Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park, Hawaiian Volcanoes. Kilauea Volcano in the Hawaiian Islands: description, interesting facts Where is the largest volcano in the world located

Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii
Kilauea (translated from Hawaiian as “belching, violently spreading”) is an active shield volcano on the island of Hawaii.

Kilauea has been erupting continuously since January 3, 1983. The eruption of Puu-oo-Kupaiataha has been going on for 23 years. In 1983, a series of short-lived lava fountains created the Puu-oo cone. In 1986, the eruption moved 3 km down the eastern rift zone and formed a wide shield (Kupaianaha), which formed over 5.5 years.

In September 2002, a large flow of basalt erupted from the Kilauea volcano, which blocked roadways and reached the ocean coast.


The volcano entered a phase of intense activity on March 6, 2011.
Lava flows erupt from the volcano in two places and flow into the Pacific Ocean located at the foot. There was intense heat and several explosions in the area. Falling into noticeably cooler water, the flowing lava raises a mass of evaporation into the air. The vapor cloud contains lava and acid particles, making the area dangerous.






The diameter of the crater (about 4.5 km) is considered the largest in the world.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) levels are elevated in the area around Kilauea. On June 5, approximately 800 tons of SO2 rose into the air, while in 2003-2007 an average of 140 tons per day evaporated. However, 800 tons is not yet the 1,700 that happened before.

From the neck of the funnel-shaped depression at the foot of the Halema-uma-u crater, heat emanates, clearly visible (in the photo) at night or even at dusk with the naked eye.

The MODIS and GOES-WEST spacecraft continue to record thermal anomalies. However, the level of seismic activity still remains at a moderate level; there are practically no noticeable earthquakes.

Part of the territory occupied by Kilauea is part of national park"Hawaiian Volcanoes"

Kilauea is considered the home of Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes. Some lava formations are named after her - for example, “Pele’s tears” (small drops of lava that cool in the air and take the form of a tear) and “Pele’s hair” (thin threads of volcanic glass - obsidian, formed as a result of the rapid cooling of lava when flowing into ocean).

this eruption occurred almost a year ago, but I think this volcano will show itself in all its glory.

Volcanic activity in Hawaii is at its peak, and many people come here to see this brilliant spectacle. Visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park can witness volcanic activity and the formation of new glowing craters, rivers of lava and fountains of lava spray. This fire-breathing paradise dates back 70 million years of volcanic activity, but it only became a national park in 1916.

Sulfur dioxide rises from Halemaumau Crater near a rainbow.

A fissure between the Pu'u and Napau craters from which lava spatters and forms flows.

A relatively small but fast-moving lava flow rushes past coconut trees to the ocean. According to the National Park Service, native trees help protect the park's fragile ecosystems from fire. However, "the invasion and establishment of alien tropical and subtropical plants, coinciding with the current eruption of Kilauea Volcano, has caused fire frequency to triple historical levels, and the average fire area to have increased 60 times."

Close-up a crack from which lava splashes, rising into the air to a height of 10 meters.

A NASA satellite image shows a plume of ash continuing to rise from the Kilauea volcano on the largest island of the Hawaiian archipelago. The thin cloud cover makes it possible to clearly see the plume of ash rising from the Puu crater. Along the coast of the island, small double plumes move in the same direction. These plumes rise from hot lava reaching the ocean. If you look closely at this image, you can see that the entire landscape is dotted with lava flows.

A fountain of lava over the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii shoots to a height of 40 meters.

"Smoke hatch" in the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii.

An arcing fountain, approximately 10 meters high, erupting at the western edge of Pu'u Kahualea. This first geological phase, by the beginning of the third phase it was already 60 meters high.

An ash cloud rising from the Puu Oo crater.

A stream of lava, separated from the main stream, flows down a small cliff.

The lava flow from the western group of cones moves through the forests down the slope.

Lava spatters from a vent in northeast Kamoamoa during the March 2011 eruption.

Lava flows blocked the passage.

