spattering to build a lasting cone.

Such an eruption happened about 1 km (0.6 miles) southeast of Hale Pohaku, when a vent put out a moderate volume of lava without building a spatter or cinder cone. "The next eruption of Mauna Kea is unlikely to occur in our lifetimes, but it could. There is no reason to fear such an eruption. It would not threaten human life, provided due care were taken, though it could prove devastating to property and infrastructure, particularly if a lava flow traveled to the Hamakua coast or the Waimea area." Mauna Kea's seismicity. HVO has monitored and maintained the record of seismicity for the entire region of Hawai`i. The seismicity detected beneath Mauna Kea has been characterized as "infrequent and sparse." Notable seismicity occurred in 1994, 2001, and 2011, when earthquakes were large enough to be felt by the general public. Island-wide instrumentation allowed excellent location data for the local seismicity (figure 8). Figure 8. The seismic network that monitors Mauna Kea and the other volcanoes of Hawai`i spans six islands.

This map appeared in the USGS Fact Sheet released in 2011. HVO reported that, several times each year, earthquakes from Mauna Kea cause shaking that is noted by local populations - especially the operators of the Mauna Kea astronomical observatory, who rely on stable instrumentation in order to make precise observations. Reports of felt earthquakes from Mauna Kea correlated with magnitude 2.1-4.9 earthquakes during 1973-2012. Elevated seismicity during October-December 2011 resulted in 30 felt earthquakes. Approximately 570 people reported the M 4.5 earthquake that occurred on 20 October 2011 and also 10 of the aftershocks that followed (figure 9).

HVO reported that, like many of Mauna Kea's earthquakes, these earthquakes were "most likely caused by structural adjustments within the Earth's crust due to the heavy load of Mauna Kea." With an estimated volume of >30,000 km3, Mauna Kea rises ~10,000 m above the seafloor, causing stress to accumulate from the mass of the volcano (Lockwood and Hazlett, 2010). Figure 9. This map includes the located seismicity from Mauna Kea's seismic sequence between 19 October and 31 December 2011. Within 10 km of the summit, an M 4.5 earthquake (20 October 2011) and aftershocks occurred. Courtesy of HVO. Earthquake swarms at Mauna Kea. HVO reported that earthquake swarms occasionally occur at Mauna Kea. On 23 February 2001, a swarm of ~15 events was detected within a 21-hour period.

These earthquakes were mainly located ~15 km S of Pa`auilo (~3 km NW of Kuka`iau, figure 10), at a depth of 8-11 km. Figure 10. Geographic features of Mauna Kea included in this map are discussed in this text. Topographic contours are from U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaii County, Sheets 1 and 2, 1980; 4,000-m contour omitted. The following abbreviations are included: ag, the aqueduct gulch; HS, Hopukani Springs; HSS, Humu`ula Sheep Station; LS, Liloe Spring; WS, Waihu Spring. Map modified from Wolfe and others (1997). Lake Waiau recedes. The cinder cone Pu`uwaiau, located within 2 km of the summit, has contained a freshwater lake that was considered permanent by Wolfe and others (1997) (figures 11 and 12). Lake Waiau has likely persisted due to the once-glassy cinders and bombs that have weathered to smectite with zeolites within the void spaces.

These alteration products may serve as a weak cement between the pyroclasts and reduce the permeability of the cinder cone's base. Sporadic winter storms have provided most, if not all, of the water captured in this considerably arid region (Patrick and Delparte, 2014). Contributions from permafrost were also proposed by Woodcock (1980), but the presence of permafrost has not been confirmed near Lake Waiau. Figure 11. An aerial view of Mauna Kea's summit was acquired in 1995 from a NASA C-130 aircraft. The highest cinder cone, Pu`u Wekiu, is centered in this view with several astronomical telescopes in view on the left-hand side. The small oval Lake Waiau is on upper the right-hand side of this photo. Courtesy of Scott Rowland (School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii at Manoa). Figure 12. This aerial photo includes Mauna Kea's Pu`uwaiau where Lake Waiau is indicated with the yellow arrow. The view is approximately SW.

