Kilauea Volcano

About Kilauea Volcano

• Location: Southern part of Hawaii’s Big Island, within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, U.S.A.
• Type: Youngest and most active Hawaiian shield volcano, renowned for frequent eruptions.
• Eruption zones: Erupts from vents at its summit caldera or along rift zones.
• Mythological significance: The central crater, Halemaumau, is believed to be the home of the Hawaiian fire goddess Pele.
• Historical activity:
  • Contained a lava lake until 1924.
  • Nearly continuous activity was recorded in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
  • 34 eruptions since 1952; near-continuous eruptions occurred from 1983 to 2018 in the East Rift Zone.

Key features

• Summit Caldera: Kilauea’s summit caldera, a large depression formed by the partial collapse of the volcano after releasing most of its magma chamber, spans approximately 3 miles in length and 2 miles in width, covering an area of over 4 square miles.
• Proximity to Mauna Loa: Kilauea’s slopes seamlessly merge with those of Mauna Loa, another massive shield volcano, making the region home to the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes.

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What is a Shield Volcano?

• Definition: A type of volcano characterized by broad, gentle slopes formed from highly fluid basalt lava.
• Features:
  • Unlike conical peaks of composite volcanoes, shield volcanoes appear elongated and dome-shaped.
  • Eruptions are usually low in explosivity, forming cinder cones and spatter cones at vents.
  • Explosions occur only if water enters the vent.
• Examples: Hawaiian shield volcanoes like Kilauea and Mauna Loa.

Volcanoes in India

• Barren Island (Andaman Islands): India’s only active volcano.
• Narcondam (Andaman Islands): Dormant volcano.
• Baratang (Andaman Islands): Known for mud volcanoes.
• Deccan Traps (Maharashtra): Vast volcanic plateau formed by ancient eruptions.
• Dhinodhar Hills (Gujarat): Extinct volcano.
• Dhosi Hill (Haryana): Ancient volcanic site with historical significance.

Q1: What are the types of volcanoes?

Volcanoes are classified into Shield, Composite, Cinder Cone, and Lava Domes. Shield volcanoes have gentle slopes, while Composite volcanoes have steep sides. Cinder cones are small, and Lava Domes form from slow magma extrusion.

Source: AP News