Tourists walk among cooled lava in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

"Warning! Proceed with caution on the hiking trail.”

National Park Hawaiian Volcanoes, USA.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is huge park complex with an area of ​​1348 km². Visitors to the park will be able to see dramatic volcanic landscapes, as well as glimpses of rare species of flora and fauna.

In the park you can observe two of the world's largest active volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa. This volcanic complex has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1987.

Hawaiian Volcanoes Park was founded in 1916 and since then has attracted the attention of millions of tourists every year. On its territory you can find both already extinct volcanoes, covered with tropical forests, and currently active ones. The area around the volcanoes is covered with huge layers of solidified lava, which has accumulated here over the past 70 million years. Major eruptions were observed at the Hawaiian Volcanoes in 1924, 1982. and in 2008. Millions of years of eruptions have practically created a huge piece of land in the middle of the ocean, with its own unique ecosystem. Climatic conditions The parks are quite diverse: from the dead Kau desert to huge tracts of tropical forests.

Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano in the world. It was thanks to the eruptions of this volcano that half of the island was formed. Kilauea is the youngest volcano in Hawaii, with only a hundred-year history. It attracts a lot of attention from tourists with its super activity and convenient location. Kilauea is surrounded by a 17-kilometer road ring, from which it is quite convenient to observe the life of the volcano. In addition, you can visit entire chains on the island underground caves, formed due to the fact that the upper layer of lava solidifies, while the lower one continues to move.

More than half the island is accessible to hiking, and the other half can be explored by car or helicopter. Hawaiian Volcanoes Park is visited by more than 2 million tourists annually. Since 1980, the park has been given the status of an International Biosphere Reserve.

Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park photo.

Founded in 1913, this park invites tourists to see a unique ecosystem formed by the efforts of volcanoes over hundreds of thousands of years.

And Kilauea himself will be happy to show park guests how the Hawaiian Islands came to be and at the same time share their experience of how such picturesque landscapes are created. Of course, you won’t be able to repeat this, but it’s quite possible to satisfy your curiosity.

Starting from the foothills of the mountains, nestled on the ocean floor, to their peaks, propping up the heavens, there are vast volcanic landscapes stretching over 1348 square meters. km.

In addition to Kilauea Volcano, which is considered the home of the Hawaiian volcano goddess Pele, Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park is also home to most big volcano on our planet - Mauna Loa. Its height is 4168 m above sea level and its volume is about 80,000 cubic meters. m. In addition, Mauna Loa is the second largest volcano in the entire solar system after the extinct Olympus volcano on Mars.

Mauna Loa erupts infrequently, so its slopes are quite gentle. “Long Mountain” - as the name of the volcano is translated from Hawaiian - throws lava out rarely, but accurately. Thus, the explosions of 1926 and 1950 nearby villages were simply destroyed.

Another neighbor of Kilauea is an extinct volcano Mauna Kea. If you measure its height from the base, which is located at a depth of 6,000 meters on the ocean floor, to the top, you get 10,203 m, of which only 4,205 m are visible - and this is much higher than Everest. So Mauna Kea is most high volcano on the planet. Its age is about a million years, and the last time the volcano woke up was 4-6 thousand years ago.

Kilauea Caldera, similar to a boiling lake of molten lava, covers an area of ​​4.5 square meters. m and a depth of 230 m, makes you freeze in reverent silence and look with awe and surprise at the power and beauty of the volcano, understanding why in the past it was here that the Hawaiians brought gifts to the goddess Pele, throwing them directly into the fire-breathing crater.

But the top of Mauna Kea is considered the most important of the sacred peaks of Hawaii. Only leaders were allowed to climb it. Today, a real observatory is located on an extinct volcano - 13 telescopes are installed there: after all, the top of Mauna Kea is considered one of the most best places on Earth for astronomical observations.

The park contains two of the most active volcanoes in the world - Mauna Loa (height 4,170 m) and Kilauea. Volcanic eruptions create a continuously changing landscape, lava flows form amazing geological formations. The park is home to rare species of birds; unique forests of giant ferns grow here.