A large cinder cone, Pu`uhaukea, is in the foreground. A dark lava flow from Mauna Loa is in the far distance. Courtesy of Richard Wainscoat (Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai`i). Patrick and Delparte (2014) reported that the lake size before 2010 was 5,000-7,000 m2 with a depth of ~3 m, but recently, the size has been decreasing rapidly. In the recent past, the lake was known to overflow through the Pohakuloa Gulch when water levels exceeded the rim (as recently as February 2002) (Ehlmann and others, 2005). Researchers have determined that Lake Waiau is sensitive to precipitation levels (Woodcock, 1980) and that ongoing drought conditions could be driving the lake's change (Patrick and Delparte, 2014). Based on the National Drought Mitigation Center's data, since 2008, and notably in March 2010, precipitation has been sparse at the summit of Mauna Kea.

In December 2013, scientists visited the lake and observed an unprecedented sight (figure 13). Lake Waiau measured a mere 115 m2 and was roughly 10-20 cm deep (Patrick and Delparte, 2014). While the lake size was known to fluctuate over time, this dramatic reduction has caused concern, given the possibility of losing a specialized ecosystem as well as a prominent feature of Hawaiian ethnogeography. Mauna Kea's summit is considered "one of the most sacred spots in the Hawaiian Islands. Archaeological sites near the summit attest to its prolonged spiritual importance...(Patrick and Delparte, 2014)." Figure 13. The rapid drop in Mauna Kea's Lake Waiau water level began in 2010. Prior to 2010, the lake area was typically 5,000-7,000 m2, with the maximum size outlined in yellow in the top left image (depth was ~3 m). By late 2013, the lake was just 100-200 m2 in area.

Photographs courtesy of Office of Mauna Kea Management and modified from Patrick and Delparte (2014).. USGS scientists at HVO as well as collaborators, including Idaho State University, continued to study the conditions at Lake Waiau after the significant survey was conducted in December 2013. As of May 2014, strong winter rains had partially restored the lake, providing stronger evidence that the multi-year shrinkage was due to the ongoing drought as opposed to changes in the volcanic system. A note regarding the name Mauna Kea. The popular translation of the Hawaiian name Mauna Kea is frequently "White Mountain," however, significant discussions have focused on the source of the name. There has been growing consensus that Mauna Kea is a shortened form of Mauna a Wakea, which refers to the sky father Wakea. According to testaments presented in the Final Environmental Impact Statement of the Federal Highway Administration Project No. A-AD-6(1) which included potential cultural impacts on the island by expanding State Routes 190 and 200, "The mountain is the sacred child of Wakea, and it is the source for the land.

The mountains and land were genealogically connected to native Hawaiians through the original ancestor, Wakea [sky father] and Papa [earth mother]." Ethnographic research conducted prior to 1999 and released in the impact statement concluded that the summit area of Mauna Kea was eligible for the National Register of Historic Places due to traditional cultural property. A note regarding Hawaiian names and nomenclature. As previously noted in other Bulletin reports, according to Runyon (2006), "The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) is responsible for establishing and maintaining uniform geographical name usage throughout all departments and agencies of the United States government. As such, the Board collects and promulgates every name that is considered official for Federal use. The official vehicle for promulgating these names and their locative attributes is the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). "Until the 1990's, it was also Federal policy to omit most diacritics and writing marks from placenames on Federal maps and documents. The few exceptions included the Spanish tilde and the French accent marks, but otherwise the special characters found in indigenous names were always dropped.

In more recent years, however, the BGN has amended its policy to permit the inclusion of such marks, thus more accurately reflecting the true representation of the native language. An example of this has been the addition of the glottal stop (okina) and macron (kahako) to placenames of Hawaiian origin, which prior to 1995 had always been omitted. The BGN staff, under the direction and guidance of the Hawaii State Geographic Names Authority, has been restoring systemically these marks to each Hawaiian name listed in GNIS." GVP will strive to conform to GNIS nomenclature. It remains a technological challenge, but a goal. References: Clague, D.A., and Dalrymple, G.B., 1987, The Hawaiian-Emperor volcanic chain. Part I. Geologic evolution, chap. 1 of Decker, R.W, Wright, T.L., and Stauffer, PH., eds., Volcanism in Hawaii: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1350, v. 1, p. 5-54. Daly, R.A., 1911, Magmatic differentiation in Hawaii: Journal of Geology, v.

