english low way hawaiian currently active shield volcano active form island located southern shore island volcano years old emerged sea level years ago second youngest product hawaiian current center hawaiian emperor chain lacks prominence activities historically coincided thought satellite larger neighbor structurally large fairly recently formed summit active rift zones extending east west active fault unknown depth moving vertically average year history long active means spreading hawaiian language referring frequent lava earliest volcano date submarine stage samples having recovered remotely operated underwater vehicles submerged slopes samples flows recovered core samples younger years cover percent volcano surface oldest exposed date years documented eruption occurred western contact written history began time volcano erupted repeatedly historical occurred volcano summit eastern rift zone prolonged character geological record shows violent explosive activity european contact extremely common eruption killed warriors explosive activity start volcano danger humans current eruption dates january far longest duration historical period activity longest duration world january eruption produced lava resurfaced km2 land high state activity major impact ecology plant growth interrupted fresh drifting volcanic dioxide producing acid rains particularly barren area south southwestern rift zone known nonetheless wildlife left volcano highly endemic thanks island isolation nearest historically island considered sacred hawaiian people hawaiian mythology served body home goddess fire lightning wind missionary england gave modern account spent weeks traveling volcano foundation located rim served principal investigative scientific body volcano island general bill forming signed law president park major tourist destination attracting roughly million people annually geology setting like hawaiian created pacific plate moved hawaiian earth underlying mantle hawaii island recent evidence process million years created hawaiian emperor chain prevailing completely settled view largely stationary planet mantle hawaiian mantle understood extensively studied nature remains fairly enigmatic island created hawaii oldest volcano island million years old youngest believed years age island flank younger breach surface second youngest volcano hawaiian emperor chain chain shield extending hawaii trench russia following pattern hawaiian volcano formation started submarine volcano gradually building underwater lava emerging sea series explosive years ago volcano activity likely continual stream explosive roughly pattern activity years years old young hawaiian volcano oldest volcano island northwestern experienced years activity going extinct volcano future activity likely like past years hawaiian explosive activity continue summit build rift zones fill summit structure active history prolonged period rest year pause bulk consists solidified lava flows intermittent scattered volcanic ash sourced relatively lower volume explosive volcano covered historical flows percent surface dates years built time bulk remains underwater surface form gently sloping shield surface area approximately km2 making percent island total surface area lacks prominence appearing southeastern flank nearby native early considered active satellite massive neighbor analysis chemical composition shows separate chambers distinct nonetheless proximity led historical trend high activity volcano roughly low activity lay dormant active remained quiet reverse true case eruption started eruption effect eruption ongoing inflation summit indicative future eruption began day new lava flows crater suggested entering deeper system increased pressure inside triggered concurrent large summit measuring walls high breached lava flows southwestern unknown relatively recent feature possible come gone history known likely formed centuries construction estimated begun years ago present form finalized particularly powerful eruption major feature large pit crater historically active eruption centers crater approximately diameter deep form varied widely history floor covered flows recent eruption rift zones summit leading east long southwest extension rift zones causing bulk slowly slide southern flank rate year centered basal fault beneath volcano surface eastern rift zone particular dominant feature volcano entirely covered lava erupted years crest near summit wide non localized typical rift zone activity produced series low lying ridges majority east rift zone length upper segment presently active section volcano additionally site number large pit lower reaches submerged flank depth contrast smaller southwestern rift quiet episode date involved current cycle southwestern rift zone underwater submarine length limited southwestern rift zone lacks defined ridge line large number pit evidence active eastern rift zone prominent structure southern flank fault system highly active fault moving vertically average year system province deep unknown shallow fault base volcano number satellite shields lava tubes structures dot volcano evidence recent activity interactions larger neighbor recently active volcano island interspersed lava flows ash deposits belonging neighbor found flanks flows turn particular saddle currently depressed likely fill future historical occurred places summit eastern rift zone southwestern rift zone half historical occurred near summit activity nearly continuous 19th century capped massive explosive eruption