The Hawaiian Islands are crowned by an underwater volcanic ridge and represent the highest active volcanoes on earth. Volcanic activity on the largest island of the archipelago, the island of Hawaii, continues to this day. Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park is located here.

Hawaiian Volcanoes is a US national park established in 1916 on the island of Hawaii, the largest of the Hawaiian Islands.

Kilauela Volcano, the park's main volcano, is traditionally considered the sacred home of the volcano goddess Pele. Hawaiians visited the crater to bring gifts to the goddess. The first white people climbed that volcano only in 1823, they were the English missionary William Ellis and the American Asa Thurston. This is what Ellis later wrote about the volcano’s caldera: “A sublime and even terrifying spectacle appeared before us. We stopped in awe. Surprise and awe at other moments made us silent, and, like statues, we froze in one place and our eyes were riveted on the abyss that lies below us." The Kilauela caldera looks like a lake of boiling fiery liquid with an area of ​​4.5 square kilometers and a depth of over 230 meters. Kilauela is one of the most active volcanoes peace. He has not been able to calm down since 1983. Thomas Jagger built a museum on the edge of that caldera. The exhibits include everything related to volcanoes - scientific equipment, clothing used by volcanologists, and so on. Some museum windows open wonderful view to Calauela Caldera and Galemaumau Crater. The museum is named after Jagger, who was also the first director of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, adjacent to the museum. But the entrance to the observatory is closed to tourists. In the park you can see the results of hundreds of thousands of years of volcanic activity. Which shaped the islands themselves and their ecological system. The park covers all heights - from sea level to the top of the island - the Mauna Loa volcano (4169). And the Kilauea volcano, one of the most active, gives scientists information about the birth of the Hawaiian Islands and evokes thoughts about the first volcanic landscapes. The park includes 1348 square kilometers.

Volcanoes Park, founded in 1916, is located in the southeast Big Island. The area of ​​the park is 1348 sq. km. Here you can see the Hawaiian jungle with giant ferns, unique volcanic formations, and smoking craters.

On the territory of the Park there is a volcanological museum, where films are shown free of charge every day. The main attraction of the park is the Kilauea Caldera volcano with its steamy cracks, sulfur fumes and periodic eruptions. Its two neighbors, the less active Mauna Loa volcano and the dormant Mauna Kea volcano, rise to approximately 4200m. above sea level, while their foundation rests on the ocean floor, which is still about 4800m. Mauna Kea is the most high mountain world, if measured from its base on the ocean floor.

Unique landscape The park is formed by the activity of volcanoes. Travelers have a unique opportunity to see both dormant volcanoes, the slopes of which are already covered with tropical forests, and active, smoking craters. Frozen dark volcanic lava slides like a huge black river into the ocean, blocking roads, and forms a bizarre coastline. Where lava hits the ocean, steam rises in the air and arches form. The unusualness of the landscape and its desolation creates the feeling as if you were on the edge of the earth.

The surface of these islands is literally dotted with mounds of craters of extinct volcanoes. Falling to the ground and quickly cooling, the lava took weird shape long streams reminiscent of glassy human hair, which the Hawaiians from ancient times called the Strands of Pele, the goddess of volcanoes. For thousands of years, waves and wind brought spores and plant seeds here, and on the fertile volcanic soil they produced abundant seedlings. Thus arose this strange, bizarre and defiant beautiful world – Hawaii.

Volcanoes of the island of Hawaii

Hawaii is one of the Hawaiian Islands that are part of Polynesia. The Hawaiian archipelago is located in the middle Pacific Ocean and consists of eight large islands, 124 small islets, reefs and shoals. In addition, the Hawaiian Islands are the fiftieth state of the United States of America, and of extraordinary beauty.

