Introduction
Kilauea is a shield volcano on the southeastern flank of Hawaii's Big Island. It is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth, having erupted almost continuously from 1983 to 2018 and resuming activity multiple times since.
Unlike the explosive eruptions of stratovolcanoes, Kilauea produces relatively gentle effusive eruptions with rivers and fountains of fluid basaltic lava. These eruptions have created dramatic landscapes, destroyed communities, and added new land to the island's coastline.
Geology & Formation
- Type: Shield volcano
- Height: 1,247 m (4,091 ft)
- Age: ~210,000-280,000 years
- Hotspot: Hawaiian hotspot
Kilauea formed over the Hawaiian hotspot, a plume of hot mantle material rising from deep within the Earth. As the Pacific Plate moves northwest over this stationary hotspot, a chain of volcanic islands is created. Kilauea is the youngest and most active volcano in this chain.
The volcano has a broad, gently sloping profile typical of shield volcanoes, built up by thousands of thin, fluid lava flows. Its summit caldera, Halemaumau, has hosted a lava lake intermittently for decades.
The 1983-2018 Eruption
- Duration: 35 years (nearly continuous)
- Lava Output: ~3.5 km³
- New Land: ~2.3 km² added to coastline
- Structures Destroyed: ~700 homes
The Pu'u O'o eruption that began in January 1983 was one of the longest-lived rift zone eruptions in recorded history. Over 35 years, lava flows covered over 140 km² of land and added approximately 2.3 km² of new coastline.
In 2018, a major lower East Rift Zone eruption destroyed over 700 homes in the Leilani Estates subdivision. Fissures opened in residential neighborhoods, and rivers of lava reached the ocean, producing massive laze (lava haze) plumes.
Lava Types & Features
- Pahoehoe: Smooth, ropy lava
- A'a: Rough, jagged lava
- Lava Tubes: Thurston Lava Tube (500 years old)
Kilauea produces both major types of basaltic lava: pahoehoe (smooth, ropy) and a'a (rough, clinkery). These Hawaiian words have become the standard geological terms used worldwide.
Lava tubes form when the outer surface of a lava flow cools and hardens while molten lava continues flowing inside. The Thurston Lava Tube in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a popular example visitors can walk through.
Cultural Significance
- Deity: Pele, Hawaiian goddess of fire
- National Park: Hawaii Volcanoes (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Sacred Sites: Halemaumau crater is Pele's home
In Hawaiian tradition, Kilauea is the home of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes. Halemaumau crater at the summit is considered her dwelling place, and offerings are regularly left at its rim.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, encompassing Kilauea and Mauna Loa, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It protects unique ecosystems ranging from sea level to over 4,000 meters and provides access to active volcanic landscapes.
Key Facts
- Kilauea has been erupting almost continuously since 1983.
- It sits over the Hawaiian hotspot, a stationary plume of mantle material.
- The 2018 eruption destroyed over 700 homes in Leilani Estates.
- Hawaiian lava terms "pahoehoe" and "a'a" are used by geologists worldwide.
- Kilauea added over 2 km² of new land to Hawaii's coastline.
Fun Facts
- Kilauea's lava reaches the ocean at temperatures around 1,150°C.
- The Hawaiian hotspot has created a chain of islands and seamounts stretching 6,000 km across the Pacific.
- Kilauea is actually on the flank of the much larger Mauna Loa volcano.
- New black sand beaches form almost instantly when lava hits the ocean and shatters into tiny fragments.
Final Thoughts
Kilauea is a living laboratory for volcanology, continuously reshaping the landscape of Hawaii's Big Island. Its effusive eruptions create and destroy in equal measure, building new land while consuming homes and forests, all under the watchful spirit of Pele.