19, no. 4, p. 289-316. Federal Highway Administration, 1999, Final Environmental Impact Statement Part 1: Hawaii State Route 200, Mamalahoa Highway (SR 190) to Milepost 6 Saddle Road, County of Hawai`i, State of Hawai`i, FHWA Project No. A-AD-6(1). Ehlmann, B.L., Arvidson, R.E., Jolliff, B.L., Johnson, S.S., Ebel, B., Lovenduski, N., Morris, J.D., Beyers, J.A., Snider, N.O., and Criss, R.E., 2005. Hydrologic and isotopic modeling of Alpine Lake Waiau, Mauna Kea, Hawai`i. University of Hawaii Press, p. 1-15. Fitzpatrick, G.L, 1986. The early mapping of Hawaii. Honolulu: Editions Limited, vol. 1, 160 pp.

Geohazards Consultants International, Inc., Mauna Kea Science Reserve Master Plan, Volcano, HI, March 2000, 22 p. Gregory, H.E., and Wentworth, C.K., 1937, General features and glacial geology of Mauna Kea, Hawaii: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 48, no. 12, p. 1719-1742. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston (2006), Hawaii. Retrieved from Hoover, S.R. and Fodor, R.V., 1997, Magma-reservoir crystallization processes: small-scale dikes in cumulate gabbros, Mauna Kea Volcano, Hawaii, Bulletin of Volcanology, 59, p. 186-197. Kauahikaua, J., Hildenbrand, T., & Webring, M., 2000. Deep magmatic structures of Hawaiian volcanoes, imaged by three-dimensional gravity models. Geology, 28, 10, p. 883.

Lockwood, J.P., and Hazlett, R.W., 2010. Volcanoes: Global Perspectives, Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, NJ, ix, 539 p. Okubo, P.G. and Nakata, J.S., 2011, Earthquakes in Hawai`i-An Underappreciated but Serious Hazard, Fact Sheet 2011-3013, USGS Fact Sheet, September 2011. ( Patrick, M. R. and Delparte, D., 2014, Tracking Dramatic Changes at Hawaii's Only Alpine Lake: EOS (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), Vol. 95, No. 14, p. 117-118. Porter, S.C., 1971, Holocene Eruptions of Mauna Kea Volcano, Hawaii, Science, Vol. 172 no. 3981 p. 375-377.

Stearns, H.T., and Macdonald, G.A., 1946, Geology and ground-water resources of the Island of Hawaii: Hawaii Division of Hydrography Bulletin 9, 363 p. Swanson, D.A., (June 2000a). The next eruption of Mauna Kea. Volcano Watch. Retrieved from Swanson, D.A., 2000b, Don't be fooled by seemingly peaceful Mauna Kea Volcano--it could erupt again: Hawaii Tribune-Herald, June 4, p. 2. USGS-HVO (May 2002). Mauna Kea Hawai`i's Tallest Volcano. Other Volcanoes. Retrieved from Washington, H.S., 1923, Petrology of the Hawaiian Islands; I, Kohala and Mauna Kea, Hawaii: American Journal of Science, ser. 5, v. 5, no. 30, p. 465-502.

Wolfe, E.W., Wise, W.S., and Dalrymple, G.B., 1997, The geology and petrology of Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii: a study of postshield volcanism. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1557, Washington, D.C.: U.S. G.P.O. Woodcock, A., 1980. Hawaiian alpine lake level, rainfall trends, and spring flow, Pacific Science, 34, p. 195–209. Wright, T.L., Chu, J.Y., Esposo, J., Heliker, C., Hodge, J., Lockwood, J.P., and Vogt, S.M., 1992a, Map showing lava-flow hazard zones, island of Hawaii: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2193, scale 1:250,000.

Wright, T.L., Takahashi, T.J., and Griggs, J.D., 1992b, Hawai`i Volcano Watch: A Pictorial History, 1779-1991, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 162 p. Information Contacts: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), U.S. Geological Survey, PO Box 51, Hawai`i National Park, HI 96718, USA (URL: Daily updates, and Weekly updates, Richard Wainscoat, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Institute for Astronomy (URL: and ); Scott Rowland, University of Hawaii at Manoa, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (URL: ); and Hawaii News Now (URL: The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Mauna Kea. Bulletin Reports - Index Reports are organized chronologically and indexed below by Month/Year (Publication Volume:Number), and include a one-line summary. Click on the index link or scroll down to read the reports.