Islands rise from the depths of the ocean to the very skies. For example, the peak of Mauna Kea reaches a height of 4178 m. In other words, today Hawaii, like others pacific islands, represent the peaks of submerged volcanoes. Another natural attraction of Hawaii is located on the island of Maui - in the area of ​​​​the extinct volcano Haleakala, famous for its amazing landscapes.

The island of Hawaii is the largest and youngest in the archipelago and also the most extreme: it is located at the southern end of the so-called Hawaiian chain. Moreover, thanks to the constant accumulation of hardening lava on the shores, the island is growing in size day by day. Hawaii is located directly above one of the primary "hot spots" of the Pacific Plate. Lava spilling out of the Kilauea volcano flows to the ocean, burning everything in its path: trees, farmland, and, cooling down from contact with sea ​​water, forms more and more new soil layers.

However, Kilauea is not an ordinary volcano: it is a huge mountain, the top of which forms a crater, or caldera. Red-hot lava flows down the slopes of the mountain. However, it comes to the surface not from a vent, like ordinary volcanoes, but in a much simpler way - from a cone-shaped crevice in the side of Kilauea, called Pu-Oo. Lava from Kilauea, having traveled an 11-kilometer path along the volcano channel, splashes out of Pu-Oo and flows further to the ocean.

Kilauea Volcano has continued to erupt through Pu'o'o since January 3, 1983, making it the longest eruption ever recorded in the Hawaiian Islands. And there is no end in sight for him yet. What is noteworthy is that by 1995, as a result, 202.5 hectares of additional island surface were added, and the daily volume of erupted lava is about 480 thousand cubic meters.

Amazing landscapes of the island of Hawaii

Volcanoes significantly influence the climate on the island of Hawaii. Thus, in the east, humid and foggy weather prevails, as a result of which this area abounds in tropical vegetation, rivers and waterfalls; There are also lush orchid plantations there. On the other hand, the western coast is mountainous, parched by the sun. They stretch along it sandy beaches, and the slopes of ancient volcanoes are covered with coffee plantations.

Inactive volcanoes have long been an integral part of the landscape of the island of Hawaii. And above all this splendor reigns another majestic volcano, Mauna Kea. Other amazing volcanoes, previously considered by us, and are located in Ethiopia.

To protect and preserve this unique collection of volcanoes, as well as rare plant and animal species, the United States Congress decided in 1916 to create on the island of Hawaii Hawaii Volcanoes National Park(Hawaii-Volkainos), part of . Every year it is visited by about two and a half million tourists who want to see with their own eyes what the forces that created the Earth as we know it are capable of. That is why Hawaiian volcanoes are one of the most impressive wonders of nature and amazing natural beauty.

Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park is the only one of its kind in the United States, located at a considerable distance from the mainland.
The park is home to two active volcanoes - Kilauea and Mauna Loa.
Kilauea is the most active volcano in the world and the youngest of the land-based Hawaiian volcanoes: it is only about 300-600 thousand years old. Its restless nature, the impulsiveness caused by the incessant movement of magma, is also indicated by the local Hawaiian name: “ki-lau-za” means “belching”. It has a gently sloping, somewhat convex shield-shaped cone, which is typical of Hawaiian volcanoes, composed of basaltic lava. The cone ends in a vast caldera - a depression similar to a man-made quarry, more than 200 m deep, at the bottom of which is the lava lake Galemau-mau (Halemaumau). The lake seethes and splashes, throwing out fountains of hot drops that can burn through both metal and stone.
From below, from the bowels of the earth, such a gigantic force presses that one lake is not enough for lava to escape, and along the Western and Southeastern rift zones that diverge from the top of Kilauea, there are dozens of small craters and two cones - Puu-Oo and Kupayanaha - from which lava also flows.
No wonder that recent history Kilauea is surrounded by legends. Hawaiians are sure that this is the palace of the goddess of fire, lightning and volcanoes Pele. They named lava formations in her honor: Pele's Tears - lava particles cooled in the air in the form of drops, Pele's Hair - bursting out of the depths of the volcano and lava splashes frozen in the wind, Pele's Algae - lava bubbles that cooled and burst when the lava flowed into the ocean.
Another volcano, Mauna Loa, ranks second in the world in terms of volume and height (if you take into account the underwater part) and occupies a good half of the island of Hawaii. It also has a flat top, and a noticeably elongated shape, which is reflected in the Hawaiian name of the volcano, which translates as “ long mountain" The volcano is active, eruptions are frequent here - every 3-4 years. It differs from other volcanoes on the islands in that in winter its top is often covered with snow. According to Hawaiian legends, one of the sisters of the goddess Pele lives in Mauna Loa, and the sisters are at enmity, and therefore a very strong wind often blows between the volcanoes of Mauna Loa.
The first European to set foot on the island in 1778 was the famous English navigator James Cook (1728-1779). After Cook, Catholic missionaries frequented the area and built several churches here.
Subsequently, planters settled here: they appreciated the fertile volcanic soil and set up many sugar cane plantations, for which they brought workers from Asian countries.
In 1916, at the joint demand of the islands' population, scientists and state authorities, a national park was founded and all economic activity prohibited within its borders.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is located on the island of Hawaii, in the state of Hawaii, USA. There are two active volcanoes in the park - Kilauea and Mauna Loa.
Hawaiians have gotten used to their noisy neighborhood and even settle near volcanoes, where the soil is richer and nature has provided heating and hot water.
The founders of the park pursued two goals: firstly, to create conditions for scientists studying the history of the emergence of the Hawaiian Islands and the processes of volcanism, and secondly, to satisfy the curiosity of everyone who wanted to enjoy the spectacle of the amazing volcanic landscape, as well as see wildlife local flora and fauna.
Scientists work in a specially created volcanological station, as well as a geophysical observatory - the first permanent observatory of this type in the United States, opened back in 1912. Safe routes have been organized for tourists: in the past, there were often cases when frivolous and arrogant travelers stayed here forever, dying in flows of hot lava.
Hawaiians living around volcanoes have developed a special rhythm of life depending on the eruptions. The soil around volcanoes is very fertile, but during an eruption they release tephra (volcanic ash), which hangs in the air and poses a danger to life. It subsequently falls in the form of acid rain. During this time, the islanders stay away from the volcanoes, doing things like fishing. The situation is recovering quite quickly, and people are returning to their usual activities, cultivating the soil near volcanoes.
But there are areas here where it is completely impossible to live, like the wild Kau desert, completely covered with hardened lava, sand and gravel, irrigated by acid rain. A local landmark - footprints in the ashes of the Kau Desert - were left, according to Hawaiian legends, after the eruption of 1790. It was in this year that Chief Kauhuula and his warriors crossed the desert after defeating Chief Kamehameha, and eighty of his warriors suffocated due to tephra.
The island of Hawaii lies almost 4 thousand km from the nearest mainland ( North America). A unique flora and fauna has formed here, which is constantly threatened by the proximity to volcanoes. Directly near the volcanoes there is no life at all; vegetation - tropical rainforests - appears at the foot and is represented by the tree fern Cybotium, the tenacious shrub Freycinetia and small trees of Psychotria mariniana. There are almost no land animals (the most common is the hawksbill turtle), but there are many birds, including such colorful ones as the fiery and black-and-scarlet Hawaiian flowerbird.
The closest city to the park is the port city of Hilo, the largest on the island of Hawaii and the second largest after the state capital of Honolulu. Close proximity to active volcano The city has long been accustomed to Mauna Loa, but it is afraid of something much more dangerous. The fact is that it is located on the shore of the bay of the same name, which has the sad fame of “the all-American tsunami capital”: across the expanses of the Pacific Ocean, tsunamis even from South American Chile and the northern Aleutian Islands reach here, sometimes claiming the lives of dozens of Hilo residents.

general information

Official status: national park.

On the List World Heritage UNESCO since 1987
Nearest locality : city of Hilo, 43,263 people. (2010).

Languages ​​of the State of Hawaii: English and Hawaiian.

