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Eruptions of Hawaiian Volcanoes—Past, Present, and Future

General Information Product 117
By: , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/gip117

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Abstract

Viewing an erupting volcano is a memorable experience, one that has inspired fear, superstition, worship, curiosity, and fascination since before the dawn of civilization. In modern times, volcanic phenomena have attracted intense scientific interest because they provide the key to understanding processes that have created and shaped more than 80 percent of the Earth’s surface. The active Hawaiian volcanoes have received special attention worldwide because of their frequent spectacular eruptions, which often can be viewed and studied with relative ease and safety.

In January 1987, the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), then located on the caldera rim of Kīlauea, celebrated its 75th anniversary. To honor this anniversary, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) published Professional Paper 1350, a comprehensive summary of the many studies on Hawaiian volcanism by USGS and other scientists through the mid-1980s. Drawing from the wealth of data contained in that volume, the USGS also published in 1987 the original edition of this general-interest booklet, focusing on selected aspects of the eruptive history, style, and products of two of the State of Hawaii’s active volcanoes—Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. A second edition of the booklet was published in 2010 to commemorate the Centennial of HVO (which occurred in January 2012), summarizing abundant new information gained since the January 1983 onset of Kīlauea’s middle East Rift Zone eruption at Pu‘u‘ō‘ō and the March 2008 beginning of Kīlauea’s summit lava-lake activity within Halema‘uma‘u. In this third edition, we include highlights from Kīlauea’s subsequent activity, including the 2018 eruption in the lower East Rift Zone—the largest and most destructive in at least 200 years—and associated summit-collapse events, the eruptions at Kīlauea’s summit since 2018, and the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa, which occurred after 38 years of quiescence. It also considers new data leading to an improved history of Kīlauea’s explosive activity in the recent geologic past.

This general-interest booklet is a companion to the one on Mount St. Helens volcano (southwestern Washington) first published in 1984, revised in 1990. Together, these publications illustrate the contrast between the two main types of volcanoes: shield volcanoes, such as those in the State of Hawaii, which generally are nonexplosive to weakly explosive; and composite volcanoes, such as Mount St. Helens in the Cascade Range, which generally erupt explosively.

Suggested Citation

Mulliken, K.M., Tilling, R.I., and Swanson, D.A., 2024, Eruptions of Hawaiian volcanoes—Past, present, and future (ver. 3.0, October 2024): U.S. Geological Survey General Information Product 117, 67 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/gip117.

ISSN: 2332-354X (online)

ISSN: 2332-3531 (print)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Preface
  • Introduction
  • Origin of the Hawaiian Islands
  • Hawaiian Eruptions in Recorded History
  • Volcano Monitoring and Research
  • Kīlauea’s Volcanic “Plumbing System”
  • Hawaiian Eruptive Style: Powerful but Usually Benign
  • Hawaiian Volcanic Products, Landforms, and Structures
  • Lō‘ihi: Hawai‘i’s Newest Volcano
  • Volcanic Hazards and Benefits
  • Selected Readings
  • Selected Viewings
  • Selected Websites
  • Conversion of Units
  • Glossary
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Eruptions of Hawaiian volcanoes—Past, present, and future
Series title General Information Product
Series number 117
DOI 10.3133/gip117
Edition ver. 1.0: 1987; ver. 2.0: 2010, ver. 3.0: 2024
Year Published 2010
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Volcano Science Center
Description iv, 67 p.
Country United States
State Hawaii
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details