Mauna Loa wakes up

2002/10/15 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Geologia

Mauna Loa, the largest volcano on the Hawaii and the world, awakens after almost 20 years of sleep. The last eruption of Mauna Loa took place in 1984, when for three weeks it violently poured lava and lava rivers reached 6 kilometers from Hilo.

The Mauna Loa volcano is considered very destructive, since in a short time it is capable of throwing a lot of lava and the lava rivers that form there move quickly and far. In 1950, with the worst known eruption, lava rivers reached the sea at 7.5 kilometers per hour. It is a volcano of great activity, with eruptions from 1843 to 33.

Mauna Loa and other Hawaii volcanoes are closely monitored by researchers at the Hawaii Volcanic Observatory. And they say Mauna Loa is waking up. Since 1984 and for ten years, the surface of the summit boiler suffered a period of inflation and in the last eight years a deflation period. However, on 12 May the period ended sharply and since then the surface of the summit is sweltering and sinking. This means that the lava is accumulating below, so an eruption may occur. However, researchers do not know when because a suitable model has not yet been developed to announce it.

On the same day of the change in Mauna Loa, on May 12, neighboring Kilauea began to pour the lava. Geologists do not believe that coincidence would have been random, but think that this fact shows that both magma systems are interrelated.

The measure is made by GPS detectors installed on the same surface of the boiler that goes up or down. With them, researchers hope to be able to complete follow-up of the process that has just begun. This is the first time that the eruption of the Mauna Lo from the beginning to the end is followed.