Mauna Kea volcano
Updated: Nov 30, 2023 14:22 GMT -
Shield volcano 4205 m / 13,796 ft
United States, Hawaiian Islands, 19.82°N / -155.47°W
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
United States, Hawaiian Islands, 19.82°N / -155.47°W
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
Last update: 21 Mar 2022 (M 4.5 earthquake today)
Show interactive Map
[hide map ] [enlarge]
Mauna Kea volcano eruptions: 2460 BC ±100 years
Latest nearby earthquakes
Time | Mag. / Depth | Distance/Location | ||
Monday, November 27, 2023 GMT (1 quake) | ||||
Nov 27, 08:18 am (Honolulu) (Nov 27, 18:18 GMT) | 1.5 15 km | 11 km (6.8 mi) 29 Km SE of Waikoloa, Hawaii | ||
Friday, November 24, 2023 GMT (1 quake) | ||||
Nov 24, 11:08 am (Honolulu) (Nov 24, 21:08 GMT) | 1.5 28 km | 38 km (24 mi) Hawaii Region, Hawaii |
Background
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. Mauna Kea'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, giving the volcano a steeper and more irregular profile. This transition took place about 250,000 to 200,000 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 at Mauna Kea produced a series of cinder cones and lava flows from vents on the northern and southern flanks during the early to mid Holocene.---
Smithsonian / GVP volcano information
Mauna Kea Photos
Mauna Kea volcano, partly in clouds, Big Island, Hawaii (Photo: Janka) |
A wide view overlooking the dry and deserted terrain of Mauna Kea volcano, Big island, Hawaii (Photo: Janka) |
![]() Beautiful red cinder cone on Mauna Kea volcano, Big Island, Hawaii (Photo: Janka) |
Cinder cone in the mountain region of Mauna Kea volcano, Big Island, Hawaii (Photo: Janka) |
See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS
Mauna Kea volcano tours
Oahu-Kauai-Maui-Hawai'i (USA)
Hawaii - Birthplace of Islands
14 days walking and study tour to Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Hawai'i
14 days / 13 nights - Moderate
Price 4990 €
Price 4990 €
no scheduled dates at present