This is the furious Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world

Hawaiithe only insular and extra-continental state of USAlives moments of anguish due to the eruption of one of its volcanoes: the mauna loa.

Among the 18 islands and atolls that make up that state, the largest of them, called Hawaii, is the Volcanoes National Park of Hawaii, home of volcano largest asset in the world.

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His recent activity has gone around the world and, therefore, we tell you more about the mauna loaintimidating and, at the same time, fascinating.

What is happening with the Mauna Loa volcano

On November 27, alerts went off in Hawaii due to reports indicating that the mauna loa had entered the eruptive phase. The giant had awakened.

Although usually this volcano It does not have explosive and spectacular eruptions with very high columns of smoke, the rivers of magma and lava escape through fissures in the rock and run along its slopes at a slow pace, which does not mean great danger for the locals.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the volcano he built up pressure inside him for many years, which had to be released, and that is one of the causes of recent events.

AFP PHOTO / US Geological Survey

Mauna Loa curiosities

The mauna loa it’s a volcano shield, that is, a large volcano in a conical shape, the result of previous eruptions that have formed layers of low-viscosity lava. It is wide at its base and narrower at its crater.

Since 1843, the year in which the first eruption was recorded, mauna loa ‘enraged’ on 33 occasions, averaging a phenomenon of this type every 5 years. It had not erupted since 1984, that is, 38 years ago! At that time, for 22 days he terrorized the Hawaiians with lava and ash.

mauna loa means “big mountain” in the Hawaiian language. And boy is it! In mid-2022, after scientific investigations, it was determined that, with its 5,271 square kilometers, it is the volcano largest asset in the world (in terms of area).

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East volcano It encompasses the mainland half of the largest island that makes up Hawaii and is nearly large enough to fit all the other Hawaiian Islands combined.

In addition, it rises to 4,170 meters above sea level… but that is not surprising: if you measure it from its base, at the bottom of the sea, it reaches 9,170 meters in height.

Expert volcanologists predict that, as has happened in the volcanoes in the northern part of Hawaii (today inactive), the mauna loa dies out in the next 500,000 to a million years due to the movement of the Pacific plate, driving the volcano out of the Hawaiian hot spot. So we still have Mauna Loa for a while.

The hair of a goddess on Mauna Loa

mythology in Hawaii It is present in a very peculiar phenomenon that occurs after a volcanic eruption.

It is about thePele’s hair‘ and no, not the Pelé we all know, but the Hawaiian goddess peelthe deity of fire, lightning, volcanoesdance and violence.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. flickr

They are small, light and thin strands of glass basaltic that appear to be golden hairs. Its formation is due to the fact that gas bubbles explode near a lava flow, forming these very fine formations that, even small, can cause some injuries and irritation to the skin.

Sightseeing at Mauna Loa?

Before the eruption, the mauna loa It was a tourist point that allowed visitors to follow routes of hiking to its dome, and even stay for three days in any of its eight camps, three of them near the volcano.

A permit was required to both hike and camp.

For obvious reasons, access and activities on the mauna loa They are restricted until further notice.

Source: Elcomercio