Volcanoes in Hawaii, 2

Vocabulary

Video

Transcript

Beneath the world’s most breathtaking beauty beats a heart of fire: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Island of Hawaii is the place to get up close to one of the world’s hottest spots.

On the summit of the Kilauea volcano, a voluminous plume of steam and gas jets thousands of feet into the air. This first explosive eruption in the Hale Mau Mau crater in over 80 years reminds us there’s much more to come.

From the coast of Kilauea to the summit of Mauna Loa, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park surrounds two super volcanoes.

Millions of years of eruptions built up shield shapes. Mauna Loa means “Long Mountain” and there’s more than meets the eye. Measured from the ocean floor to the summit, it’s the world’s most massive volcano.

In its shadow, Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes; nearly continuous lava flows since 1983 have added over 550 (2.23 km2) acres to the Big Island.

Janet Babb, Hawaii Volcano National Park Ranger: “We’re on an active volcano: things are always happening. Things are always changing. And as a geologist you know in most places, you don’t see geologic change in your lifetime, much less in the course of a week.

And here in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, things can change in a day’s time.”

Once considered a curiosity, Kilauea’s ongoing eruptions and accessibility offer an unprecedented opportunity to observe the inner workings of a shield volcano.

From a hot spot deep within the earth, magma, or molten rock rises beneath the summit of Kilauea to Puu’ou. From there, it travels by surface flows or below ground through lava tubes to empty out into the Pacific Ocean. When a section of the roof of a tube caves in, a skylight reveals red-hot lava.

Volcanologist regularly retrieve samples checking for chemical changes or anything to gauge the pulse of the volcano.

Along the South flank of Kilauea, volcano watchers get unprecedented access.

Janet Babb, Hawaii Volcano National Park Ranger: “People can drive right around the summit and onto the caldera floor. They can hike across the caldera. There are craters like Kilauea Iki that you can hike across. You can see land that’s less than an hour old.

So I think the dynamic ever-changing landscape of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is what makes it unique and special.”

As older volcanoes lie dormant, new ones form. Nearly 15 miles (24 km) southeast of the Island of Hawaii, Loihi a potential new island in the chain, is rising up flow by flow.

Within 3,100 feet (945 meters) of sea level, scientists predict it will take some 250,000 years to surface, in an ongoing process that created 80 percent of the earth.

Named after Vulcan the Roman god of fire, there’s no telling what volcanoes will do.

Questions

Volcano, Lava. Only smoke arises from the volcanoes in Hawaii. True or false?

Hill, Mountain. Did the Mauna Loa volcano begin as a mountain, then started erupting?

Ocean, Sea. In the long-term, do volcanoes in Hawaii cause destruction and make islands smaller?

River, Stream. The largest volcanoes in the world are Mount Vesuvius and Mount Etna. Is this right or wrong?

Lake, Pond. Everyone is fleeing from the volcanic eruption. Everyone is in a state of panic and running away. Is this right or wrong? Why do people come to the erupting volcano?

Arctic, Antarctic. On the Big Island of Hawaii, does the lava flow towards major towns and cities?

Tropical Rain Forests, Temperate Rain Forests. What do scientists predict will happen in Hawaii, in the distant future?

Taiga, Boreal Forest. Volcano is a Hawaiian word. The word Volcano comes from the Hawaiian language. Yes or no?
 
 
 
Bush, Shrub, Scrub. There are volcanoes in my country. Volcanoes exist in my country? Yes or no? Are they destructive? Can they cause damage?

Desert, Arid Region. I have seen a volcanic eruption. I have visited a (dormant) volcano.

Semi-Arid, Steppe, Prairie. Could volcanoes help humanity?

Island. What might happen in the future?

Peninsula. What could or should people, governments and businesses do?