Puʻu ʻŌʻō

Puʻu ʻŌʻō
G.E. Ulrich, USGS. Cropping by Hike395 (talk · contribs) · Public domain · source
Name	Puʻu ʻŌʻō
Location	Hawaii Island, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Range	Kīlauea
Type	Shield volcano
Last eruption	2018

Puʻu ʻŌʻō Puʻu ʻŌʻō was a volcanic cone and eruptive vent on Kīlauea on Hawaii Island within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. It was the primary vent for a long-lived eruption that began in 1983 and produced lava flows that reshaped Puna District, affected Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube), and reached the coastline near Kalapana and Kaimū Beach. Scientists from institutions such as the United States Geological Survey, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and Smithsonian Institution studied its activity alongside agencies including the National Park Service and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Introduction

Puʻu ʻŌʻō formed as a prominent cone on the east rift zone of Kīlauea and became one of the most studied volcanic features in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Its sustained eruption made it a focal point for research by teams from the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, United States Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and international collaborators from University of Tokyo and Cambridge University. The vent influenced nearby communities such as Pāhoa, Kalapana, Kapoho, and landmarks like Kīpuka Puaulu.

Geological history and formation

Puʻu ʻŌʻō developed on the east rift zone of Kīlauea above the Hilina Pali escarpment and was fed by magma from the Maui Nui plume and the larger Hawaiian hotspot. Its growth involved repeated Strombolian and Hawaiian-style eruptions similar to events recorded at Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, and historic eruptions documented during the voyages of James Cook. The cone’s structure incorporated pyroclastic deposits comparable to those at Mokuʻāweoweo and fracture systems observed at Kīlauea Iki. Regional tectonics related to the Pacific Plate motion and mantle processes studied by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory influenced magma supply and rift propagation.

1983–2018 eruption sequence

The 1983 eruption began with fissure eruptions that established a lava shield and the Puʻu ʻŌʻō cone, producing flows that repeatedly advanced toward Kalapana and destroyed communities including Kaimū and Kalapana Gardens. Over decades activity shifted between eruptive styles: persistent lava lakes, episodic lava fountains, and flank venting akin to sequences at Kīlauea Iki and historical rift episodes such as the 1790 Kīlauea eruption. Significant events include lava flows entering the ocean at multiple points, interaction with coastal waters producing littoral explosions like those observed at Lōʻihi Seamount, and the 2014–2015 breakout that threatened Pāhoa and prompted responses from County of Hawaii. The Puʻu ʻŌʻō complex produced voluminous pāhoehoe and ʻaʻā flows monitored by teams from Hawaii Volcano Observatory, Geological Society of America, and international volcanology programs.

Impacts and hazards

Puʻu ʻŌʻō’s eruptions caused property loss and landscape change, destroying communities such as Kaimū and necessitating evacuations in Pāhoa and Kapoho. Lava flows altered shorelines near Kalapana and created new landforms documented by the United States Geological Survey and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Emissions of sulfur dioxide impacted air quality across Hilo and Kona and engaged public health responses from Hawaii State Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hazards included lava inundation, volcanic gas exposure, ground deformation monitored by Geological Survey of Japan, and coastal hazards studied by the United States Army Corps of Engineers following episodes of littoral explosions and ocean entry.

Cultural significance and conservation

The vent and its flows intersected with Native Hawaiian cultural sites, traditional practices, and legends centered on Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire, and engaged cultural practitioners from Office of Hawaiian Affairs and local ʻohana in consultations. Losses of wahi kapu (sacred places) and changes to ahupuaʻa boundaries prompted responses involving Bishop Museum, University of Hawaiʻi cultural resource programs, and the National Historic Preservation Act. Conservation efforts within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park balanced visitor access with protection of cultural landscapes and endemic species managed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Research and monitoring

Puʻu ʻŌʻō served as a natural laboratory for investigators from Hawaii Volcano Observatory, USGS, Smithsonian Institution, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Imperial College London, and ETH Zurich. Studies addressed eruption dynamics, lava rheology, gas emissions, and deformation using tools from Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, Global Positioning System, Seismic Research Observatories, and airborne surveys by National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Collaborative projects included geothermal assessments with Department of Energy researchers and hazard modeling used by Federal Emergency Management Agency and County of Hawaii planners. Long-term datasets from Puʻu ʻŌʻō informed global volcanic hazard frameworks advocated by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior and training at institutions such as USGS Volcano Science Center.

Category:Volcanoes of Hawaii