12/2013 (BGVN 38:12) In repose; first report disclosing background conditions and hazards Information is preliminary and subject to change. All times are local (unless otherwise noted) December 2013 (BGVN 38:12) 166,888 Geological Summary Mauna Kea, Hawaii's highest volcano, reaches 4205 m, only 35 m above its neighbor, Mauna Loa. In contrast to Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea lacks a summit caldera and is capped by a profusion of cinder cones and pyroclastic deposits. It's rift zones are less pronounced than on neighboring volcanoes, and the eruption of voluminous, late-stage pyroclastic material has buried much of the early basaltic shield volcano, creating a steeper and more irregular profile. This transition took place about 200,000 to 250,000 years ago, and much of Mauna Kea, whose Hawaiian name means "White Mountain," was constructed during the Pleistocene. Its age and high altitude make it the only Hawaiian volcano with glacial moraines.

A road that reaches a cluster of astronomical observatories on the summit also provides access to seasonal tropical skiing. The latest eruptions produced a series of cinder cones and lava flows from vents on the northern and southern flanks during the early- to mid-Holocene. References The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography. Porter S C, 1973. Stratigraphy and chronology of late Quaternary tephra along the South Rift Zone of Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii. Geol Soc Amer Bull, 84: 1923-1940. Robinson J E, Eakins B W, 2006. Calculated volumes of individual shield volcanoes at the young end of the Hawaiian Ridge. J Volc Geotherm Res, 151: 309-317. Wolfe E W, Wise W S, Dalrymple B, 1997. The geology and petrology of Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii--a study of postshield volcanism.

U S Geol Surv Prof Pap, 1557: 1-129. Eruptive History Summary of Holocene eruption dates and Volcanic Explosivity Indices (VEI). Start Date 155° 27' 0" W Photo Gallery This 1975 photo of the snow-covered summit of 4170-m Mauna Loa volcano from the SW shows the 2.4 x 4.8 km wide Mokuaweoweo caldera in the center, with three circular pit craters in the foreground. South Pit (partially truncating the SW caldera rim), Lua Hohonu, and Hua Hou (foreground), formed by collapse along the upper SW rift zone. Mauna Kea shield volcano rises to a height of 4206 m in the distance. Photo by Don Peterson (U.S. Geological Survey). Hawaii's two largest shield volcanoes, Mauna Loa (in the background to the south) and Mauna Kea, have dramatically differing profiles. Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, has the classic low-angle profile of a shield volcano constructed by repetitive eruptions of thin, overlapping lava flows.

Mauna Kea is also a shield volcano formed in the same manner, but its profile has been modified by late-stage explosive eruptions, which constructed a series of cinder cones that cap its summit. Photo by Don Swanson (U.S. Geological Survey). The snow-covered summit of Mauna Kea (Hawaiian for White Mountain), seen here from the SW, is capped by a series of cinder cones formed late in the volcano's eruptive history. The bulk of Mauna Kea volcano was constructed during the Pleistocene. Its age and altitude make it the only Hawaiian volcano with glacial moraines. The snow-covered segment of the volcano in this photo roughly corresponds to the limit of the youngest glacial deposits on Mauna Kea, which extend down to about 3500 m. Photo by Don Swanson (U.S. Geological Survey). Mauna Kea, Hawaii's highest volcano, rises to 4206 m, slightly above its neighbor, Mauna Loa. This view from the north, at the saddle between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, shows the irregular profile of the shield volcano.

The strong contrast to the smooth profile of Mauna Loa is a result of late-stage explosive eruptions that produced a series of cinder cones at the summit and flanks of Mauna Kea. The flank cinder cones in the center of the photo were constructed during some of the youngest eruptions of Mauna Kea, about 4500 years ago. Photo by Richard Fiske, 1967 (Smithsonian Institution). The symmetrical Goodrich cinder cone has a well-preserved crater. It is one of many late-stage cinder cones capping the summit of Mauna Kea, and is seen here from the the summit of Mauna Kea with Mauna Loa volcano to its NE. Dark-colored, unvegetated lava flows, many of historical age, descend the flanks of Mauna Loa. Virtually the entire Mauna Loa surface seen here consists of lava flows erupted during the past 4000 years. Photo by Lee Siebert, 1987 (Smithsonian Institution).

