The Explosive Truth:
A Volcano's Lifecycle
Audio Tour
Volcanoes
If you have visited either Hawaiʻi Island which is commonly referred to as the Big Island or Maui, you might notice that their volcanic mountains look a lot different than those here on Oʻahu or on Kauaʻi. That’s because the younger Hawaiian Islands, like Maui and Hawaiʻi are made of younger volcanoes that still maintain their early forms.
When you see a photo of volcanoes on the Big Island or Maui, the first thing you’ll notice is that from the side, they look an awful lot like a warrior’s shield. And that is why they are known as shield volcanoes. Shield volcanoes are different from other types of volcanoes because they usually have slow moving lava flows that occur over a long period of time compared to cone or composite volcanoes with their famous explosive eruptions.
The flows of lava cool in layers, creating a pancake-stack effect which builds up these volcanoes to great heights. Did you know that when measuring from the sea floor where Mauna Loa on the Big Island begins, to the top of the volcano, Mauna Loa is actually the tallest mountain on Earth? Yup! At 30,085 feet it is 1,056 feet taller than Mount Everest! Now how does a volcanic island in the middle of the ocean become a lush, green paradise like we see today? Head to the next stop to find out!