What is the structure of Mauna Loa?

What is the structure of Mauna Loa?

Mauna Loa is a typical shield volcano in form, taking the shape of a long, broad dome extending down to the ocean floor whose slopes are about 12° at their steepest, a consequence of its extremely fluid lava.

What are the features of Mauna Loa?

Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on the planet. Meaning “long mountain” in Hawaiian, it is the quintessential shield volcano in its shape— signified by broad, rounded slopes. The volcano makes up roughly 51% of Hawaiʻi Island and stands 13,678 feet (4,170 m) above sea level.

What tales and legends are associated with Mauna Loa?

Hawaiian legends say that the volcano goddess Pele was driven from her home by her angry older sister, Na-maka-o-kaha’i because Pele had seduced her husband. Every time Pele would thrust her digging stick into the earth to dig a pit for a new home, Na-maka-o-kaha’i, goddess of water and the sea, would flood the pits.

What is the geographical location of Mauna Loa?

island of Hawaii
Mauna Loa, the world’s largest volcano, located on the south-central part of the island of Hawaii, Hawaii state, U.S., and a part of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

What tales and legends are associated with this volcano Kilauea?

The most well-known are the story of the Migration of Pele from her home and family to the Hawaiian Islands and her new home at Kilauea . Another that may have significant geologic themes is the story of Hi`iaka, Pele, and Lohi`au.

When lava flows a Hawaiian goddess name is invoked?

Pele
HONOLULU (AP) — In rural Hawaii neighborhoods where lava from Kilauea volcano has burned down or threatened to consume the homes, a name often comes up: Pele (peh-leh).

How big is the volcano at Mauna Loa?

Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on Earth, rises about 4,170 m (13,680 ft) above the Pacific Ocean. But the submarine part of the volcano descends an additional 5,000 m (16,400 ft) to the sea floor, which is depressed by Mauna Loa’s enormous mass another 8,000 m (26,250 ft).

How is the magma chamber of Mauna Loa constructed?

Simplified geophysical models of Mauna Loa’s magma chamber have been constructed, using interferometric synthetic aperture radar measures of ground deformation due to the slow buildup of lava under the volcano’s surface.

How does Mauna Loa affect the Hawaiian Islands?

Trade winds blow from east to west across the Hawaiian islands, and the presence of Mauna Loa strongly affects the local climate. At low elevations, the eastern (windward) side of the volcano receives heavy rain; the city of Hilo is the wettest in the United States.

Where is the observatory located on Mauna Loa?

Observations of the atmosphere are undertaken at the Mauna Loa Observatory, and of the Sun at the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory, both located near the mountain’s summit. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park covers the summit and the southeastern flank of the volcano, and also incorporates Kīlauea, a separate volcano.