Māhukona
Māhukona is a submerged shield volcano on the northwestern flank of the Island of Hawaiʻi. A drowned coral reef at about 3,770 feet (-1,150 m) below sea level and a major break in slope at about 4,400 feet (-1,340 m) below sea level represent old shorelines. The summit of the shield volcano was once 800 feet (250 m) above sea level. It has now subsided below sea level. A roughly circular caldera marks the summit of Māhukona. A prominent rift zone extends to the west. A second rift zone probably extended to the east but has been buried by younger volcanoes. The main shield-building stage of volcanism ended about 470,000 years ago. The summit of the shield volcano subsided below sea level between 435,000 and 365,000 years ago.[1] This makes Māhukona the oldest volcano to build Hawaiʻi island, compared to Kohala to the east and Mauna Kea to the east.[2] The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute investigated the area with a remotely controlled submarine in 2001.[3]
| Māhukona | |
|---|---|
  Māhukona Location in Hawaii | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | −3,770 feet (−1,149 m) |
| Coordinates | 20°01′N 156°01′W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Hawaii, US |
| Parent range | Hawaiian Islands |
| Topo map | USGS Kamuela |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Shield volcano, Hotspot volcano |
| Volcanic arc/belt | Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain |
| Last eruption | About 470,000 BP |
It was named for the area known as Māhukona, on the shore to the northeast.[4]
References
- "Mahukona, Hawaii". Volcano World. Oregon State University. Archived from the original on 2012-02-16. Retrieved June 23, 2010. attributed to:
David A. Clague; James G. Moore (April 1991). "Geology and Petrology of Mahukona Volcano". Bulletin of Volcanology. 53 (3): 159–172. Bibcode:1991BVol...53..159C. doi:10.1007/BF00301227. - "Volcanoes of the Big Island". Volcano Watch. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. September 15, 1995. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
- "Hawaii Cruise: March 13, 2001 to June 2, 2001". Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Māhukona
Further reading
- David A. Clague; Andrew T. Calvert (July 2009). "Postshield stage transitional volcanism on Mahukona Volcano, Hawaii". Bulletin of Volcanology. 71 (5): 533–539. Bibcode:2008BVol..tmp...50C. doi:10.1007/s00445-008-0240-z.