recent activity shifted eastern rift zone site historical located upper section contrast volcano southwestern rift zone relatively quiet site events date history prehistoric dated documented dozens major volcano long history long gap oldest known rock extremely recent written records historical observation historical lava flows volcano generally recovered scientists ways oldest flows dating years recovered submerged southern slope ship towed remotely operated vehicles exhibit forms characteristic early submerged stage episodes volcano rising breached ocean surface surface exposure unusual buried recent flows second method recovering older rock drilling deep core samples proved difficult date samples depths suggested dates old years found erroneous reliable dating limited rocks dating emergence sea suggested ages years exposed flows sea level proved far younger oldest reliably dated rock years old comes beneath ash layer fault known sampled dated higher indicate ash deposition average rate thousand years indicating oldest exposed flows base feature date far years date similar oldest dated extant lava flow southwestern rift zone flow dating approximately oldest studied product ash member product explosive years ago largely buried younger flows remains exposed places traced volcano evidence powerful evidence suggests existence active center time termed powers away modern years ago lava powers rim solidified structure followed period tube fed flows summit following cessation activity years ago centered eastern summit concurrently activity increased northern end eastern rift zone earliest reliable written records historical activity date documented eruption occurred volcano observation thought settled island years ago oral records european arrival island difficult interpret pre contact eruption particular event responsible death party warriors army island chief resist rule death evidenced set preserved listed national_register_of_historic_places site separate easily making active earth observed history volume lava erupted varied widely summit far deeper today process filling nearly continuous summit eruption lava erupted period saw approximately half volume thirty years volcano unusually quiet exhibited little activity volume increased steadily present activity comparable early 1800s length origin varied events days years occur number different sites half occur near summit activity nearly continuous 19th century continued onwards historical volcano relatively southwestern rift zone active eastern rift zone upper section volcano observed history relatively recent occurrence prior arrival europeans island site regular explosive activity evidenced tribal chants referencing volcano nature today geological records active mode past activity explosive activity occurs volcano intense volcano dangerous general public returned old phase activity erupted major eruption event occurred eastern rift zone site large hawaiian eruption length unusually long rift eruption eruption lasted days produced estimated million cubic meters lava light created event intense reportedly read newspaper night away volcano active major eruption small floor topped lava lake drained forming enormous lava lake nearly reaching edge draining activity eventually gave way construction building large lava shield period months eruption featured concurrent rift activity large lava activity followed major eruption occurred fully formed pit crater event site sizable lava lake drained quickly began sinking ground deepening nearly beneath thick cloud volcanic ash explosive activity began year blowing rock weighing smaller fragments weighing far brief intensified major blast enormous explosive event caused eruption fatality eruption continued formed numerous eruption columns height slowly ending volcanic activity soon confined summit ceased completely event remained relatively quiet time completely silent activity confined summit came alive enormous lava fountain high multiple continuous lava persisted eruption lasted days occurred soon capped large event based eruption earthquake activity gave way massive flow overran multiple evacuated communities resorts resulting summit eventually caused active collapse following event events yearly nearly continuous state activity remains today saw particularly large million cubic meter day event event superseded year marathon eruption large eruption lasted july added acres new land island activity died magnitude earthquake caused partial summit collapse activity resume eruption began ended july time longest flank eruption hawaiian volcano recorded history eruption created new vent covered large area land lava added new land island eruption started pit shield eventually form lava erupted volcano early lava burst meters high early earthquake occurred caused briefly stop near original site instead near present recent major eruption proved far eruption longest known duration current eruption began january eastern rift zone vent produced vigorous lava quickly built cone sending lava flows volcano slope activity shifted rift new vent named took character built low broad volcanic shield lava tubes fed flows extending sea cut community village subdivisions gardens lost lava black sand beach eruption moved continued manner covering nearly lava flows large areas coastline december eruption produced lava covered km2 land added acres land island destroyed structures buried highway lava thick december june flow ongoing eruption threatened enter town cut route