Volcanic Eruptions in Hawaii

By Toni Olvera

Hawaii Volcano Activity• Hawaii are a group of islands located in the Pacific

Ocean, at northwest of Mexico, but they are territory of the U.S.

• All the Hawaiian islands were formed by volcanic eruptions from the bottom of the sea by a foutain of magma geologiacally called hot spot. This theory suports that the plate tectonic (Pacific Plate) under the Pacific Ocean is moving in northeast direction so the hot spot still stationary and time by time it creates new volcanos. By this reason, only the volcanos located in the south side of the island are still active in these days. The oldests islands does not have active volcanos. The newest islands have active volcanos. One of them it is the Kilauea.

• The Kilauea volcano is located at Hawaii`s Volcanoes National Park.

Its own Source• Researches from

the last decades had demonstrated that the Kilauea has its own magma-plumbing system extending from the surface to more than 60 Km deep into the Earth.

• At dawn on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, a plume of sulfur dioxide gas and ash raised from Halemaumau Crater atop Kilauea volcano.

• Later in the day, Park officials evacuated 2000 visitors.

• The park remained closed for a second day (Wednesday) while officials waited for a wind direction change to blow away sulfur dioxide belching from Kilauea.

The Last Eruption of

Kilauea

FACTS TO BEKNOWN

• Oldest Dated Rocks23,000 years old

• Estimated Age of Earliest Sub aerial Eruptions50,000-100,000 years

• Volcanic islands like Hawaii and Iceland are usually fringed by black beaches. The sand is formed when hot lava hits the sea and is shattered into ting, glassy particles. It is black because the lava is rich in dark minerals like iron oxide.

• The Hawaiian people thought that the Volcanic eruptions were caused when one of their Gods called Pele was angry.

FACTS TO BEKNOWN

What to do before a volcanic eruption

• Prepare a pair of goggles and breathing masks for each member of the family.

• Stay away from active volcano sites.

• Be ready to evacuate the zone if you live close to an active volcano.

What to do during a volcanic eruption

Click inside to play the video

• Be aware of mudflows

• Obey the experts´ orders and do not get near flammable stuff.

• Listen to a battery-powered radio for the latest emergency information.

• Stay indoor until the ash has settled but not if the roof is collapsing.

Source: Taken form youtube.comKilauea volcanic eruption (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=488BkTUsMa4)

Prevention• The volcanic preventions is

defined as all measures taken with the aim of reducing volcanic risk and means acting before it happens during and eruption and development of it. Any prevention requires prior knowledge of volcanic processes and hazards, depending on the particular characteristics of each volcanic area.

• Currently, it is impossible to prevent a volcanic eruption, but it is possible to keep damage to a minimum. In 1973, citizens of Iceland poured cold water onto flowing lava to slow it down, an act that helped save the fishing port of Heimay. In Sicily, on Mount Etna, engineers have blasted holes in the hard crust covering a lava flow using explosives. The lava then turns to flow out through the holes instead of swallowing villages in its original path. Hopefully the information I just gave could help us to prevent volcanic eruptions.

Prediction?• By the moment it is impossible to predict a

volcanic eruption but with a monitoring system you can obtain information to avoid disasters and to protect the peoples´ lives.

• The following webpage is an example of a monitored Mexican volcano called Popocatepetl (Could you repeat the name?). (http://www.cenapred.unam.mx/cgi-bin/popo/reportes/ultrepi2.cgi )

• … “At the moment of this report there is no visibility towards the volcano due to clouds. However, during previous hours a steam and gas emission was observed (27-nov-09).

• From high to low probability the expected activity scenarios in the next hours, days or weeks are: moderate exhalations, some with ash emissions; occasionally mild incandescence during nights and sporadic low level explosions with low probabilities of incandescent fragment at short distance to the crater)…”

QuizQuestion 1: How the Hawaiian

islands were formed?A: By the God Pele.B: By volcanic eruptions from

the bottom of the sea by a fountain of magma geologically called hot spot.

C: By a meteorite's crash.

Question 2 :What is the name of Kilauea´s volcano crater?

A: HalemaumauB: HaleoahuC: Both are wrong

Question 3: From which country are the Hawaiian islands part of?

A: U.S.B: MexicoC: Canada

Question 4: What do you need to wear in a volcanic eruption?

A:Breathing mask and gogglesB:Whatever is not flammable C:Mask and swimming goggles

Bibliography• Websites

• Wikipedia, and Wikipedia. Wikipedia. wikipedia, 27 Nov. 2009. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. <http://es.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Haw%C3%A1i&action=history >.

• Science for a changing world, USGS. usgs.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2009. < http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/ >.

• Physorg. "Kilauea volcano explodes again." physorg.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2009.<http://www.physorg.com/news127196563.html >.

• Books• Van Rose, Susana. Volcano. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

• Lindop, Laurie. Probing Volcanoes. N.p.: Laurie Lindop, n.d. Print.