Puʻu ʻŌʻō

Puʻu ʻŌʻō
G.E. Ulrich, USGS. Cropping by Hike395 (talk · contribs) · Public domain · source
Name	Puʻu ʻŌʻō
Photo caption	The Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater during its early eruptive phase in 1983.
Elevation m	698
Elevation ft	2290
Location	Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi, USA
Range	Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain
Coordinates	19, 23, 12, N...
Topo	USGS Kalapana
Type	Spatter and cinder cone
Age	~35 years (active 1983–2018)
Volcanic arc/belt	Hawaiian hotspot
Last eruption	2018

Puʻu ʻŌʻō. A prominent volcanic cone on the East Rift Zone of Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes located within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Its 35-year continuous eruption, beginning in 1983, was the longest and most voluminous from Kīlauea's East Rift Zone in over 500 years, profoundly reshaping the landscape of the Puna district. The cone's activity, meticulously documented by the United States Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, provided an unparalleled natural laboratory for volcanology.

Geology and formation

Puʻu ʻŌʻō is a complex cinder cone and spatter cone built from the accumulation of tephra and lava fountain deposits. It formed directly over the eruptive fissure that opened on January 3, 1983, as part of the Kīlauea rift system, which is driven by the Hawaiian hotspot. The cone's growth was primarily fueled by Hawaiian-style fire fountaining, which ejected molten basalt into the air, where it cooled and fell as scoria. Its internal structure includes solidified lava lakes and an extensive network of lava tubes that channeled flows for many kilometers toward the ocean.

Eruptive history

The eruptive history of Puʻu ʻŌʻō is divided into numerous distinct episodes, beginning with high lava fountains at the initial vent. Notable phases include the Kupaianaha episode, which started in 1986 and featured a persistent lava lake that fed massive flows destroying the communities of Kalapana and Kaimū. In 1992, activity returned to the cone itself, initiating a long period of flank vent eruptions and tube-fed pāhoehoe flows that reached the ocean at Kamokuna. The dramatic changes in 2018, including the collapse of the summit Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the draining of the Puʻu ʻŌʻō lava lake, marked the end of this historic eruption.

Impact and hazards

The eruption had profound physical and societal impacts, destroying over 200 structures including the Wahaʻula Visitor Center and the historic Star of the Sea Painted Church. Lava flows covered dozens of kilometers of Highway 130, isolated communities, and created over 875 acres of new land along the Puna coastline. Primary hazards included vog (volcanic smog) affecting air quality across the Hawaiian Islands, laze (lava haze) at ocean entry points, occasional explosive events from lava-water interaction, and frequent subsidence and collapse of the cone and its crater floor.

Cultural significance

In Hawaiian mythology, the area is part of the domain of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes. The flows and landforms created are considered to be her physical embodiment and handiwork. The burial of the Kalapana area and the famous Kaimū Black Sand Beach was a significant cultural loss, though also viewed through the lens of Pele's cycles of creation and destruction. The site remains a place of reverence, with cultural practitioners often making offerings.

Scientific research and monitoring

Puʻu ʻŌʻō served as a globally significant site for volcanology research. Scientists from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory employed a vast array of techniques including GPS, InSAR, tiltmeters, and gas spectrometry to monitor magma migration and eruption dynamics. Key studies focused on effusive eruption mechanisms, lava tube hydraulics, volcanic gas emissions, and the precursors to caldera collapse. The long-term dataset from this eruption fundamentally improved forecasting models for rift zone eruptions worldwide.

Category:Volcanic cones of Hawaii Category:Kīlauea Category:Landforms of Hawaii County, Hawaii