result work begun reopen initially lane surface railroad avenue usable emergency routes flow stopped short entering march threat town reduced index assigned index ninety known years eruption current eruption seventy ecology background position miles nearest continental island geographically isolated earth turn strongly influenced ecology majority species present island endemic found earth result isolated evolutionary sheltered external influence makes ecosystem vulnerable invasive species human development estimated island natural flora fauna gone extinct ecological community additionally threatened activity volcano lava flows overrun sections volcano forests burns volcanic ash distributed explosive local plant life layers organic material ash deposits evidence times volcano wrought destruction ecosystem neighbor parts volcano present forest recently buried volcanic bulk affects local climate conditions influence trade winds coming northeast upwards volcano height results comparatively arid flank volcano ecology complicated height nearly far taller neighbors local distribution volcanic products varied soil conditions northern receives mean annual rainfall classified lowland wet community south volcano precipitation receives mean annual rainfall considered lowland dry environment ecosystems southern ecosystem lies trees genus common park hosts large variety bird species including endangered species coast hosts known critically endangered sea turtle nesting sites island area alongside southwestern rift zone takes form unusual true desert rainfall exceeds maximum year precipitation mixing drifting volcanic dioxide forms acid rain low greatly regional plant growth deposited local soil plant life region practically northern lowland wet forest ecosystem partially protected acres particular largest lowland wet forest reserve home rare plant species including play role limiting invasive species spread common live trees thought species forest primary forest tree human history ancient arrive hawaii island lived shores food water plentiful birds previously known predators staple food source early settlements major impact local ecosystem caused particularly bird species introducing foreign plants animals increasing erosion rates prevailing lowland forest ecosystem transformed forest grassland change caused use fire main reason appears introduction rat hawaii revered sacred mountains associated elements natural environment particular deities hawaiian mythology sky father marries earth mother giving birth means spreading hawaiian referencing high state activity hawaiian mythology body deity goddess fire lightning wind conflict rain god centered house derives struggle gods hard pressed ability lava ground covered feature favorite residence goddess trapped smoke emerged realizing threaten destruction gods called draw divided island getting moist northeastern directing drier appearance young said product legendary struggle early era followed peace cultural expansion 12th late 18th century land divided regions designed immediate needs populace long term welfare environment generally took form long strips land oriented mountain coast modern era arrive hawaii non native observe detail english missionary spent weeks volcano written account volcano observed features establishing premise future volcano earliest important staying missionary studied island detail decades hand visited summit described detail publishing summary paper directed detailed geological study island consider separate volcano instead referring flank vent elaborated research expedition came generally accepted separate entity era history began establishment volcano rim permanent installation united_states observatory head geology witnessing devastation earthquake near italy declared support systematic volcanic seismic study chose site establishment securing initial funding mit took observatory whilst head pioneered study observation active initial funding ran observatory funded national_weather_service survey national_park_service settling banner observatory operating main building moved twice establishment today positioned northwest rim tourism volcano tourist attraction 1840s onwards local businessmen ran series hotels rim including hotel restaurant located borders grandson american missionary investor hotels volcano rim began campaigning park volcano slopes idea proposed castle owned newspaper printed editorials favor idea governor proposed draft bill create national park following endorsements president opposition local legislative attempts introduced delegate house resolution signed law august 11th national park united_states territory weeks later signed law creating national_park_service running expanding system originally called hawaii national park split national park september today park renamed major agency tourist attraction early days tourism relatively new concept grew slowly exploding advent air travel year state today tourism driven island exotic tropical locations world constant state moderate eruption major island tourist draw today visited roughly million people annually proceed volcano recently revamped near park entrance thomas museum popular tourist stop located edge museum observation deck offers best sheltered view volcano activity provides nearest lodging nearby volcano village numerous visitors associated military find lodging number hiking trails points interest guided ranger programs exist chain road provide access
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