Mauna Kea volcano, seen here from the north along the broad NE rift zone of Mauna Loa volcano, has an irregular profile because of a cap of late-stage cinder cones and pyroclastic ejecta. Rift zones trending east, west, NE, and south are less prominent than at Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Eruptions have occurred during the latest Pleistocene and Holocene from the south and NE rift zones. Mauna Kea's most recent eruption occurred about 3500 years ago. Photo by Lee Siebert, 1987 (Smithsonian Institution). Mauna Kea (left) and Mauna Loa (right), both over 4000 m above sea level, are the world's largest active volcanoes, rising nearly 9 km above the sea floor around the island of Hawaii. This aerial view from the NW shows the contrasting morphologies of these two shield volcanoes. In contrast to the smooth profile of Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea's early shield volcano morphology is modified by the late-stage products of explosive eruptions. Photo by Lee Siebert, 1987 (Smithsonian Institution).

Mauna Kea, Hawaii's highest volcano, is seen here from the south at the broad Humuulu Saddle between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. The fresh lava flow in the foreground was emplaced during an 1843 eruption that originated on the NE rift zone of Mauna Loa. The flow traveled directly north to the Mauna Kea saddle, where it was deflected to the west. The irregular profile of the unvegetated summit region of Mauna Kea shield volcano is produced by a cap of cinder cones and pyroclastic ejecta that is not present at Mauna Loa. Photo by Paul Kimberly, 1994 (Smithsonian Institution). Smithsonian Sample Collections Database The following 470 samples associated with this volcano can be found in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences collections . Catalog number links will open a window with more information. Catalog Number Mauna Kea | volcano, Hawaii, United States | Britannica.com volcano, Hawaii, United States White Island Mauna Kea, dormant volcano , north-central Hawaii island, Hawaii , U.S.

The focus of a state forest preserve, it is the highest point in the state (13,796 feet [4,205 metres] above sea level). Mauna Kea (Hawaiian: “White Mountain”), which last erupted about 4,500 years ago, is often snowcapped. Its dome is 30 miles (50 km) across, with numerous cinder cones, and is the site of a major astronomical observatory. Lava flows from Mauna Kea have buried the southern slopes of the Kohala Mountains (to the northwest), whereas its own western and southern slopes are covered with lava from Mauna Loa , its still-active neighbour. During the Ice Age a glacier about 250 feet (75 metres) thick covered the peak and formed Lake Waiau (the only alpine lake in the Hawaiian Islands) at 13,020 feet (3,970 metres). Several caves at heights of more than 12,000 feet (3,500 metres) have been discovered. There ancient Hawaiians quarried the basalt they used for adzes and other cutting tools.

An extensive military training area is located on the slopes of Mauna Kea and extends to Mauna Loa. Cinder cones on Mauna Kea, north-central Hawaii island, Hawaii. © Jeanne Hatch/Shutterstock.com Hawaii (island, Hawaii, United States) volcanic island, Hawaii, U.S. It lies southeast of Maui island and constitutes Hawaii county. Known as the Big Island, it is the southeasternmost and largest of the Hawaiian Islands. Its area of some 4,030 square miles (10,438 square km) continues to grow as Kilauea, the world’s most active... Hawaii (state, United States) constituent state of the United States of America. Hawaii (Hawaiian: Hawai‘i) became the 50th U.S. state on August 21, 1959. Hawaii is a group of volcanic islands in the central Pacific Ocean. The islands lie 2,397 miles (3,857 km) from San Francisco, California, to the east and 5,293 miles... Kohala Mountains volcanic range, northern Hawaii island, Hawaii, U.S.

The mountains extend 21 miles (34 km) north from Waimea to Upolu Point and reach a high point at Kaumu o Kaleihoohie (5,480 feet [1,670 metres]). The mountains consist of an eroded dome 22 miles (35 km) long and 15 miles (24 km) wide and cover an... 3 References found in Britannica Articles Assorted References physiography of Hawaii (in Hawaii (island, Hawaii, United States) ) External Links Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind. Encyclopædia Britannica articles are written in a neutral objective tone for a general audience. You may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered. Any text you add should be original, not copied from other sources.

At the bottom of the article, feel free to list any sources that support your changes, so that we can fully understand their context. (Internet URLs are the best.) Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Unfortunately, our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions. Submit Thank You for Your Contribution! Our editors will review what you've submitted, and if it meets our criteria, we'll add it to the article. Please note that our editors may make some formatting changes or correct spelling or grammatical errors, and may also contact you if any clarifications are needed. Uh Oh There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later. Close Date Published: November 24, 2010 URL: Access Date: January 18, 2017 Share

Question: Mauna Loa is a volcano in which US state?
Answer: Hawaii