| Actual Image
Kilauea Caldera (16)
scottevers7
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2430 W: 3 N: 3882]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif) (12267) | This is a three photograph panorama of the caldera at the summit of Kilauea Volcano, 4000 feet above sea level. The caldera is over 4 miles across each way, and in excess of 500 feet deep. Inside the caldra are two more massive craters that were the sites of seperate eruptions. You really need to click on the large view link to really see the detail.
Kilauea is the youngest and southeastern most volcano on the Big Island of Hawai`i. Topographically Kilauea appears as only a bulge on the southeastern flank of Mauna Loa, and so for many years Kilauea was thought to be a mere satellite of its giant neighbor, not a separate volcano. However, research over the past few decades shows clearly that Kilauea has its own magma-plumbing system, extending to the surface from more than 60 km deep in the earth.
Historical Eruptions at Kilauea volcano have occurred from both the summit caldera and from vents along the East Rift Zone. The historical record began with a very explosive phreatomagmatic eruption in 1790. After this, the volcano was almost continuously active, mostly showing gentle effusion from a lava lake at the summit until 1924, when it again erupted explosively. The period 1924 to 1955 saw mostly short-duration summit eruptions. From 1955 to the present Kilauea has seen mostly East Rift Zone activity interspersed with small summit eruptions.
Some interesting web sites were alot of this information comes from are www.nps.gov/havo(National Park Service) and www.hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea(US Geological Survey) |
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