The island of Hawaii is home to five volcanoes, three of which can be observed here in this orthorectified image. These are, clockwise from the upper right, Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa and Hual?lai.

Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano in the post-shield stage of volcanic evolution. Its peak is 13,803 feet (4,207 m) above sea level but 33,476 feet (10,203 m) above its base on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, making it the world’s tallest mountain by this measure. The rounded formations on its flanks are various cinder cones.

Mauna Loa is an active shield volcano, with a volume estimated at approximately 18,000 cubic miles (75,000 km³). Its peak, with an elevation of 13,679 feet (4,169 m), is about 120 feet lower than that of Mauna Kea.

Hual?lai is a dormant shield volcano with a peak at 8,271 feet (2,521 m) above sea level, much lower than those of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Although Hual?lai is not nearly as active as nearby Mauna Loa, geologic mapping of the volcano shows that 80 percent of Hual?lai’s surface is covered by lava flows no older than about 5,000 years.

Read Full Article and View Full Size Image

Read about Orthophotography here

From the posting: After breaking out from the main tube, a surface flow has finally reached the Pacific Ocean. The main tube originates at the TEB vent on the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano, but this flow broke out from the main tube about four miles from the ocean. It finally came in contact with the surf about 6:30 AM on October 31, 2009 on a black sand beach built by previous flows. This new ocean entry is located about 1/2 mile west from the established ocean entry near Kalapana.

Includes photos of lava, Mauna Kea, eager lava boat tours, sea turtles and more!

View Full Slideshow

These clips show a pahoehoe flow near Kalapana just after dawn. This flow broke out from the main tube about four miles upstream. It is now only one mile from the ocean in the coastal plain between Pulama Pali and the Pacific Ocean. The ocean entry plume shown is being fed by the remaining lava which remained in the main tube. If the surface flow continues, it will soon be flowing over the existing tube which is feeding the ocean entry.

Recorded October 15, 2009

Here a SimpleViewer Flash gallery should be displayed. Click here to open the post in your browser to see the gallery.

View Original Post

Jillian and the final two bachelors – Ed Swiderski and Kiptyn Locke – find themselves on incredible final dates that take them across the Big Island highlighted by an aerial tour of Kilauea volcano’s active lava flows with Sunshine Helicopters, landing beside a secluded Hilo waterfall for a private barbecue with KapohoKine Adventures, and discovering a remote black sand beach with Captain Zodiac Rafting Adventures.

Read Full Article

Halemaumau crater vent ash cloud one minute after first collapse

VOLCANO, Hawaii (AP) — The bright glow at the summit of Hawaii’s Kilauea (KILL’-uh-WAY’-uh) volcano has been snuffed out by a series of large rock falls within its crater.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says the rock falls on Tuesday produced a seismic signal equivalent to a magnitude-2.4 earthquake.

The rumble was felt at the observatory and the adjacent Jaggar Museum.

Chunks of the vent rim fell into the cavity in the floor of the crater. In all, more than 30 rim collapses were recorded.

Vent collapses are often the result of a drop in the level of lava in the vent, which destabilize its walls.

Kilauea has been erupting on the Big Island for more than 25 years, with its lava creating a plume of steam as it spills into the Pacific Ocean.

Source: Associated Press

Kilauea Volcano plumes (NASA)

Small clouds float overhead, casting their shadows on the land surface below. The relatively light cloud cover allows a clear view of the plume that rises from the Pu‘u ‘O‘o Crater and blows toward the northwest. Along the island’s coast, dual small plumes blow in the same direction. These plumes arise from searing lava reaching the ocean water. A close look at this image reveals a landscape scarred by repeated lava flows. Deep brown and charcoal-colored rock rivers flow to the sea from Kilauea vents. In a bulletin issued on May 25, 2009, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory warned of the hazards presented by Kilauea’s lava delta, including the possibility of rock collapses and rock falls that can occur with little or no warning. In addition, the steam plumes that arise from lava entering the ocean contain fine lava fragments and acid droplets. Between the lava flows, brushes of deep green vegetation appear along Hawaii’s southern coast. The ocean water appears pale blue-gray, with a rippled surface. This light ocean color is likely sunglint—the mirror-like reflection of sunlight off the ocean surface. Ranking among Hawaii’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea is a shield volcano with a low, broad shape resembling an ancient warrior shield. Kilauea overlaps its neighbor, Mauna Loa, another shield volcano to the west. (NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using EO-1 ALI data provided courtesy of the NASA EO-1 Team. Caption by Michon Scott.)

Source:  SatNews.com

HONOLULU – The eruption of the Kilauea Volcano is now in its 26th year.

KITV takes a tour with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters.

Though most of the lava from Kilauea is flowing through tubes there are two exciting entry points where the molten hot lava meets the ocean.

A pilot on board Blue Hawaiian Helicopters shared the fiery beauty with his visitors.

The danger of these bench collapses is they come with little warning can produce hot rock falls and large waves.

According to the US Geological survey a lava bench collapsed just Monday night.

Uphill plumes are still emitting from Halema’uma’u Crater, proof this eruption is still going strong.

(Source: MSNBC)