Ethnic composition of the state of Hawaii: Asians (Filipinos, Japanese, Chinese) - 38.6%, European Americans - 24.7%, mestizos - 14.7%, Hawaiians - 10%, Hispanics (Puerto Ricans and Mexicans) - 8.9%, African Americans and others - 3.1% (2010).

Religions of the State of Hawaii: Christianity (Catholics and Mormons) - 28.9%, Buddhism - 9%, Judaism - 0.8%, others - 10%, non-religious - 51.3% (2000).

Currency unit: U.S. dollar.
Major airport: Hilo International Airport.

Numbers

Kilauea Volcano: height - 1247 m, caldera with a diameter of 4.5 km and a depth of over 230 m, rift zones (Southeastern - 125 km, Western - 35 km).

Mauna Loa Volcano: volume - 75 thousand km 3, height above sea level - 4169 m, height including the underwater part - 10,168 m, length of the top - 75 km, width of the top - 48 km, crater with an area of ​​10 km 2 and a depth of 180 m.

Distance between the craters of Kilauea and Mauna Loa: 30 km.
Length of paved roads: 106 km.
Length hiking trails : 249 km.

Distance: 3900 km west of San Francisco, 4400 km west of Seattle.

Climate and weather

Average January temperature: +19°С.

Average temperature in July: +30°С.

Average annual precipitation: up to 2500 mm.
Relative humidity: 70%.

Economy

Attractions

Curious facts

Hawaiian Volcanoes are located within the National Park. Active volcanoes Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Kilauea has been erupting slowly but continuously since 1983 and is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth. In the park you can see the result of thousands of years of volcanic activity, migration and evolution processes that have formed land in the middle of the ocean with a unique ecosystem. Kilauela Volcano has a crater 4.5 km in diameter. Its maximum depth is about 230 m. Today, a real museum is organized on the edge of this crater; its founder was Thomas Jagger, the first head of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, and the exhibits include scientific equipment, volcanologists’ clothing and other things related to volcanoes.

Geological evidence from studies of the age of ancient surfaces on the southern and western slopes of Mauna Loa has led to the assumption that these are two ancient shield volcanoes, Ninole and Kulani, that were completely buried by the younger Mauna Loa. Geologists now consider these outcrops to be part of Mauna Loa.

The underwater volcano Loihi is located 35 km southeast of the island of Hawaii. This is an underwater mountain, the peak of which is 980 meters below the water surface. The continued activity of Loihi in 10,000-100,000 years may lead to the appearance of a new island or peninsula of the island of Hawaii above the ocean surface.

Volcanoes

• Kohala - extinct
• Mauna Kea - sleeping
• Hualalai - active but not erupting since 1801
• Mauna Loa is active. Partially located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
• Kilauea is active (continuously erupting since 1983). It is part of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Thanks to the eruptions of the Kilauea volcano, the area of ​​the island of Hawaii is still increasing. From January 1983 to September 2002, lava flows increased the island by 220 hectares.

Useful travel information

• Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park | Official website – nps.gov
• Visitor Information & Photos | volcanogallery.com
• Hawai'i Volcanoes | Explore Guide (PDF)
• tourist information about the Hawaiian Islands - www.gohawaii.com

Address: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, HI 96718, United States
Coordinates: 19°23’00.0″N 155°12’00.0″W

Two roads connect the two main cities - Hilo on east coast and Kailua-Kona on west coast islands.

• State Routes 19 and 190, northern route via Waimea.
• State Route 11 south through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

There are also State Routes 270 (Kawaihae to Hawi) and 180 (Kona Coffee Road) from Honalo to Route 190 Saddle Road (Hilo to Waimea, passing Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea), South Point Road (Route 11 to US Point South), etc. Car rental offices are located in international airports. There is also a taxi service. Free public transport provided by Hele-On Bus

The main commercial ports are located at Hilo in the east and Kawaihae in the west of the island. Cruise ships more often stay in Kailua-Kona.